Current Foundation Routine

I've never really done a foundation routine because I do change up my foundations quite a lot but I think I did a Face Makeup Routine a while back which I'll link it here for you, and that featured my all time favourite foundation which is the YSL Youth Liberator Serum Foundation so check that out if you are interested. 

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But today I wanna show you a couple of new foundations that I have been enjoying recently. They both perform very differently and the strange thing about both of these foundations is that they don't work at all on me individually but together are flawless. I'm talking about the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation (Light) and the "Un" Cover-up (22) by RMS Beauty. 

(I hope you can see that the Tarte foundation doesn't cover up anything. My redness is still there and so as my blemishes, thumbs down)

I have been wanting to try the Tarte one for the longest time unfortunately it is a disappointment. It makes me look 10 years older, it's just not the result I was hoping for. It is cakey, drying, it emphasises my dry patches and it is not full coverage at all, in fact it barely covers anything not even my redness let alone blemishes or pigmentation. I am so disappointed with this foundation, I mean I've tried it with different primers, different brushes it just doesn't work at all. 

As for the RMS one. It feels so nourishing on my skin because of the coconut oil in it and it is organic so I was really excited to try. It has a double duty of foundation and concealer which is awesome. However, it looks greasy, feels sticky, and doesn't sink into the skin at all. It has no coverage whatsoever so definitely not for someone who likes foundations with good coverage nor for oily skin types. 

(Very sheer, doesn't really cover up much at all)

(On camera it might look nice but in real life it looks very shiny and sits on top) 

But I mixed these two together and OMG. It stayed on for the whole day and my skin looked flawless. Together they seem to provide the coverage I need which is about medium I'd say, they stay on my skin really well, doesn't get oily nor drying. Seriously if you have both of these but they don't seem to work for you try mixing them together. 

(Full face makeup, but hopefully you can see that together they look natural and flawless)

That's it guys. Let me know if you have tried either of these and how you think of them. If you have any tips on how to use these individually please let me know because I can't get them to work but I do really enjoy using them together. 

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The Perfect Neutral Eyeshadow Palette - Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Eyeshadow 5 Color Palette (03 Provocative Petal)

Calling all Neutral Eyeshadow Lovers!!! Meet the perfect neutral eyeshadow palette that does it all: Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Eyeshadow 5 Color Palette (03 Provocative Petal). 

If you Follow me on Instagram you'd know that I picked this baby up while I was on holiday a month ago. I just really needed an matte eyeshadow palette that I can use on a daily basis, and this is it and more. It has all the colours I need for an subtle everyday eye look but if I go out in the evening or attend any special events I can definitely intensify the eyes and just smoke it all out. 

It has this sleek black packaging with gold edges. It shuts very nicely as it is magnetic. It comes with 2 sponge applicators which I don't ever use but I tried the pointed sides and they are actually pretty nice for applying shadows along my lash lines as the sponge tips are in fact quite firm. I don't really know which collection this is from if I'm honest but it is permanent that I'm sure. 

This palette has 5 neutral toned colours: 1. Reflect which is this shimmery pale silver that is the least favourite of mine in the palette as it hardly has any colour pay-off, it just doesn't transfer on my lids at all and the shimmers fall down on my face like nobody else's business, but that being said it is a lovely shade for inner corner highlight - if you could get any colour on your eyes of course. 2. Is a Matte pale cream colour that is the perfect base for any eyeshadow you might use on top. 3. Is probably my favourite shade of all. It has a Satin finish and the peachy/champagney colour is just so darn pretty and perfect for an everyday look. 4. Is a dark warm brown that is Matte and very opaque. It applies beautifully on my eyes, I mean you just can't do wrong with a nice dark brown in a palette, and I love the warm tone in this shade which looks very flattering on my skin tone. 5. Is another Matte shade (a cool taupe) which I wasn't too keen on when I purchased this palette as I prefer warm toned colours, but it turns out to be one of my favourites and it actually looks pretty good on me.

(used the champagne, taupe and the dark brown)

(my go-to everyday look, without mascara by the way)

All the colours except the shimmery one are soft and smooth with nice colour pay-off. They are easy to blend and have zero fall-out. This baby is without a doubt the perfect neutral palette that would work on all skin tones and all age groups. It is sleek and compact which makes it easy to travel with. I highly recommend this palette and in case you haven't noticed already I'm obsessed!!!

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Spring Makeup Edit

I love changing my makeup looks from time to time according to the weather and there's one look that I have enjoyed wearing for the past month and I think it's really pretty for this time of the year, incredibly easy to achieve as well, and in my opinion would look good on everyone so without further ado, here's the look and the products I use for this lovely spring makeup. 

