My Holiday Beauty Essentials and Favourites

Of course I took all my make up and lots of toiletries on holiday but I have skipped the boring stuff and wrote a list of my favourite beauty products and must haves!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder in Medium Plus - I bought this just before I went to Ayia Napa because powder is a must have on holiday, I regularly topped up with this on my nights out as my skin became very oily as it is so hot. I always go back to MAC powders, they are my favourite because they are so light weight and long lasting. 

MAC 'Tan' Pigment - This was the first MAC pigment I bought and I have used it frequently, MAC pigments may seem very pricey but they last forever. When working with clients or creating makeup looks on friends I have used this many times as it is so versatile and can be used with a neutral or vibrant look. I found myself using this a lot on holiday with MAC 'Soft brown' in the crease and using various darker colours in the outer corners. For someone looking to try a MAC pigment I would certainly recommend this. 

MAC 'Candy Yum-Yum' Lipstick - I mentioned this in my recent MAC haul but only used it for the first time and holiday, I had wanted this lipstick for ages but was a little anxious to wear it as it is so bold but I was so pleased with the outcome and found it looked beautiful with so many makeup looks. I love the colour it is a fluorescent pink with purple tones. This colour is definitely in my top 5 MAC lipsticks, it is a must have pink but like all MAC satin finish lipsticks it can be a little drying on the lips. 

Victorias Secret 'VS Fantasies' fragrance mist in 'Coconut Passion' - This is my favourite body spray ever, I can't get enough of it. I love the smell of coconut it just reminds me of summer but I could cry a little every time I spray it now as it reminds me of Ayia Napa.

Victorias Secret 'VS Fantasies' hydrating body lotion in 'Love Spell' - Unfortunately before I went on holiday I could not get my hands on the 'Coconut Passion' body lotion so I bought this instead which is another of my favourite VS scents. This is the second bottle of VS body lotion I have and I have now decided I'm not a fan, as lovely as they smell I don't think these lotions are 'hydrating' I like a moisturiser to leave my skin feeling nourished and glowing but this product just seemed to disappear, next time I will try a body butter. 

Estee Lauder 'Bronze Goddess' Fragrance - I mentioned this in a recent post you can find here. Every girl needs a holiday perfume! I love this because it is so summery, now that I'm familiar with this perfume I would add to my previous description that is a very dusky and muted scent, the bottle is the perfect size and a little goes a long way! Grab it while you can as it limited edition for spring/summer.

Dove 'Summer Glow' in Medium/Dark - My face takes much longer to tan than the rest of my body so I applied this to my face daily to achieve a healthy glow which made me feel more comfortable when not wearing make up on a day time. I have used this a lot this summer, it is great because the colour is natural and it doesn't go streaky when used correctly however the smell is a big let down. 

Real Techniques 'Stippling Brush' - I often get bored of using the same products and tools so I began using this brush to apply my foundation instead of the Real Techniques 'Expert Face Brush'. I enjoy using this brush because I believe I am using less product than before which leaves my foundation feeling super light weight. 

Gelish in 'Make You Blink Pink' - This was one of the first Gelish colours I bought and it has always been my favourite colour in my collection but for some reason I never wore it myself till I went on holiday. I always have my nails painted pink on holiday but this is my favourite shade of pink, it is so bright and fluorescent which is perfect for holiday. 

