Beauty Break: Get ready with me!

Come see how I get ready on a day to day basis, especially when I'm somewhat "on the run" and have only a short while to get ready. By no means that this is the quickest or easiest routine I do, but it is a routine I try and make time for as it takes just a little over 15 minutes including hair (yes, I admit, I do have the perks of having short hair!). The look is also very simple and is my version of make-up-without-looking-like-you're-wearing-make-up. Enjoy, and I do hope you find some use to it!

Products in order of use:

1) Shu Uemura depsea water facial mist (in Mint)
2) STEAMCREAM all-in-one natural moisturiser
3) NARS Pro-prime pore refining primer
4) Mamechiyo for Shu Uemura UV under base BB mousse
5) Shu Uemura face powder matte (in Medium light)
6) Sweet Lei Lani finishing powder (in Sun)
7) MAC powder blush (in Melba)
8) Urban Decay eyeshadow (in Buck) - off of the NAKED palette
9) MAC Prep+Prime eye (in Medium)
10) MAC mineralize eyeshadow (in Making It Easy)
11) Urban Decay eyeshadow (in Virgin) - off of the NAKED palette
12) Benefit They're Real! mascara
13) Apotek Hjärtat lip balm
14) Make Up Store sheer lipstick (in Gate)
15) Urban Decay by Skindinävia All Nighter long-lasting makeup setting spray

Applicators in order of use:

1) Shu Uemura press powder puff
2) MAC 182 "kabuki" brush
3) MAC 129SH brush
4) MAC 266SE brush
5) MAC 275SE brush
6) MAC 227 brush
7) Shu Uemura eyelash curler

Hair products in order of use:

1) Kérastase Resistance Volumactive amplifying perfecting mousse (for fine and vulnerable hair)
2) Label.M soft wax for light to medium control

Beauty Break: AFC Fiorentina

Two posts recommending our beauty must-haves based on Italian football in a row - the world really must be ending sometime soon! Today we're bringing you five products that we promise won't put you to sleep. I can't speak for Kay, but it puts a smile on my face to see a football team wearing my favourite colour, even if I'm not a supporter of them.

1) China Glaze (Spontaneous), £4

Although I swear by dirt cheap £1 bottles of nail varnish, there are just some colours you can't find a good dupe of. China Glaze has so many lovely shades, metallic, glittery, matte, you name it, they probably have it in every colour and colour combination you could possibly dream of. (If you love glitter, make sure to check out their Hunger Games collection, it took all I had to not buy a bottle of each!)

2) Clinique Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick (Crushed Grape), £16

What can I say, I'm a sucker for purple-toned lipsticks and glosses. I think they look lovely on all skin tones (orange excepted), and I always have at least one grape-hued Clinique lipstick in my bag. They're a subtle hint of colour compared to the candy apple reds I also love, and are much more wearable on a daily basis. They glide right on and keep your lips moisturised and glammed up at the same time - what's not to love?

3) Bath & Body Works Body Splash (Sun-Ripened Raspberry), £5

Scent-wise, I love everything berry. There's just something about the semi-sweet, natural smell that calls my name. This body splash is both light and refreshing, and isn't sickly sweet like some fruit-scented sprays tend to be. A few spritzes after you climb out of the shower is enough to wake you up and send you straight to raspberry heaven without burning your nose.

4) Clinique Clarifying Lotion, £15

Out of all the toners I've ever used, this is the only one that I would (and do) repurchase. I wouldn't say I have particularly sensitive skin, but every other toner I've tried has dried my skin out to the point it sends me running for the nearest bottle of moisturizer at least twice a day. This toner tightens up your pores nicely without it looking like there's a snowstorm on your face.

5) Urban Decay Shadow Pencil (Delinquent), £12

I recently bought a few of these shadow pencils and I have to say I am in love with them all! They're super easy to apply - they glide right on and last all day with no glitter falling down into your eyes and blinding you. They also double as an eyeliner if needed and add a great sparkle to your eyes with minimal effort. I've already bought five of them and will definitely be adding more to my collection.

Beauty Break: U.S. Città di Palermo (all colours)

We come to bring you more holy grail must-have products a girl should add to their vanity stat - this time based on the rosaneros of the Sicilian coast. I'm not one to watch Italian football - except when I have trouble sleeping - but pink and black sported by hunky footballers? Sign me up.

1) Bobbi Brown blush (Sandy pink), £15.80

There's not many bad things, if any at all, I can say about Bobbi Brown - if you want quality professional make-up, look no further. Like NARS, my fabulous sister introduced me to Bobbi Brown as a teenager and fell in love with their lip products. I tried their blushes and had the same experience. If you have to splurge on a blush, or any make up at all - go with Bobbi Brown.

