The Body Shop Oil-Free Balancing Foundation

This was a total impulse buy. Waiting at the airport in duty free I decided to pass time and test out the oil free foundation from The Body Shop. I have been on the look out for a decent foundation that provides coverage and is ideal for my combination skin. Swatching this on my face in store I was kinda surprised that it covered well; so on a whim I decided to purchase this (shade 04) along with the blending sponge.

Yup that's dried up foundation right there...

I used this during my holiday abroad and it worked well in the cold weather of Istanbul and the heat of Dubai (around 28 degree Celsius).

The trick is all in the application. For a flawless streak-free finish apply with a damp blending sponge. The disadvantage of this is that you waste some of the product through the sponge. The foundation dries very quickly so you have to work fast with it! Only pump a small amount onto your hand at a time to work with, otherwise it'll dry before you apply to your face. If your skin is dry or flaky the foundation will only highlight this so moisturise well before use!

It provides light-medium coverage and the finish is matte but still glowing. The biggest plus is I don't need to powder as much, which if you have a shiny t-zone like moi will understand! It hasn't broke me out yet which is a MAJOR plus for me *Yayyyyyy!!* Oh and it has SPF15-not bad :)

Overall I am happy with this foundation, and will continue to use. My search for the perfect (is there such a thing?) concealer is still continuing...

The foundation is currently on sale on the Body Shop website for £8! (RRP £13)

Please leave a comment and let me know what your favourite everyday foundation/concealer is :)

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M.A.C Store in the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul!

On my recent visit to Istanbul I stumbled across a M.A.C store in the Grand Bazaar. Who would have thought that amongst the gold jewellery and leather handbags there would be a M.A.C store?? Of course I got snap happy and just had to have a sneak peak inside. However I was pretty dissapointed that the prices seemed more expensive then what I would pay in the UK. Still it was fun to have a nosey!

 

I WANT this chair!

I could happily live in this shop

 Which unusual places have you discovered a M.A.C store?

P.s I will be blogging about my recent trip to Istanbul, including photos and outfit of the day over the next week or two. If you haven't already join my facebook page

Until next time, take care :)

Kabuki Brush for Flawless Makeup

I have always wanted a kabuki brush so when I received this mini kabuki during a meet up with other bloggers, I was DELIGHTED! I can't remember who gave the brush, but I would like to thank that person!

It is truely soft and I love to use it! I like to apply my Maxfactor Facefinity Powder using the brush and it is truely amazing. It gives a flawless application and can be carried in your bag for touch ups on the go. I'm not sure the brand as it doesn't have a label, but you can purchase kabukis from most cosmetic stores.

My hubbie commented that it looks like a shaving brush. Lets hope he doesn't borrow it for that purpose :S

Do you own a kabuki?? 

Eyeliner Tutorial-Daytime to Evening Look

I've been asked many times how I apply my eyeliner. Its' a really simple look using two products- a liquid and pencil eyeliner. I use liquid for my upper lid and pencil on my waterline. I like to use liquid because if I apply the pencil to my upper lid it wears off easily onto the top of my lid (I have droopy eyelids). Whereas with the liquid it stays put until I remove it.

The whole process takes me around 30 seconds-quick and easy, perfect for a lazy bum like me :p

If you have droopy lids like moi then the flick at the end will really help to open and extend your eyes. Draw a thicker line if you have small lids, but if you have bigger lids then a thin line will do. Finally apply the GOSH liner on your water line.

For an evening look I have applied a really thin line of liquid under my bottom lashes, just to add depth. If I'm going out for a special occasion then I will also apply mascara (Not worn in the photos). At the moment I'm using Maybelline Collosal Mascara.

• You can purchase the liquid liner from Body Shop

• The velvet Touch pencil is from GOSH

Look how tiny the liner is! I don't waste ;)

Taa Daaa! Like magic ;)

If you want to know how to achieve the look then watch the video below :)

NOTD-Cupcake Topping Inspired Nails

My NOTD is inspired by cup cakes and the beautiful designs iced onto them. For the nails I have used 2 coats of 17 nail polish in 'Mint Choc Chip'. I've then take a tooth pick and carefully added on 'Parma Violet' for the dotted detail on the nails. I've topped this off with 1 coat of clear nail polish by Rimmel. OK so I still need practice with my application, but I reckon these nails look good enough to eat!

With flash

The Inspiration...

 Image Credit

Purchase both nail polishes from 17 available from Boots or online

NOTD Barry M 303 Bright Purple

 Today's NOTD is another Barry M Nail Paint (Oh how I do love them!) This one is 303 Bright Purple.

The colour is truly luscious. I have a thing for purple/pink/red polishes and this is a favourite from my collection. I have applied 2 coats, but for a more subtle colour you can apply one.

The Nail Paints from Barry M are a bargain price of £2.99 each, which is why I have a huge stash of them!

NOTD: Barry M Raspberry 273

I have a HUGE stash of Barry M nail polishes as I love their colours and the wide selection available.

Todays NOTD is 273 in Raspberry. I've applied 2 coats of the nail polish to give it a deep colour. The colour is a lot more deeper and a true 'raspberry' than shown in the photo. I haven't applied a top coat so the photo illustrates the actual shine from the colour.

Applying was easy and the brush was just the right size for my nails. It dried fairly quickly and lasts for a few days without chipping.

What do you think of the colour?

A few MAC Lipsticks of mine

From left-right- Satin 'Myth', Amplified 'Brick-O-La', Frost 'Costa Chic', Lustre 'Milan Mode'

These are just a few MAC lipsticks I own that I need to swatch!

As you can see the Milan Mode has been worn a lot, as it is one of my fav lipsticks! It is a Lustre finish with a hint of shimmer.

Which MAC lipsticks do you own and what finish do you prefer?

Meet Sleek Makeup at Westfields Stratford

Makeup Alley for Beauty Product Reviews

MakeUpAlley is my all time favourite site for product reviews. Anytime I want to check up on a certain beauty product I check the site for reviews.

The site is easy to use and and you can find reviews for almost any product and pick according to skin tone, skin type, and even age- all which will help you to determine whether a beauty product is right for you.

So next time you are deciding between garnier face wash or clean and clear-have a look at the reviews on MakeUpAlley

Hope that helps :)

Whats in my Makeup Bag :)

Want to see whats in my makeup bag? Have a look at the video below and let me know what you keep in your makeup bag as your must have essentials :)

Don't forget to subscribe to my youtube channel for beauty and hijab tutorials: http://youtube.com/alz786uk

Join me on facebook: www.facebook.com/princessrockzuk 

Join me on facebook: www.facebook.com/princessrockzuk

Product Review-Max Factor Facefinity Compact Foundation