A pop of colour...

Sorry I've been away for while.. but to kick things off again I thought I would give you a quick run down of how to create a really simple but glamorous look.

To prep my skin I used Korres Wild Rose 24 Hour Moisturiser, along with Kiehls Midnight Eye Recovery Cream. I then used the Make-Up Forever HD Primer in Shade Neutral. This is an amazing primer which refines the pores and makes your skin look flawless before you even apply a base.

On my recent trip to Venice I discovered Italian Make-Up brand Kiko (Make-Up Milano). I have since discovered they have a shop in the UK in Westfields Stratford and Shepherds Bush so I am thrilled. On my visit to the Venice branch, I purchased a fairly new type of product in the western market- a BB cream. Also known as a Blemish Balm, this is a very popular product from Asia. It provides great coverage as a normal foundation would do but it has the texture more like a tinted moisturiser. It provides UV protection, and often contains an SPF aswell. It moisturises as well as covers and also acts as a primer so for a day to day look you don't need to use primer underneath. For an evening look I still like to use a primer as it makes the make-up last that much longer.

I use shade number 1- light and it blends perfectly into my skin. This product is a bargain as well at only £8.90. I highly recommend you give a BB cream a go. I plan to try other brands to see how they differ. I use a concealer by Sephora- Smoothing & Brightening Concealer- It is one of the best i have used and it is a real bargain at $14- sadly Sephora is not available in the UK. I stock up when I visit the USA or Europe. I finished my skin off with a sheer wash of Cover Girl Tru Blend Powder in Translucent Fair to give an even finish.

My blusher is by Givenchy. 'Le Prisme Blush in Blooming Fuschia's. It gives a lovely pink glow to the skin and blends in very easily. I also bought at the same time Le Prisme Blush in 'Bucolic Poppy' which is a more fuschia pink and brightens your complexion instantly.

For my eyes I first prepare my eyebrows with Cosmetics a la Carte's Brow Ink in 'Taupe'. I like my eyebrows to look groomed but natural so I draw the brow ink through my brows before brushing through with an eyebrow brush to blend it through

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I then applied an eye primer- in this instance I used Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion in 'Sin'. I then applied a natural eyeshadow on top. I have many different brands I used but I wanted my eyelids to look fairly natural so I used a neutral shade from my Apothecary Essentials Kit. I love wearing eyeliner and it seems to be something I am known for amongst friends and family! To create this shimmer eyeliner, I first used Kiko's Automatic Waterproof eyeliner in Black. This eyeliner is great as it draws on like a felt tip pen and doesnt smudge. My top tip for using it is to draw the line you want away from your lash line and then fill in downwards- almost like colouring within the lines. This type of eyeliner is particularly good if you aren't very confident drawing on liquid liner.

To create the metallic sheen on top of the black I used Givenchy Parad Eyes Fluid Eye Liner in shade 5. Sadly this is a limited edition shade no longer available and I am currently researching other eyeliners which have a similar effect and last as long. I use Pixi Silky Eye Pen in Black Tulip as kohl to rim my lower lashes and on the inside of the lower lash line (as can be seen in the finished look below).

My falshes eyelashes are by a brand called "Eldora". I have about 15 pairs of lashes by them, and they are lovely and natural feeling. They have over 200 different types of lashes. I highly recommend them. The ones I am wearing are H133. I always use Duo glue to apply my false lashes as the glue provided by most companies isn't good enough and doesn't last on a night out.

Finally to create my fuschia lips I used two products- the first is Topshop's Lip Liner in Fearless. I lined my lips and then filled in my entire lips with the pencil. I then used Givenchy's Pop Gloss-Lip Gloss in Shade 22, which is a bright fuschia pink with flecks of shimmer and glitter in.

And here is the finished look. Flawless and natural looking skin, which looks healthy and vibrant. With defined eyes and a pop of colour on the lips. A really simple look which anyone can do.