Nars Laguna Bronzer | Review & Swatch + Bronzer Recommendations and Tips (#TheSoProject)

Phew, these past few weeks have been pretty manic in my world and I don't see things slowing down anytime soon. Unfortunately, due to that blogging has been taking a bit of a back seat. I am making my best efforts, but I do wish I could post more often. At the moment- twice a week is about the maximum I can manage. Anyway, today I am bringing you a review of my current favourite bronzer which is none other than the infamous Laguna bronzer by Nars (€33.83). This is also my fourth instalment of the The Starting Off Project (click here to find out more).

This bronzer comes neatly packaged in a sleek, matte, black compact. It is the typical, non-exciting Nars packaging here. I think it looks classy and expensive but by golly do these get grubby looking quickly. It is near impossible to not have your fingerprints all over this due to the finish of the packaging. There is a great sized mirror housed inside the compact, which makes it perfect for on the go application

Finish wise, this is an almost-matte (there is a teeny tiny bit of shimmer that isn't noticeable on but is faint in pan) brown that should suit most light-medium skin tones. It is not very dark so if you are on the darker side of the skin tone spectrum, this may not show up on you very well. It is very easy to build up and is a perfect contour and all-round bronzer. It's very natural looking which I love and lasts the entire day.

Overall I love this bronzer and it has become apart of my daily makeup routine during the past few weeks. I finally know what all of the fuss is about! However, if Nars is a bit out of your budget there are plenty of other great bronzers on the market. 'Bourjois Delice de Poudre' (€8.99) is a great highstreet alternative. It also smells faintly of chocolate which is always a bonus in my books! Another favourite of mine is Hoola by Benefit (€34). Definitely not exactly pocket friendly but it's a great one to try if you're on the hunt for a new bronzer. 

The Bronzing Basics

If you're new to the bronzing world, here are a few tips to get you on your way. If you're like me, you'll never look back!

• Bronzer can be used for a number of reasons. The most obvious reason would be to bronze your face, and make you look more tanned. Another major reason is to contour your face. This means that you would use the product to accentuate certain features or hide others. The best place to use bronzer is under your cheekbones. Make a fishy face and apply product from the edge of your face until you reach the outside of your eye in a downwards motion. You can also apply the product along your temples and down the sides of your nose (this creates the illusion of a smaller nose). 
• Make sure to blend! Nobody wants a VCL (that's visible contour line, don't you know!). Harsh lines are a no no.
• Don't apply bronzer onto your inner cheeks, this will just make your makeup look patchy and muddy. Never a desired look.
• Use a contour brush to apply bronzer. This makes contouring a lot easier than using a big powder brush.
• If you're afraid of using bronzer- don't be! It's the perfect product to create a natural, sun-kissed look and really helps highlight your best features.

They're my tips and recommendations for bronzers. I hope you enjoyed this and let me know of any tricks or product recommendations in the comments! 

Best Foundations (#TheSOProject)

Another week, another instalment of The Starting Off Project. If you don't know what #TheSOProject click here. 

 This is week number three. Week one was Skincare and last week was concealer. Today I'm bring you my recommendations for foundations!

When it comes to bases, I like to keep it light for everyday where. If you're more into heavy coverage- I'm afraid these products won't be for you. I believe makeup should enhance your natural beauty, rather than cover up your entire face. That is why I've chosen these products!

First up is the 'Rimmel Wake Me Up' foundation. This is a loved foundation by many. It gives a gorgeous light coverage, but still covers everything. It's quite dewy and has a very faint shimmer, which isn't very noticeable but just provides a nice glow to the skin. This is my favourite drugstore foundation. It's perfect for those days where you want extra coverage, but don't feel like wearing a lot of makeup or you just want pretty, natural-looking coverage. To see a full in-depth review click here.

€10.99 Boots - link

The latter of the two products is Garnier BB Cream for oily skin. I love this product and out of all the BB Creams I've tried, this is definitely my favourite. It gives amazing coverage for a BB Cream, and allows your skin to breath at the same time. This is the perfect product if you're still in school or just don't really like the feel of typical foundations. Again, I've also previously reviewed this item so click here if you're interested.

Currently €10.99 (usually €13.99) Boots- link

Foundation Tips 

• Blend, blend, blend. Please do not allow yourself to have a line between your jaw and neck. Blend in your foundation!
• Less is more- do not cake on product. You can always add more where you need it, it's a lot more difficult to take off product if you overdo it.
• If you have good skin- don't wear foundation! This is particularly for young teenagers. Hold off wearing heavy makeup for as long as possible. A little concealer and powder is all you need!
• Try not to wearing foundation everyday. This has benefits for your skin but also mentally. If you don't wear makeup everyday, you won't feel the need for it to make you feel pretty. Also, don't worry about other people's opinions, the only person who cares is you- trust me!

I hope these tips and recommendations have helped you. Let me know any tricks you have and your favourite products! 

