My Travel Makeup Bag (basically all my favourite products)

I'm currently down south in Margaret River for a long weekend getaway, so I thought I'd give you a sneak peek at the contents of my travel makeup bag. These photos were actually taken during our Tassie holiday (and I never got around to sharing them), but everything is pretty much the same!

While I do have a fairly extensive collection of makeup, I tend to stick with my tried and tested favourites the majority of the time, but particularly when it comes to travelling. I usually go for a fairly simple look with light, shimmery shadow on the eyes and a brighter lip. 

This is basically what I use on a day to day basis, my "Capsule Makeup Collection" if you will...

1.

Shiseido Natural Finish Cream Concealer

- I love this concealer because, as the name suggests, it does have a lovely natural finish, but also decent coverage. I like a really natural look to my makeup, so instead of wearing foundation, I tend to just pat this concealer onto any problem areas (mainly on redness around my nose and under my darker under-eye area), and then lightly dust a powder over to set. It gives a more polished look than bare skin, but still keeps things very natural. Pretty much a "no-makeup makeup look". I have also been loving the

Shiseido Sheer Eye Zone Corrector

. It's technically for around the eye area,  but I use it around my nose and chin too, just to cover any redness and it works well for me. I love the brightening effect it has. 

2.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder - Dim Light

- If you read pretty much any beauty blog you would have heard of this product range before. The idea is the different powders "mimic the effect of the most flattering light", softening the way light reflects on the skin and concealing imperfections. I use this powder pretty much everyday, and I really do love the soft effect it gives. Particularly as someone who doesn't wear foundation on a regular basis, I love the overall smoothing and brightening effect it has - it's barely detectable, but just makes the skin look that little bit more perfect. 

3.

Nars Laguna Bronzer

- My favourite (and only) bronzer. I've nearly used this all up and will be repurchasing when I do. 

4.

Mac Eyeshadow Quad - Brulé, Arena, All That Glitters, Wedge

- I love that you can build your own mac palette and the quad is perfect for travel. These four have been my standard "everyday" eyeshadows for a long time now. I use either Arena or All That Glitters all over the lid, Wedge in the crease and Brulé just under the brow. It's light and shimmery and very brightening which I love. I don't often wear eyeliner but when I do I usually just use a darker shadow along the lashline which gives a softer effect. If I'm just bringing the one eyeshadow palette, I'll usually swap out Arena for Mac's Espresso eyeshadow. 

5.

Urban Decay Naked2 Eyeshadow Palette

- This is the only thing I haven't brought with me on this trip. It's a great palette with a large range of shades, but I do prefer the quality of Mac shadows. I just find them a little easier to work with so tend to reach for them first. This palette is great for travel though as it has everything you need (including a black shadow which I use as eyeliner). 

6.

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil - Soft Brunette

- I purchased this pencil after watching countless youtube reviews of different brow products and hearing people rave about this particular one. I haven't tried any others, so I don't have anything to compare this to, but I'm onto my second one and still liking it so it gets a thumbs up from me. 

7.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

. This mascara gives pretty dramatic lashes which I like, but my favourite and the one I'll go back to once I've finished with this is the

Maybelline Full 'N Soft

. I prefer the more natural look it gives, but it can still be built up to give a nice full, thick look. I also always curl my lashes first with the

Shu Uemura

eyelash curler (the best eyelash curler ever - definitely worth the higher price tag)

8.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissible Balm Stain - Crush

- I love these balm stains because they really are a great stain. Apply, blot and they'll stay for hours. This particular colour is really beautiful. It's  pretty dark and intense when first applied, but once blotted it's a beautiful deep berry/pink that's very wearable.

9.

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil - Dragon Girl

- This will forever be my favourite red. It's bright and bold but with a hint of pink that makes it really wearable, and the fact that it's matte means it lasts well and you don't have to worry about it ending up on your teeth! (A problem I had with the Nars Satin Lip Pencils). Also, this is apparently the lipstick that Taylor Swift wears ;)

10. 

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet - Nude-ist

 - My current favourite nude liquid lipstick for when I don't feel like wearing anything too bright. As you can see I like to bring a few different lip products - usually one red, one berry and something a little more natural. This one is definitely on the darker, more pinky side of nudes which is the only nude I ever really go for. I like the matte formula although it can be a little drying, so I'll probably look for something different when this one runs out. Anyone have any suggestions for a similar shade? 

11.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush - Exposed

- My favourite blush that goes with every makeup look. I have quite a collection of blushes (and I do switch them up fairly often), but when I travel this is always the one I bring as it looks good no matter what lip colour or eyeshadow you're wearing. 

I hope you enjoyed this little look into my makeup bag. I always find it interesting to see what people bring with them when they travel (I love watching those videos on youtube - they're a real guilty pleasure!) What are your favourite travelling makeup products?

Lots of Love

Lauren

xxx

A Vampire Makeup Tutorial

Hello!

So today I have something a little different to share with you!

A couple of weeks ago, my sister asked me to do her makeup for a Halloween party, and I ended up turning her into a creepy looking vampire - inspired by The Vampire Diaries.