Let's start with base. Now there are quite a few products involved for the face as a flawless base is the most important step in my makeup routine not just for spring but all year round cuz ain't nobody likes a cakey face am I right?!
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1. I normally use my Guerlain Meteorites Illuminating Primer first as I love a glowy skin and this product really helps to achieve that without making me look like a disco ball. Now it is not shown in the photo cuz I forgot as usual so sorry about that but do click the link I provide for deets. 
2. The foundation I've been loving comes no surprise to you. I am completely and utterly obsessed about it, just done the review, yes it's the No Foundation Foundation Serum by Perricone MD. It is the most skin-like foundation I've ever tried, so thin, so light and couldn't be a better choice for spring when you just want something light to even out the skin-tone, and look fresh as a flower. 
3. RMS "Un" Cover-Up (shade 22) is my concealer choice for spring as it is light, it's hydrating, just smooth it under the eyes and it instantly brightens and no brush needed. 
4. To set everything in place and add an extra glow I use my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light. This just makes me look radiant plus it never gets cakey. 
5. To give a nice bronzy glow and just a light contour I use my beloved Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel which I'm not gonna show you today as it is almost gone and the brush I use with it sheds all over the product, it just ain't pretty, but it is the perfect bronzer for spring and summer as it is creamy, feels nothing on the skin and the glow it gives is just beautiful. 
6. Oh my lord, look at those 2 blushers, a vibrant coral (Clarins Cream blush in 03) topped with a nice rosy pink (Chanel Camelia Rose)... Screams out spring and together they last all day long as well.

Moving on to eyes which couldn't be simpler, I just apply this rosy toned bronze shimmery cream eyeshadow by Wjcon (shade 10) all over the lids, smudge a dark brown eyeshadow along both upper and lower lash lines for some definition but just on the outer half. You can leave it like this or apply a shimmery white eyeshadow on the inner corner just to brighten up the eyes. Fill in my brows of course with my favourite brow pencil by KIKO in the shade 02. My everyday makeup routine doesn't involve mascaras as I like to leave my lashes natural plus I just couldn't be bothered if I'm honest but use your favourite mascara by all means to finish the eye look. 

Last but not least is my favourite part of this makeup look - lips. I use Too faced Melted Liquid Lipstick in Melted Violet as a base as it lasts well throughout the day and I just really like the fun purple colour. I will be picking up more shades from the Melted range as they are so comfortable on the lip, great colour pay-off, doesn't feel dry at all and love the sponge tip applicator which makes a world difference when it comes to application. Love it! 

To add a springy pop and some shine/moisture to my lips I use the Tarte Butter Lipstick in Pink Poinsettia. These 2 colours together is just another story. I mean they are individually beautiful but together they create this stunning and vibrant pinky coral that to me screams out spring and would suit for a lot of skin tones. 

There you have it beauties. This is my current everyday makeup look that I think looks pretty and girly for spring and summer so have a go and let me know how you like it or tweet/instagram me (@eflicciardello) a photo if you like. Have a lovely weekend and see you all next Tuesday! Muahh! 

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Holiday Season Makeup Looks

Hello beauties, happy Friday! Today I want to show you some of the makeup looks that I think are pretty to wear during the holiday season, and quite frankly easy to achieve. 

New Makeup New Look 

The first makeup look is something I would wear on Christmas day that is rather simple and natural, nothing heavy, very fresh and awake looking. I personally prefer this kind of look because it honestly makes me look younger, sometimes less is more people! 

Et voila... See what I'm talking about?! There's really not a lot going on. Natural looking brow, a clean winger liner, a little definition on the eyes (I have a sheer wash of gold colour all over the lids and a matte burnt brown over the crease), mascara, a wash of pinky peachy blush on the cheeks and a sheer berry toned lip gloss. Couldn't be easier and so fresh and pretty for the day time. I actually find myself go for this look every single day and it is just no fuss and so darn pretty. You can obviously go for whatever colour you like over the lids but I just think gold is rather appropriate for Christmas. 

Now if you are someone who prefers a little more makeup then I suggest go for a bold brow and a glossy red lip. 

See?! Pretty and put together. Totally appropriate for Christmas lunch with the family. I have a lot of compliments when I have this makeup on. Honestly people think I'm at my 20's. Good enough for me!

If you are going to Christmas parties and want to look extra glamorous but don't really want to take off the makeup that you already have on then I say just define the eyeliner a little more, add some highlighter and put on your favourite bold lippy. 

The one I'm using here is the Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Empress which is a gorgeous matte aubergine colour, so opaque and stays on. See makeup can be simple sometimes, all you have to do is change up your lipsticks. I love this look. It is still fresh but definitely more glamorous with that bold lip on. 

If you wanna go it all out, have a slight heavier makeup for parties then a smokey eye and a bold red lip are the way to go. I'm not the kinda gal that goes for heavy chunky glitters but if you like that then be my guest but for me I like to smudge out a black eyeliner all over the lids then just apply some eyeshadow that contains subtle gold sparkles, like this one from Charlotte Tilbury. You can then obviously add on some sexy lashes... 

If you follow me on Instagram (@eflicciardello) you know that I couldn't live without red lipsticks, especially when going out. Ain't no parties without red hippies. 

The one I'm using here is from YSL and it's one of the matte lipsticks in the shade 209. Such a pretty red and it lasts really well on me. I mean you don't have to wear this one, this is just an example, wear whatever red you prefer. I just think red really goes with the holiday atmosphere. 

