#Best of Beauty 2017

#Best of Beauty 2017

#Best of Beauty 2017

I really can't believe that 2017 has come and gone! In terms of beauty products, I have to say I don't think I have seen a busiest year. There have been constant launches with many beauty brands in competition with one another. Whilst I have purchased new products, I do have my 'Holy Grails' that I keep on coming back to. So without any further rambles, I will list below my star products of 2017.

L - R: 

Face: Bobbi Brown BB Cream in Medium, Garnier BB Cream for Combination Skin in Light/Medium, MAC Prolongwear Concealers in NC35 & NW20, MAC Prep+Prime in Peach Lustre.

Eyes: L'Oreal Feline Mascara, Inglot Gel Liner in 94 ( used as an eyeshadow, IsaDora liquid liner in black, MAC Black Swan eyeliner, Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Twice Baked, MAC Pearlglide liner in Petrol Blue.

Cheeks: Jouer Rose Gold Highlighter, MAC Give Me Sun MSF, Benefit Watts Up Highlighter, Max Factor Cream Blush in Soft Copper.

Lips: Jouer Lip Enhancer, MAC Oak Lipliner, NYX Mahogany Lipliner, Rimmel The Only Matte in 700, MAC Blankety Lipstick, MAC Myth Lipstick, Too Faced Melted Sugar Lipstick, Milani Cream Lipstick,  Sephora Lipstain in 03, Jouer Rose Gold Lip Topper & Kylie Cupid Lipgloss.

What have been your best beauty products? Comment below!

Love Sara xx

Lifestyle/Beauty: Brand of the Month - Jouer

BRAND OF THE MONTH

 JOUER

https://www.jouercosmetics.com/

L-R: Lip Enhancer in Clear, Lip Toppers in Rose Gold, Skinny Dip and Frostbite, Rose Gold Highlighter 

I heard about Jouer a few years ago online but never looked into any of their products. It wasn't until I started watching a few American beauty bloggers/makeup artists that I started to learn about the products they offer. Amrezy, was one of the first makeup artists/influencers who wore Jouer's best selling product the 'Lip Topper'. I was drawn in and wanted to try it out. So I think I remember purchasing the Skinny Dip Lip Topper along with the Lip Enhancer which is a lip balm treatment.

Since using those products I decided to invest in some of the Rose Gold Collection. I bought as shown below the highlighter and lip topper. At first I wasn't keen on the formula of the highlighter as it looked too chunky but I have literally been hooked after playing around and finding a way of applying it so it looks super natural on my skin. I have been using it since the Summer and still use it everyday, the pan is still going strong and I will definitely repurchase after I have used it up.

The Lip Toppers are AMAZING! I don't know what else to say other than they look so beautiful on top of any lipstick. They plump your lips and add extra dimension.

Lastly, I'll chat about the Lip Enhancer in Clear. I actually added this as an 'add-on' to get free shipping LOL! But I am so glad I did as I have since repurchased this three times. It is an amazingly light formula which sinks into the lips and moisturises them thoroughly. It claims to plump and the results are true. I notice smoothing of my lips and a natural fullness to them too. I hope the foreer continue to make this product as it is BOMB! 

Overall, I really like Jouer. They also stock foundations, eyeshadows, blushes amongst many other products. I am really keen on trying out their blushes and eyeshadows and seeing how they live up to their other products.

What do you think of Jouer?

Which are your favourite products?

Love Sara X

Beauty: As Seen On...Beauty Bloggers/Influencers

I am sure you are all aware of the rising number of beauty influencers/bloggers on social media these days. So I thought about which of them have influenced me to purchase products to based on their reviews. I have chosen products that I use quite often in my makeup application and given a brief overview which I hope you find useful.


Beauty Products as seen on....

1. RMCA Powder (as seen on Kathleen Lights). I remember this was in one of her 'Favourites' videos and as I had finished my Laura Mercier, I wanted to try a cheaper alternative. I really like how finely milled this powder is and how it blends nicely into the skin. I use this under my eyes and to set my makeup whenever I remember!

2. Carli Bybel Palette (as seen on Carli Bybel). I enjoy watching beauty bloggers who are passionate about what they do and Carli is one of them. She came out with her own palette in collaboration with BH Cosmetics and I have to say it does not fail at all. She has picked a great combination of colours perfect for day and evening too. I am currently wearing the browns and bronzes, as I created a smokey look.  Also, the highlighters in the palette are BEAUTIFUL! She has recently released a 'Deluxe' palette with more eyeshadows I believe and a few new colours.

3. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Give Me Sun ( as seen on Holly Boon). I really think Holly Boon is a very talented makeup artist who loves to experiment with a range of products and who also loves tanning and highlighting! She had been using 'Give Me Sun' in a load of videos and I remember thinking how it gave her natural warmth to her skin. I use to use Laura Mercier's Baked Radiance Bronzers which I still love but wanted a touch more colour. So I eventually purchase this and haven't looked back. I use it to warm my skin up more and today I used it a touch more in replace of my usual blush and love the finished look.