2) OPI Nail varnish (Sparrow Me The Drama), £6

I can sing praises over OPI varnishes all day and their new colours never cease to make me feel like a kid in a candy store. My cousin and I call their boutiques "temptations" since how many different colours do you need in a personal collection? If you have to get just one more, pick up this beautiful pink number.

3) Dior Addict 2 Eau de Toilette, £35 (20ml) or £49 (50ml)

I'm the furthest thing away from a Dior gal. Really, really far. Try two roundabouts, three exits and an immigration border far. Once upon a blue moon I came to their make up counter and picked up some gorgeous blues and greens for my eyeshadow collections - they gave me a sample of this as a gift. At first, it had that initial bimbo girly smell about it - but it grows on you. If you're a fan of sweet scents, this perfume is the way to go.

4) Shu Uemura Fresh pore clarifying gentle cleansing oil, £20

Like OPI, Shu Uemura is my holy grail in terms of skincare products. While this pink version of their gentle cleansing oil line is not my go to choice, I have tried it before and loved it just as much as what I use (the purple one). It removes make up without the need of that twelfth man in the shape of your make up removers/make up wipes/etc. It does so gently, leaving you with none of that 'scrubbed up' feel. If you want to invest on a good cleansing product, go with this - it's a big bottle so every pence is worth it.

5) Prada cosmetic pouch, £130

I'm a sucker for pouches - big ones, small ones, round ones, rectangular - I'll have them all. In fact, I love them so much - it's almost a hassle for me when I travel because I carry so much in my bag I forgot which item is in which! One of my favourite pouches is from Prada. Their classic nylon cosmetic/whatever cases are a classic and will last you a long, long, long time. With colours and styles from here to there, you're guaranteed to be getting more than one perfect pouch.

6) NARS lip gloss cœur sucré (Large Than Life), £19

I've always had a love affair with NARS since being shoved its products by my sister. This product is like a better version of the MAC lip glass. Although I prefer Chanel glosses in terms of colours, this is something you should try if you want a long lasting gloss with perfect pigmentation.

7) Tweezerman cheetah print slant tweezers, £22

Any beauty addicts know that Tweezerman tweezers are the best out there in the market. It's quite self-explanatory how they work - but check out this cute cheetah print! Who says tweezers have to be your typical boring and steel?

Beauty Break: 12 Products I Regret Buying!

Just an additional section to the Beauty Break series. Hope you all enjoy. x

Beauty Break: Arsenal FC (Away Colours)

Call it cerulean, sapphire, azure, ultramarine, royal, or just blue - it's a colour that guarantees a sense of calmness, serenity, zen, and relaxation...

...except when it's a blue of breathable material against the skins of eleven confused men trying to chase a ball to the back of a net.

Taking inspiration from the 2012/2013 Arsenal Away kit - this Beauty Break debut post focuses on six products we recommend added to your make up pouches as inspired by the blues sported this season by the Arsenal boys.

1) Shu Uemura depsea water (Lavender), £16.50

I've sworn by this product for over 4 years now and can't think of a skincare regime sans this little lady. She looks almost mysteriously useless as your next hydrating spray - yet, my skin have never been better after adding this to my regime. Simply spray it on twice a day - after waking up and before bed (preferably before moisturising).

2) Mac eyeshadow (Electric eel), £9.50

I'm not your average Mac fangirl, but I am a huge fan of their eye shadows. They are always highly pigmented and never fails to do your eyes justice. This shade is boldly blue - almost offensive - but for a night out, it could be the perfect pop of colour amongst a sea of black. 

3) OPI nail varnish (Blue my mind), £6 

OPI nail varnishes are a must in every girl's collection - their colour ranges from here to no end and they turn out beautiful. I have hardly gotten chipped nails since swearing by OPI varnishes. I have tried a dupe to this colour called 'Dating A Royal' and though it is not personally great for my skin tone, it's a beautiful colour nonetheless. 

4) NARS soft touch shadow pencil (Dark rite), £15

I was introduced to NARS by my sister when I was taught how to wear make up for dance performances as a wee 14-year old. I never looked back and now understood the rather pricey tag (double the prices of Mac pencils!). This colour is to die for and runs beautifully on your skin, the colour comes out perfectly. If you are willing to invest on good make up, NARS is the way to go. 

5) Malin + Goetz detox face mask, £25

Voted Allure's best face mask in 2008, I decided to give this bad boy a try after discovering the New York-based brand. I fell in love in an instance. It leaves your skin feeling smooth, clean, and rather brand new. I use this product once every week or so and have never needed a facial ever since! 

6) Mac penultimate eye liner (Rapidblack), £12

Mac products are made for the eyes. Their liners are amongst the best in the business and I have never felt the need to find an alternative to their gel liners. For those who are hesitant to get their famous gel liner pots out of inconvenience, their pen-style liners are your next best thing. As you can never go wrong with black, Mac black at that - it's no wonder they only released it in one colour.