My Eye Makeup Rules

If you hadn't already realised I am a bit (a lot) of a makeup fanatic. I'm not ashamed to admit I like to wear makeup everyday and I am one of those people who won't go to the corner shop with out a little makeup, thats just me! When I have a night out I don't only look forward to getting out and having a drink and a dance, I get just as excited to do my makeup (my eye makeup in particular) and I like my makeup to be perfect, so this could mean sitting in front of the mirror for an hour and half - I'm not going to lie I have probably spent 2 hours perfecting my makeup in the past and then of course there will be regular top ups through out the night. The makeup must go with my outfit, the lipstick must compliment my eyeshadow, these little things are important. Obviously not every girl is as obsessed with makeup as me but if you are going to wear it, you may as well wear it properly, otherwise its pointless. We all know about the major makeup faux pass; the tidemark, blusher overdose and being plain orange to name a few, but when it comes down to eyeshadow some will simply apply a block of colour on their lids and believe they're good to go. However eyeshadow is designed to compliment your eyes, make them pop, there are shades created for your eye colour in particular and applying that one block of colour is more likely to distract from the beauty of your eyes. So there are few things to consider when using eye makeup; colour, contrast, eye shape and size, application and most importantly blending!

Eye colour

So lets begin with colour, every persons eye colour is different, there are different shades of blue, green brown etc and what eyeshadow may look stunning on someone else's eyes may not look as great on your own. This is why you should find the shades that suit you, this doesn't mean to say you have to stick with a select few shades you can incorporate a colour that suits you with something that doesn't necessarily make your eyes stand out but gives them some definition. I have 'greeny blue' eyes, some days they will look really green and some days they look more on the blue side. I know that purple, pink and red colours compliment my eyes because they are opposite to green on a colour wheel which means these colours contrast, however they are not the colours I would opt for every day and such vibrant shades may clash with an outfit I am wearing, so I tend to go for browns, bronze and gold tones which contrast with blue on the colour chart. If you are uncertain on which eyeshadows may compliment your eyes you should ask at a makeup counter, this is what I done at MAC a few years ago and they recommended some colours for me, there are also lots of makeup tutorials on youtube for particular eye colours.

Here is a colour wheel, find the shade closest to your eye colour and the shades opposite that are contrasting colours which will compliment your eyes!

Eye shape

Eyes come in all different shapes and sizes and this is something to consider when applying eye shadow. Take a look at the picture below, what shape are your eyes? I would say I have 'almond eyes' which are pretty easy to work with. However for some eye shapes there are techniques which should be avoided, for example if you are someone with 'close set eyes' you should steer away from using dark shades in the inner corners of your eyes as this will draw them even closer together or if you have 'deep set eyes' I recommend you stick to using lighter colours on your eyes because dark colours will make them appear even deeper. 

Blending 

 Blending is definitely the easiest step in eye makeup application but it is the step that people over look the most. I can not stress enough how important blending is, I see so many girls have missed out on this crucial step and I just want to get my MAC 217 and blend blend blend! Think eye makeup what springs to mind...what would you ask for if you were having your make up done by a pro... smokey eyes, always, and let me tell you theres no smoke with out blending. I think I have made myself clear. 

Colour placement

Light/vibrant/metallic/shimmery colours - Should be used as the base colour, this colour is the main focus, applied on the lid or/and possibly on the lower lash line. 

Darkest colours - Should be used in the outer corners and in the crease/socket to create definition and possibly on the lower lash line. NEVER on the brow bone!

Light/pale/sheer colours - Should be used as a brow bone and inner corner highlight to open the eyes.

Transition colours - This colour is used to blend and fade out the darker crease/socket colour.

An eye make up look I created on myself

Eyeliner 

Lets not forget to mention eyeliner which is possibly used more regularly than eyeshadow. Eyeliner can certainly be tricky to apply but practise makes perfect and If it is used correctly it can really open up your eyes, however if it is applied too thick it will make your eyes appear smaller and tired. Eyeliner should be applied thinly from the inner corner and gradually become thicker towards the outer corner and to finish a flick should be created, which I like to call the 'feline flick'. This can be worn on its own or with eyeshadow however I would never just line my waterline with out applying eyeshadow as this really tiers my eyes. 

Kendall Jenner with the perfect 'feline flick'

My Top 10 Makeup Brushes

Listed below in no particular order are my Top 10 makeup brushes, of all my brushes these are my favourite and most used! 