4. MAC Satin Lipstick in Myth (as seen on Chrisspy). I LOVE a nude lip and my go-to has been Maybelline's Nude Delight for some time. But when I started to watch Chrisspy I wondered if I could pull it off too. It is amazing especially when combined with MAC's Oak Lipliner and Jouer's Skinny Dip Lip Topper or Cargo's Sahara Lipgloss. I'm actually almost due for a repurchase but have to agree with Chrisppy that it goes with any look!

5. MAC Amplified Lipstick in Blankety ( as seen on Anna Saccone). I loved this colour on Anna and have to admit at first I wasn't sure if it would suit me. But I caved in and bought it at Duty Free last year. I have worn this with lots of simple and natural make up looks and really love the colour, which is a muted dusky pink.

6. Jouer Lip Topper in Skinny Dip (as seen on Amrezy).  It is a lip gloss that is designed to be worn on top of lips for a shimmering effect. I love this lip topper and have used it lots on a variety of lip products. It adds more dimension to a lip colour and it isn't full on glitter. I find it quite subtle. I also have it in the shades: Frostbite and Rose Gold.

Which beauty influencers/bloggers have influenced you to purchase any products?

Do you rate them?

Love, Sara X

Beauty: Long Lasting Makeup for Teachers in the Middle East

As mentioned previously, I'm a teacher. A teacher who LOVES make up I might add. So I thought it may be useful to blog about the make up products I use on a daily basis when I am at work. I literally do not have any time to reapply my make up throughout the day, let alone any breaks! Since I have lived in Oman, I have switched up some of my make up products to make sure whilst my skin is comfortable, it also lasts throughout the day.

So what do I use?

I will list the products below in order of how I apply them and what they are used for.

#1. Skindinavia Primer Spray - After I have applied my skincare, I will lightly spritz my skin with this to prepare my skin for my make up application.

#2. MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter in Peach Lustre - I use this to colour correct underneath my eyes and any other dark areas of hyperpigmentation on my skin.

#3. MAC ProLongwear Concealer in NC35 - I lightly dab concealer on top of the colour correct areas.

#4. Garnier BB Cream OR Bobbi Brown BB Cream in Medium - I then apply a small peas sized amount all over my face and neck. Then I go back with the MAC concealer to make sure my base is flawless.

#5. MAC Master Concealer in 8.5 - I use a Morphe  brush and mark my cheek contour.

#6. Benefit Watts Up Cream Highlighter - I swipe this on my cheek bones and bridge of my nose and blend into my skin.

#7. Max Factor Soft Touch Cream Blush in Soft Copper - I LOVE cream blush for a more natural and glowy appearance. I use the small e.l.f. stippling brush and tap this onto my cheeks and blend in with my contour.

#8. Jouer Rose Gold Powder Highlighter - I use the Zoeva #134 brush to apply this on top of t he cream highlight. It's such a natural highlight, I love it!

#9. IsaDora Liquid Eyeliner in Black/Brown - I apply this to the top of my eyes.

#10. Eyeliner pencil  - I haven't listed a brand as I use loads and it depends on what colour I am feeling that day! But I apply this on my lower lash line.

#11. L'O'real Feline Mascara - this is a dupe for the Benefit Rollerlash mascara. It lifts and curls your lashes so well. I apply a few coats to the top and bottom of my lashes.

#12. NYX Mahogany Lipliner  - Again it depends on what colour I am feeling that day but more recently I have been wearing this combination.

#13. Rimmel Only Matte Lipstick in 700 ( Trendsetter) - I am not a fan of this alone and this works well with Mahogany and Mauve Squad to give a muted nude-mauve lip colour that goes with pretty much every look.

#14. Smashbox Mauve Squad Liquid Lipstick - I layer this over the lipstick and it is GORGEOUS!

#15. Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray - I spritz this over my makeup a few times to ensure it is set and lasts all day. I can vouch that it does last all day. However if I wear MAC Kohl, that eyeliner does tend to smudge. So I usually opt for Sephora, L.A Girl or Urban Decay eyeliners.

Sometimes I may apply RCMA powder to define my contour more but if I am honest it is quite rare on a school day! I do pack a mini Skindinavia Finishing spray with me but I never use it...I don't need to, but also I don't have time. I also pack my lipsticks but again very, very rarely top it up unless I am heading out after school.

I have to say that the Skindinavia sprays are a life saver here in Oman, they work so well! I am constantly repurchasing them as they make a huge difference to the longevity of my makeup. Also, I don't use foundation or anything that is thick on my face as my skin does not agree with it and also it is not good for this climate. I prefer to apply a face of natural looking makeup.

I hope you found this useful. Which products do you use to keep you makeup long lasting on your face?

Love Sara x

All Loved Up: May Favourites

So let's crack on with my May favourites from last month. I have switched up a few products as I have been wanting to utilise my make up collection and use pieces I haven't reached for in a while too.

My May Favourites!

L - R: MAC Subculture Lipliner, L'oreal Feline Mascara, Hourglass Lip Stylo in No1,
Jouer Lip Enhancer in Clear, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturier and
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Rose Gold. 

