L.F RAMBLES - HAPPY NEW YEAR AND ILLAMASQUA HAUL

I actually went 'out out' this year. Was OK. More hype really but I was with my best friend so it's all good. This is me after the night out btw. Also look! It's the 'real' home background again.

They've recently opened an Illamasqua stand alone store in VQ in Leeds...  huzzah! Oh the illustration on the bag is also divine.

My good friend actually bought a full bottle of Freak after just one sniff

 ILLAMASQUA POWDER EYE-SHADOW - SYNTH AND FALLEN

I love Illamasqua eye-shadows as they blend like a dream.... and most of them are matte. Which is my favourite finish to work with. Synth reminds me of MAC's pink opal pigment and surprisingly the fine glitter doesn't 'drop'.... WIN.

Hey guys, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Let's make 2012 an even better year!

x x x

L.F'S 2011 FAVOURITE PRODUCTS

 BOURJOIS 10 HOUR SLEEP EFFECT FOUNDATION

I *really* like this. I thought I'd love healthy mix more but this foundation lasts on my skin amazingly well. It's my go to foundation for uni' and I actually pick this over my more expensive ones. Think luminous skin without looking oily. The only draw back is the dismal shade selection.

 SHU UEMURA EYELASH CURLER

I know these 'work' better on certain eye shapes.... but HOLY SHIZ this works like no other. This baby can keep a curl. My lashes DO NOT DROP AND I HAVE ASIAN LASHES..... RUN NOW!

17 EYEBROW SHAPER- NATURAL BROWN

I've been using pencils instead of powders for the last couple of months because I find powders don't last well with sparse areas. Then the dilemma of finding a brow pencil which doesn't have any red undertones (I have black hair.... it isn't going to work.) HARD. Anyway this is pefect! And under £3 which is a steal.

AND ALL THE PRODUCTS HERE

Hey guys, I hope this isn't a cop out but I genuinely still love, use and rave about 2010s favourite products too :D

HAULIN' 11 - YORK DESIGNER OUTLET

ALL FROM THE COSMETICS COMPANY STORE:

 MAC - 225 LARGE TAPERED BLENDING BRUSH (£19.50)

I am a brush HOE. I saw this last time but didn't get it... now it's mine! I'm planning to use it to highlight specific areas of the face.

 CLINIQUE MOISTURE SURGE FACE SPRAY (£13.00)

I'm slowly becoming 'into' skincare. One minute my skin is 'normal', super oily, broken out or a flaky mess and I'm talking LIZARD STYLE. After watching Camie  mentioning excess oiliness might be due to dehydration I've been more conscious of what I'm putting onto my skin. I *think* it's working. Anyway this product is to aid any 'bad' days.... all about the moisture now.

 ESTEE LAUDER DOUBLE WEAR LIGHT (£18.00)

As well as a brush hoe... I'm a foundation hoe too. I have TONS. You guys have no idea! I have foundations for certain finishes/longevity/for certain skin days. It was only a matter time before I got this one - I hear RAVE reviews *coff* Pixiwoo girls *coff*. I'll tell you guys how I feel about it when I decide to use it.

MAC EYESHADOW- CONCRETE (£6.75)

Trying to find the perfect brow powder. Brun you have competition...

OTHER HAUL ITEMS NOT PHOTOGRAPHED:

SIGMA BRUSHES-  I made the most of the Black Friday sale. I got mainly eye brushes and so far so good! Still in testing mode..... I'll feature them at some point if they make the 'rave' grade

SOAP AND GLORYY SKIN CARE -  I managed to snag a giftbox in the sale with 4 full size items for £17* which isn't bad since one of the products retails at £14 anyway :D

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2011

Our 'funky' tree

HOLIDAY HAULIN':

 GEMMA CORRELL

Love her work, we share the shame kind of humour

 TOM FORD BLACK ORCHID

Will have to be my special occasion fragrance as it's very pricey for me... also this is my first perfume I've ever bought. I feel grown-up

 AZENDI

Indie company gone big! Their first ever shop is near where I live... anyhow I got this ampersand charm as a nod to graphic design/typography... I'm geeky

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN: SAVAGE BEAUTY

 I've wanted this for ages and I LOVE it. So inspirational.... LONG LIVE MCQUEEN

Hey guys, HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Hope you have a wonderful day spending time with loved ones, eating things you shouldn't and flicking through the TV channels desperately for something decent to watch.

I'm personally just going to have a 'chill' day as in 'L.F HQ' we are not to big on the whole Christmas sha-bang.... we just do the normal with the added bonus of presents. 

ALSO I know it's not the end of the year but I just wanted to say a massive THANK-YOU to anyone who reads and follows L.F MAKE-UP. I've already got my giveaway prize sorted for when I hit 50 followers just as an extra thank-you.