It turned out really well (if I do say so myself), so I thought I'd recreate it and film the process - partly just to record what I'd done in case I ever felt the need to dress up as a vampire again, and partly because I've been obsessed with youtube makeup tutorials for years and I was finally ready to dive in and give it a go myself!

Let me know what you think of the look and video (if you watch it... sorry it's a little awkward!) Hopefully it can give you a little inspiration if you have a costume party coming up... or maybe for Halloween next year? :)

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Lauren

xxx

My Style Diary - Neon Nails

Hello! I hope you've been having a good Monday :)

Today I have another simple shorts and t-shirt outfit to share, but this time there's a little splash of neon thrown into the mix with this gorgeous new nail polish that I was lucky enough to receive for Christmas.

The polish is called "Painted Beauty" and was part of a Christmas gift set by

Mecca Cosmetica

called "Nailed: Neon Nights". It's a a beautiful bold neon pink colour that is seriously bright and perfect for summer. The formula is lovely and creamy, and opaque in two coats. Mecca's Gel-Effect Top Coat was the other polish in the set and left a nice glossy finish on my nails (I'm not sure they look exactly "gel-like" but so far it does seem to be quite a good top coat). I can't attest to the longevity of these polishes yet as I've only been wearing them for two days, but so far so good!

This is a limited edition set but there may be some left if you get in quick! I know Christmas is over, but if for some reason you're still in need of a gift for a beauty loving girl, one of these sets would be a good pick as they're a great product that is also packaged so beautifully -  it makes the whole "gift experience" that much more special. 

Okay, I'm off to have an early night now as I've been up since 3:30 am dropping the parentals off at the airport and then spent a rather large chunk of the day doing a huge wardrobe clear out.

I've been reading "Wardrobe Rehab" posts by Geneva from

A Pair and A Spare

 for inspiration, but I'm still struggling to be really ruthless due to the hoarder in me and my incessant need to hold onto clothes for "sentimental reasons". Does anyone else have this problem or have any ways of combatting this?

I need your suggestions!!

Lauren

xxx

Top - Princess Highway

Shorts - H&M

Sandals - Therapy Shoes

Watch - Calvin Klein

Nail Polish -

Mecca Cosmetica Polish in "Painted Beauty"

Beauty Bits - The Red Lip Favourites

I enjoy wearing a red lip any time of year, but when December rolls around, it just feels extra appropriate and festive. I've included 6 of my favourite reds that look gorgeous regardless of whether you're in the midst of winter or going through a summer heat wave. Ranging from the bright and seriously vibrant, to slightly darker more sultry reds, these are some great ones to try out if you're looking for a new red lippie. 

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet No.40 "La Sensuelle"

- One of the darker, cooler toned reds of the bunch with a slightly blue/berry undertone. The formula is matte but still very smooth and moisturising. Longevity-wise it isn't the best, but the plus is that it fades away nicely without leaving any awkward line around the edges of the lips. A perfect "winter red" for those of you in the Northern hemisphere, but I still wear it in summer too. This is definitely the most luxurious of six, but worth every penny in my opinion.  

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm "Standout"

- A very similar but more affordable alternative to the Chanel lipstick above, with just a hint more pink. The matte formula is smooth and glides on easily, giving quite a satin finish that's only a touch more drying than the Chanel. The longevity is great and I find it lasts a good few hours, although you will need to re-apply after eating!

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil "Dragon Girl"

- This is the newest addition to my red lipstick collection and has quickly become one of my absolute favourites. This is my perfect red and leans slightly to the pinker side. It is just a gorgeous, bright, vibrant red that would look great any time of year but is particularly perfect during the warmer months. The formula is spot on - matte but not drying and with good longevity. It's easy to draw on with it's pencil-like packaging and is just generally awesome. I can definitely see why everyone raves about these ones. 

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet "Hot Pepper"

- On the more orangey side of the red spectrum, Hot Pepper is super bright and super long lasting (I'm talking hours and hours) with a liquid lipstick formula that dries down to a matte almost powdery finish. One application is all that's needed and you're good for the day. The only downsides are it can be a little drying, as well as being a bit of a pain to get off... but a lipstick that requires no touch ups? That gets a big thumbs up from me. 

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick No.720 "Fire and Ice"

- Another warm toned red, this one is lovely and creamy, and just an all round beautiful lipstick. It is one of those colours that really lifts and brightens the face and I love pairing it with a golden eyeshadow.

Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment "Cherry"

 - As it's name suggests, this is more of a tinted lip balm so is very moisturising and nourishing. It can give quite a bold, strong look if layered on more thickly, or can be sheered out and smudged in with your finger to give more of a natural stain, which is how I like to wear it. I've actually received quite a number of compliments about this particular colour and it's one of my most worn because it's just so easy and low maintenance. The only downside is it can be quite difficult to get in Australia (I picked mine up from Sephora in Malaysia), but if you can get your hands on it it's a great one to try.

L-R - Chanel "La Sensuelle", Nars "Dragon Girl", Fresh Sugar Cherry Lip Treatment, Revlon "Fire and Ice", Revlon "Standout", Bourjois "Hot Pepper"

What's your favourite red lipstick?

Lauren

xxx