#1: MAC Lip Liner in Subculture: I have been loving this shade recently as it's pretty much the same colour as my lips and perfect for a very natural looking lip colour.

#2: L'oreal Feline Mascara: I bought this in Duty Free a while back and since I had to discard my Benefit and Urban Decay mascara's, it was time to try this one. I really love it. At the moment my lashes have been pre curled due to a lash lift so I can't really comment how it is curling/lifting them. However, this mascara is lightweight and does separate my lashes making them look much fuller and paired with the lash lift looks so natural too.

#3: Hourglass Lip Stylo in Femme No 1 ( I think that's what it's called!). This I believe is a  near dupe for the Natural Collection Lip stick in Rose Petal. I do love a pink brown nude with a smokey eye or even just a natural looking face of make up.

#4: Jouer Lip Enhancer: This has appeared in a post or insta- story before. I bought this as an add on to my Jouer order and I have to say it has to have been the best purchase ever. I am coming to the end of it now and it works wonders by keeping my lips soft, smooth and plump.

#5: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser in Sand: So you may have read before I had been using the Bobbi Brown BB Cream. However now that I have ever so slightly tanned, I thought I would trial out the LM one and so far so good. It is is perfect match even when it has oxidised and actually feels nice on my skin, compared with before. It's almost finishing too but I am not sure whether I will repurchase as I have worn my BB far longer. We'll see.

#6: Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Powder in Rose Gold: Last but not least my ultimate favourite. I LOVE this colour highlighter as it provides the skin with such a nice, natural, luminous glow without looking like a disco ball.

I hope you enjoyed reading.

Lots of love,

Sara

All Loved Up: March Favourites!

Aloha my lovely people! Happy April! I am back - with a fresh new layout! What do you think? I think it looks quite fresh and yes I had to add in the turquoise somewhere! :P

Please accept my sincere apologies! Since I've taken up a brand new leadership role at my school, I've been pretty busy plus I have been on two trips - one work related and the other just a plain old holiday! I've got lots of exciting posts about my career, travels, beauty and life! I will be posting a few this week so keep an eye out!

But I thought I would start off with a beauty post as I've been diggin' some newbies lately!

My Beauty Faves for March!

                                            
I have listed these from left to right and explained why I LOVED them so much last month!

#1: Urban Decay Quick Fix Prepping Spray: This is a newbie and I LOVE it! The weather it getting pretty hot and humid here and this does the job of prepping and hydrating my skin before my makeup. I have found that it plays a HUGE part in keeping my makeup on throughout the day too. Well done Urban Decay!

#2: Urban Decay Cannonball Mascara and #3: Benefit Roller Lash Mascara : I actually use this in conjunction with the Benefit Roller Lash mascara. I apply the Roller Lash first to separate my lashes and curl and then the Cannonball to intensify the colour and volume of my lashes. This must be my third purchase of them now and still loving how they work together!

#4: MAC Prolong Wear Concealer in NW25 & NC35: These are more newbies. As I have a tanned slightly, I found that the Maybelline Age Rewind Concealers are too light plus I didn't think they lasted long on my skin. I had heard good reviews about this concealer so I ended up buying two; NW25 for blemishes and NC35 for my under eyes and I am AMAZED! They're perfect and to the point LONG LASTING!

#5: Bobbi Brown BB Cream in Medium: I have recently converted to the BB BB Cream because of its benefits. It has an SPF35, is lightweight and the shade matches me perfectly even after oxidising. I love the satin finish and it provides me with enough coverage too.

#6: Inglot Mascara in 24: I've also switched up my black eyeliner for brown and it's amazing what colours can do for your makeup look. It is much softer looking and really makes my brown eyes pop! The staying power again is great which is a bonus for me in this weather!

#7: MAC Peaches Blush: Hello Spring or should I say Summer now? I love how this blush provides my skin with a splash of luminosity and glow.

#8: Milani Luminoso Blush: I use this as blush topper on MAC Peaches and it really brings out a dewy, glow from within.

#9: MAC Oak Lip Liner: I remember when blogger Bubblegarm used to rave about this lip liner but I wasn't sure it would suit me. Anyways, I bought it a few months ago and have been using it ever since - so thanks Muhsine! :)  It is a lovely neutral colour that defines the lip really subtly.

#10: Jouer Lip Enhancer in Clear: My new favourite lip plumping, moisturise without the tingle. This is AMAZING! No, seriously, I am almost done with my first tube. It is so luxurious and moisturising whilst plumping my lips ever so slightly. I use this day and night and have seen the difference it has made. I will most definitely be repurchasing. 

#11: MAC Myth Lipstick and #12: Cargo Lipgloss in Sahara: I've recently discovered beauty vlogger Chrisspy and loved her lip colours. So when I found out that she paired MAC Myth with Cargo's Sahara I was up to try it out. I use MAC Oak to line my lips and then apply MAC Myth and a slick of Sahara on top. It's the perfect nude lip combo - thanks Chrisspy!

So there you have it, my faves from the month of March. I hope you enjoyed reading it!

Thank you,

Lots of love,

Sara