My Favourite Concealer | #TheSOProject

Hello everyone and welcome to another instalment of the Starting Off Project. Last weeks topic was 'Skincare' and this week it's all about concealers. I am a lover of concealers because I often don't feel the need for a full face of foundation- I just pop on a bit of concealer and I'm good to go. This week I'm sharing with you my current favourite concealer. It's one I haven't much experience with yet, but so far I'm really liking it and it comes in the form of the 'Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer'.

Before I get onto that, let's do a quick run through. First off, what are concealers? Basically they're products used to cover up blemishes, under-eye circles and anything else that needs extra coverage. They are typically thicker than a foundation and are used to target specific areas, not used as an all-over base. To use the product, you can either use it directly from the tube with the included applicator (not the most hygienic), with your finger or with a concealer brush. I prefer to use it with my finger as the warmth of your finger helps blend the product.

Another commonly asked question might be what colour to get your concealer? A lot of people recommend going a shade lighter than your skin tone. This often doesn't help much as it actually can highlight the blemishes you're trying to cover up! The best shade to get is the shade that best matches your skintone. If, however, you're stuck between a lighter shade or a darker shade, go for the lighter.

Now onto my favourite concealer of the moment! I decided to try this product because I love the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation. The entire 'Wake Me Up' range is all about making you look refreshed and not caked in makeup which is a look I'm always trying to achieve. This product comes packaged in your standard plastic cylinder tube with the orange lid- as with all products in the range. It also has a doe-foot applicator as with many concealers. 

The concealer promises to have an 'anti-fatigue' effect. Although this is clearly supposed to target under-eye circles I find the concealer to work well on blemishes too. The consistency of the product is lovely as it's not thick and cakey at all. It's quite the contrary, as it blends easily and looks very natural. You could definitely get away with looking like your wearing no makeup at all, whilst still hiding any blemishes. The lasting power is also very good and lasted the entire day for me (about eight hours). 

A few other concealers I have loved is the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer and the Estee Lauder Double Wear concealer. Both achieve very similar results but there is a huge price difference! The Collection one is only €6.49 (click here for link) but it is only available in 4 shades. Whereas the Estee Lauder product comes in eight shades but has a heftier price tag at €24.50. The Rimmel product featured here also only has four shades and retails at €6.99. So if you're looking for better shade selection, you may need to pay a bigger price. However if you're looking for a product that does a good job, you can find just as good quality concealers on the high street.

Let me know your concealer recommendations in the comments below!

My Skincare Saviours (#TheSOProject)

Hello my lovely readers! Agh I need to apologise for my recent absence. I've been without wifi for the past ten days, therefore being unable to post here on the old blog. Anyway, without further-ado I'll get into the post which is all about skin care.

First off, I am taking part in the Starting Off Project run by Stephanie over on Steph's Inside Voice. She came up with the lovely idea to do weekly posts based around different topics to help out newbies to the beauty world, or just those interested in some new products and tips! If you want to here a more detailed description of #TheSOProject then click over here.

I have oily-combination sensitive skin. I suffer from breakouts but I'm lucky enough to not suffer from severe acne. My skin has been like this from about the age of thirteen I would say. It was worst around the age of 15 and has now settled down a bit but I still have breakouts. I've tried so many products, so here are the best ones in my opinion!

One word, Dermalogica. Dermalogica is a great brand and is renowned for its amazing skincare. It is on the higher-end of the market but when it comes to skin care, quality products are 100% worth it. In this case, it's an investment. If you're a young teenager I'd definitely recommend their 'Clean Start' (available here) range. It is designed especially for teenage skin and includes every product you could need for your skin whether it be spot treatment or moisturiser.

If you're on the look for something for all ages, my number one favourite product from the Dermalogica range is definitely their Dermal Clay Cleanser. This product has transformed my skin. It's gentle, purifying and can also be doubled up as a face mask. Check out the brilliant Dermalogica website here where you can face-map your skin to find out the best products for your skin type.

Skincare tips + tricks

• Always, always, always take off your makeup. It's an old-age trick but an important one. Also, do it properly and get that gunk off your face. I recommend Bioderma for a thorough removal.
• Drink water! Believe it or not, it works. Clearing your body from toxins is the best way to get clear, radiant skin.
• Moisturise! Keeping your skin moisturised is so important as otherwise your skin will produce excess oils, clogging pores and causing breakouts. If you have naturally oily skin (like me), use an oil-free moisturiser.
• Sudocrem. It's an amazing multi-purpose product and works great for getting rid of spots. It's also cheap as chips which is all the better.
• Do not pick at your skin. Picking and over-squeezing spots and blackheads is the fast-track to scarring, which nobody wants.
• Get into a good skincare regime. Yes it takes time and yes it's a bit of hassle but I can guarantee you won't regret it. A good skincare regime will stand to you for your entire life. Your future self will thank you for it!

They're my product recommendations and a few tips to get you on your way. If you have any tips or if you're also involved in #theSOProject, please let me know in the comments!