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush - This is the brush I use to apply my liquid foundation. The brush is really firm and broad making application easy and I can use the brush to really buff the product in to my skin so that my foundation feels really light weight and it doesn't feel as if it is laying on top of my skin. This brush makes blending in foundation easy and I'm not left with any harsh lines or brush marks. After using this brush my skin looks and feels flawless. 

Real Techniques Stippling Brush - I use this brush to apply my setting powder.  This brush picks up just the right amount of product, I use the brush to dust and buff the product lightly over my foundation, concentrating on the T zone area and under my eyes to set my concealer. This brush could also be used to apply foundation or other powders.

Real Techniques Contour Brush - This brush comes in the 'Core Collection'. As you can imagine I use this brush to contour, I use bronzer or a dark coloured concealer and apply around my cheek bones, temples, jaw line and down the sides of my nose. This brush is the perfect size for contouring. 

Real Techniques Detailer Brush - This brush is also part of the 'Core Collection'. The detailer brush has many uses it can be used to conceal problem areas, to apply lipstick for long lasting shape and definition or for eyeshadow application. I apply my brow bone and inner corner highlight with this brush, its the perfect size for fitting in those small areas. 

Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush - This brush comes from the 'Starter Set' which consists of 5 eye brushes. I have 2 of the starter sets so I use my 2 deluxe crease brushes for different purposes. My favourite way to use this brush is for concealer, I use it to really buff the concealer in to my skin instead of having it lay on top of my foundation. I use my other brush in my crease which is the main purpose of this brush. 

Real Techniques Duo-Fiber Eye Brush - This brush is part of the 'Duo-Fiber Collection'. I have a selection of brushes which I use in the crease and to blend eyeshadow. I like to use this brush for a light flush of colour in my crease when I am going for really soft smokey eyes or a day time look. 

Real Techniques Shading Brush - This is my favourite brush to use in the crease when I am going for a more defined look. With this brush I can get right in the socket to create definition which is great when I am creating a 'cut crease'. I will then blend out the colour with a blending or shading brush. 

MAC 217 - This is the ultimate blending and shading brush, a makeup artist must have! This fluffy brush blends eyeshadows together flawlessly allowing the colours to transition smoothly. This brush, along with other MAC brushes are on a bit on the pricey but a pleasure to work with! 

MAC 275 - I use this brush to apply my base eyeshadow, this brush really packs on the product giving me a beautiful and even base colour to work with. This brush can also be used for shading and blending.

MAC 212 - This is a flat liner brush, it can be used with powder, liquid or cream products. I like to this brush to apply liquid liner on clients but for myself I use this to apply colour under my lower lash line, usually with eyeshadow. This brush provides colour in one stroke and gives instant definition. 

I cannot recommend Real Techniques enough, I have recommended these brushes to so many people. They are by far my favourite brand of brushes. Real Techniques have a huge selection of brushes which is always expanding. The brushes are fantastic quality, they are so soft and feel gorgeous on my skin and I have never found the brushes shedding, even after washing the brushes several times. I would say these brushes are a very reasonable price and great value for money. The brushes are created by makeup artist and one half of YouTubes 'Pixiwoo' Samantha Chapman. I am subscribed to Pixiwoo on YoutTube, I love to watch Sam and her sister Nic who is also a makeup artist. They do gorgeous makeup tutorials and are 2 of my favourite youtubers. Its good to know whose behind the products I am using! Find all these brushes at www.realtechniques.com and check out Sam and Nics tutorials at www.youtube.com/user/pixiwoo

I am not a fan of MAC face brushes as I find the hairs shed and after I have used these brushes I find my self picking the hairs from my face. However I can't say the same about the eye brushes. These brushes are more on the pricey side and I'm sure I could find of dupe for these brushes which are a lot cheaper, but I have had some of my mac eye brushes for a long time and they are still in great condition after being washed and obviously the products are made from high quality materials. Overall the brushes do the job they're suppose to do and they do it well. Find these MAC brushes at www.maccosmetics.co.uk

Don't forget to clean your brushes!