August Beauty Favourites

The list of things I’ve been loving this month is pretty huge as my everyday makeup routine has gone through a major upgrade thanks to some snazzy new product launches and newfound staples. I’ve revamped my basics, rediscovered an old favourite, and seriously upped my lip and brow game thanks to lustworthy launches from Benefit and the arrival of NYX Cosmetics from across the pond.

Yup, like pretty much everyone else in the UK I couldn’t resist the hype of liquid lipsticks. While I’m not prepared to go splurging on a Kylie Lipkit, NYX’s soft matte lip cremes proved a great way to test the trend without breaking the bank. I like my lip shades subtle so I chose a range of nudes: Stockholm, Abu Dhabi and Cannes. Admittedly Stockholm and Abu Dhabi are pretty similar – I find Stockholm a bit pale and pinky for me whereas Abu Dhabi is slightly darker and more brown tinged. Cannes though turned out to be a surprising winner – I’m not usually a fan of pinks but the matte finish means it doesn’t look too Barbie. I also grabbed their Lip Lingerie in Ruffle Trim which is probably my favourite of the bunch (worn below), which is a lovely rich browny-pink nude that looks great with a tan.

I’m pretty firmly a drugstore gal when it comes to most makeup so £22.50 for a piddly concealer would normally be a complete no-no, however the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer has become a firm favourite and is just about worth the hefty price tag. I’m constantly battling under-eye bags and blemishes so a reliable concealer is a must, and this provides smooth coverage without feeling heavy. The consistency is perfect for the sensitive skin under eyes as it’s not too thick or so watery it needs tons of blending. Overall a firm makeup kit staple – I can’t imagine using anything else now!

Okay, who hasn’t tried this foundation at some point? It’s affordable, provides great coverage, and comes in a zillion skin tones. I’ve tried so many budget and high end foundations but I always find myself coming back to this L’Oreal staple. It’s about the closest match I’ve ever found to my skin tone, it applies evenly and lasts for ages with a matte finish, perfect if you are prone to oily skin like me.

I’ve been trying to bring more natural makeup products into my daily routine and this bareMinerals eyeliner is a fab natural alternative. I’ve been wearing eyeliner on a daily basis since my teen years so a good liner is essential to my routine, and I love this one as it tends to smudge so much less than other liners due to the thin tip, which also makes it much more accurate than a usual pencil.

Farfetch have recently launched their new beauty edit and I got the chance to try this Oskia Mask. I love a good face mask and this one is definitely a winner. It feels quite thick when first applying but thins as it’s worked into the face. It’s meant to combat signs of ageing which isn’t quite a concern for me yet but it also brightens providing a bit of pep to tired skin.

It was pretty hard to ignore the launch of the new Benefit brow collection with the buzz it created amongst the beauty blogger community. With products for pretty much every brow problem ever, from sparse to shapeless brows, there’s genuinely something for everyone. My favourite is the goof proof eyebrow pencil, which is angled so it can be used really finely filling in and sculpting eyebrows with precision. I’m also a fan of the ka-brow gel a buildable product which easily fills out brows and adds thickness.

An everyday makeup look using the L’Oreal True Match Foundation, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, Topshop Contour Creme, Lavera Blush, Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil, bareMinerals Eyeliner, Urban Decay Naked Palettes 2 and 3, Maybelline Mega Volume Miss Hippie Mascara and NYX Liquid Lingerie in Ruffle Trim (appears slightly pinker here)

 

 

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