Dainty Doll Blush Bargains

Hey lovelies!

I'll keep this as short and sweet as possible as unless you've been living under a rock you'll have all heard lots about these little beauties. As a full priced brand Dainty Doll was never something that really caught my eye (which is surprising for a brand aimed at pale girls like myself), but recently I picked these two bad boys up for just a mere £1.99 each! Bargain, right?!

I purchased mine from Fragrance Direct, which are currently out of stock. But I've been spotting them on my local market for the exact same price, so keep your eyes peeled for those! You can also find them on amazon ranging between £2 - £5, so not quite a cheap but still a good deal. I picked up two shades My Girl (the pink) and Money Talks (the bronze). I'm not entirely sure why Money Talks caught my eye, but I'm glad it did! There are four shades in the powder collection the other two are a gorgeous Orgasm-esque peachy-pink with gold shimmer and the other a pale, pale lilac.

Money Talks               -               My Girl

The texture is buttery soft, which makes it easy to pick far too much up on your brush and heavy handed me has had a few issues with that. Pigmentation wise, these are lovely and really easy to blend with my Real Techniques Blush Brush. I just need to remember to tap my brush in, not swirl or else i end up looking a bit like Aunt Sally....

I'm really enjoying both of these and at the current price point of £1.99 are a real steal! If you can get your paws on them, do it!

If Fragrance Direct update their stock I'll be sure to update with a link!

Whats your go-to blush right now?

xox

Mid-Week Beauty Master class: Bronzers

Last week, we had a look at blushers, now we will focus on their cousins... bronzers! Bronzers are not just for summer, however, you need to find the shade that looks best on you so you don't look OTT (click here for more bronzer blunders to avoid).  Bronzers are a great way to contour your face and give it a nice, warm glow all year round. Let's have a look at the bronzer options available out there!

Powder Bronzer is the most common type of bronzer available and you can find it in either a plastic compact or in a jar with a sifter (much like mineral foundation powders etc). Bronzers in compacts may either be just one single colour or a mixture of colours swirled together or else different separate colours in one compact (usually 4 or 5 shades).  The best way to apply this type of bronzer is with a contouring brush and always remember to use a light hand especially with highly pigmented products.

Bronzing Pearls are an alternative way to get a sun-kissed glow without looking too obvious.  You just have to swirl your brush over the pearls to get some product on and then just dust it on your face as shown below (same places apply for the powder bronzer).

Bronzers are best applied to critical points on the face to give your complexion a nice, healthy glow rather than risking looking too orange like you just had your face fake tanned.  They can be very tricky to apply so first make sure you get the correct shade for your skin tone.  I use elf Warm Bronzer since you get 4 colours in one compact and you can choose which shade to use or swirl them all together depending on how dark/fair your skin is.  Like all other make-up products and techniques, bronzer application need practice to get it perfect so go on, get your brushes and bronzers out and experiment to find your best shade and become a pro at getting a sun-kissed glow without going out in the sun! Have fun ;)

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5 Bronzer Blunders to Avoid

Bronzers are very sought after these days, but do you know the critical steps to making this complexion-enhancing trick work for you? You should, because everything from skin type to brush type can affect your bronzed look. Read on to find out the five most common bronzer mistakes so you can avoid looking fake and start looking fab!

~ 5: You Forget that Real Tans Don’t Sparkle

Spending time in the sun can give your skin a glow—but it will never, ever make it sparkle! Avoiding bronzers with large flecks of shimmer or glitter will not only make your bronzed effect appear more natural and sophisticated, but you won’t have to worry about the shine flaking.

~ 4: You Choose the Wrong Texture for Your Skin Type

Just like with your foundation or blush, how a product works on your skin depends on the interaction between the texture of the product and your skin type. Luckily, there are plenty of bronzer options to suit every skin type. Dry skin may prefer lotion-like liquid bronzers or prefer to moisturize a few minutes before applying powders, while oily skin will appreciate gels and most bronzing powders.

~ 3: You Overlook the Rest of Your Body

We’ve all seen that woman who has that beautifully bronzed complexion—that ends at her jaw line. When we’re looking intently at ourselves in the mirror it’s easy to forget that our made-up faces are part of a bigger picture. Keep in mind that your bronzer should add warmth and a subtle glow to your face, but it should not separate your head from the rest of your body. If you don’t self-tan, consider adding a bit of liquid bronzer to your sunscreen or body moisturizer to add some color from the neck down.

~ 2: You Apply Way Too Much Product

Bronzer should be used to warm up and accentuate your natural skin tone—not to create your skin tone alone! Begin by using it sparingly, like a highlighter on the tops of cheekbones, the bridge of your nose—places that would naturally get more sun. Instead of a fluffy powder brush, try a wide fan brush (you can even get a large one at the craft store) for applying bronzer. You should apply with feather-light pressure, and remember it’s easier to add more than to remove a heavy-handed application. Another tip is to apply your bronzer before your eye makeup, otherwise it’s even easier to go too heavy.

~ 1: You Pick Out the Wrong Shade and Tone

Unfortunately, there are many bad bronzer shades out there, but selecting the right shade for your skin is absolutely critical. Avoid shades that are too orange, too red, too gold, too sparkly, or too brown. Search for shades that are light latte or caramel brown. Mild pink or really soft red to copper undertones are ok, too, because tan skin often has these undertones naturally. The very best way to see how a bronzer shade will look on your skin tone is to literally test it on your finger. If it has even the slightest orange cast, move on to the next one.

Monthly Favourites: July 2010

July is nearing its end and that means it's time for my favourite products for this month.

And here are the stars for this month:

~ e.l.f. Studio Warm Bronzer (click here for a full review)

~ Nailene Bedazzle Nail Art stickers in Earth Angel (for a review click here)

~ Rimmel Powder Blush in 004 Pink Rose: I bought this blusher a few months ago because I wanted a healthy pinkish colour. It is my fave blusher because it blends in naturally with my skin tone.

~ e.l.f. Waterproof eyeliner pen in Coffee and Black (only one is shown)

~ e.l.f. Eyelid Primer

~ e.l.f. Earth and Water Mascara Duo in Brown (shown) and Black

~ e.l.f. Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara (for a full review of all e.l.f. eye products mentioned above, please click here)

~ e.l.f. Nail Polish in Lilac (click here for a review on e.l.f.'s nail polishes)

~ e.l.f. Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF15 in Goddess (click here for a full review and a sneak-peak at my lipgloss collection)

Lara xoxo