Have a lovely day!

 x x x

MUM GETS A MAKEOVER - CHRISTMAS EVE

My mother again! She's becoming a regular face now

My mum has been going to more parties and events than me since I've been back at home... geez how ironic!

Anyway I think this is my favourite look I've done so far on my mum. Well you can actually see the make-up now as I've *kind of* sorted that horrible 'flash of death'.

Not just for 'mature' ladies but generally it's best not to stick to 'trends' and to just enhance existing features to actually keep things 'modern'.

To keep with the festive theme I used a red lipstick as a stain and with the eyes a 'soft' smokey eye with a taupe-y  purple and browns. I think shimmer/frosty eye-shadows are FINE to use on 'mature' ladies - you just need definition. And for this use matte shades to give it that 'opaque' structure to frame the eyes. 

L.F DOES A/W - 'THAT' HOLIDAY LOOK

MODELS OWN - CHAMPAGNE

Only for the festive period.. it's a bit too *bling* for me

Hey guys this my holiday look for 2011, you can see last years offering here! Being totally cliched with the colour scheme but I really wanted to use red and greens together. I'm not sure if you guys are going to recreate this but here is a run down of how to achieve this:

1. PREP EYELID AND USE A SHIMMERY 'PALE' EYE-SHADOW ON THE BROW BONE (FYRINNAE-  FINNEGAN'S WAKE)
2. APPLY A SHIMMERY GREEN EYE-SHADOW ALL OVER THE LID (FYRINNAE- DRAGONSKIN)
3. BLEND A DEEPER GREEN INTO THE CREASE AND BLEND BLEND BLEND
4. USING A DEEP MATTE BLACK STARTING FROM THE OUTER CORNER BLEND AND DRAG THE EYE-SHADOW TO CREATE A 'FLICK' CAT EYE SHAPE, MAKING SURE THE EDGES ARE SOFT
5. ON THE LOWER LID USE A RUSTIC BROWN HEAVILY TO DEFINE THE EYES
6. CONTOUR THE SKIN AND USE A PLUM BERRY SHADE AS A BLUSH
7. HIGHLIGHT THE HIGH POINTS OF THE FACE  AND IN THE INNER TEAR DUCT USING A SHIMMERY METALLIC SHADE (E.L.F MINERAL EYE-SHADOW- ELEGANT)
8. FOR THE LIPS I PAINTED ON NATURAL COLLECTIONS MOISTURE SHINE LIPSTICK IN CRIMSON AND APPLIED A BERRY LIP GLOSS ON TOP
9. FINISH THE FACE WITH LOOSE POWDER, USUAL BROW ROUTINE AND A LAYER OF MASCARA TO KEEP THINGS IN BALANCE

I hope you like this look and I'd like to know about your festive look for the holidays. Next post should be on Christmas day :)

MUM GETS A MAKEOVER

BEFORE

DAY

NIGHT

L.F DOES A/W - WARM TRUFFLE

  I was inspired by this quad- Estee Lauder's Signature Eye-shadow Quad in 06 TRUFFLE

ANYWAY.....It's discontinued now! Damn. I wanted to use something you guys could easily purchase as well.

HOW I USED THE COLOURS (CLOCKWISE):

GREEN- LOWER LASH-LINE

CREAM- TEAR DUCT AREA

RED BROWN- CREASE

COPPER- LID

KEY PRODUCTS:

ESTEE LAUDER SIGNITURE EYESHADOW QUAD - 06 TRUFFLE

ILLAMASQUA LIPSTICK - DIABLO

TOPSHOP GLAZE - BRONZE

PLAYBOY SHIMMER BRICK - BRONZE

Hey guys, I'm back! There's like a billion looks on my to do list but I somehow I ended up doing an 'warm' autumnal kind of look.

I used the quad as my inspiration and to keep with the theme I used a high shimmer bronze shimmer to bring warmth to the skin. This was blended up to the  temple of the cheeks and then blended onto the brow bone.

The lipstick would make a beautiful berry stain but to give it some 'life' I added a gloss. 

My focus was just to make everything look in synergy together and not out of place. I don't think Estee Lauder had my look in mind with the quad but it's a fun way to show how to 'work' a range of colours together.

QUICKIE

Hey guys, I just thought I'd do a quick update. Even though I technically don't have to post every week..... I feel guilty when I don't.

I'm just really busy with uni' work at the moment - which means I'm not in the mood to play with make-up or just generally blogging. My deadlines next Friday so I doubt I'll post anything till then.

MASSIVE shout out to the lovely Camie from camiloveskiwi (super friendly and her videos are awesome) for featuring me on her blog list. I think I have some new followers because of this so thank-you and hello new followers!

I'll be back very soon

 x x x