That's it guys, those makeup looks are my go-to party looks. I like simple, natural and fresh looking makeup in case you haven't noticed already. If you like heavier makeup then go ahead, it's Christmas, who cares! Do what you like. Am I right? I hope everyone is having a fab time whatever you are doing and I shall see you next week! Muaahh! 

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That Kylie Jenner Lip

Hello beauties, happy Saturday! A lot of girls have been trying to recreate Kylie's lip and I can see why because her lips look so full and sexy but very natural at the same time so today I want to show you my take on Kylie Jenner's lip, hope you like it. 

Photo credit: okmagazine.com

See? See what I'm talking about?! Absolutely gorgeous lip colour, I'm falling head over heels with it and the full sexiness of course. It is actually very easy and simple to achieve. Let's just say if I can do it everyone can. 

Obviously you wanna exfoliate and moisturise you lips beforehand so I'm not gonna bore you with all that (if you fancy seeing what I use to exfoliate and moisturise click ), but make sure to wait until the lip balm absorbs completely or wipe off any residue before applying lip liner. FYI: A lip liner is a must if you wanna achieve the fullness that her lips have. 

The one I'm using is from Lancome in the shade Rose The, and I think it might be the closest to the actually lip liner she is using which is "soar" by MAC according to Kim K who did a beauty chat with pixiwoo sisters (I'll link it  if you are interested) and told them that this is the lip liner she uses. 

What you wanna do next is draw your lips a little bigger than you would normally. You can then fill the whole lip with the liner if you want it to last longer. I, however don't, because the lipstick I use is actually pretty long lasting. 

This lipstick is from Bite beauty and is one of the High Pigment Pencils in the shade Rhubarb which is this gorgeous mauve colour described as Plum Rose on Sephora's website. The hint of pink and brown in this pencil makes it very natural looking, one of those your-lips-but-better shades. Couldn't be more Kylie! I am in love with it. It is long lasting, matte but not flat, comfortable to wear, non drying and has great pigmentation to it. I'll do a separate blogpost on this next week because I have other shades to show you so look out for that. These high pigment pencils are simply gorgeous and the formula is just to die for. 

What I like to do last is to lightly, very lightly dab a subtle highlighter on the centre of my bottom lip and a little on the cupid's bow just so they look a little fuller. 

(left: natural light and right: under artificial light)

This is what I come up with and I think it looks pretty similar compare to Kylie's. What do you think? Seriously, try it guys and I guarantee you'll love it, because this colour is so flattering and should suit  for a lot of different skintones, and I love the full and sexiness you get. I have been wearing this combo non stop lately and I'm pretty darn sure that I'll wear it throughout the whole autumn and winter. So natural yet so put-together and elegant. 

That's it my lovelies hope this is helpful and please tweet/instagram (@eflicciardello) me a photo of your Kylie Jenner's lip cuz I would love to see. Thank you and have a lovely weekend beauties! Bye!! xx

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4 Steps to the Perfect Lip

Hello beauties, today I want to share with you all my secret to achieve a perfect lip! A perfectly done lip is just so darn important in my makeup/skincare routine and I think it should be important in everyone's routine. I can go out and wear no foundation, no eyeshadow nor blusher but I can never leave the house without a perfectly moisturised as well as a full on coloured lip. This is just something that is extremely important to me like eyebrows for example to some people but to me a perfect lip is always a must. I mean come on, women look much sexier if the lips are smooth and moisturised. Agreed?!!! I get really annoyed if my lips are chapped or dry so if you are like me then stick around for my ultimate tips to avoid all that. 

Step 1. Exfoliate... Nobody likes to see a chapped lip cuz it ain't pretty. Prepare some hot water in a bowl and place your lips over it. Keep your lips in position for about 5 minutes or longer if you have time. You can then use a lip scrub or a toothbrush gently move your fingers or your toothbrush around your lips and scrub off the dead skin cells or any flacky dry bits that you might have. Don't rub it too hard though as your lips might feel burning afterwards. 

My all time favourite lip scrub is this Bubble Gum one from Lush and it is so sweet and tasty. Well I know I'm not supposed to eat it but I like to lick it sometimes. Oops... But who doesn't like bubble gum right?! It not only smells lovely but also does a great job for scrubbing off any nastiness on your lips. You can make your own of course but I just really like this one. 

Step 2. Moisturise... Apply a moisturising lip balm straight after exfoliating (very important). Don't leave your lips without a lip balm for more than a minute as they might become dry again, also after all that scrubbing your lips are thinner and need to be moisturised and protected ASAP. 

My can't-live-without lip balm is this Reve de Miel by Nuxe. I think I don't need to ramble more about this one as it is featured in many of my blogposts and has been a highly raved product in the beauty world. It is as good as everyone says but better, a lot better, so hydrating and thick which I love and it is matte. 

Step 3. Lip mask... Apply a lip mask and leave it on for as long as you can to lock in the moisture and keep them smooth and soft. This step is better to do at night and is optional if you are in a rush. Put a thick layer of any lip mask that you have or a very very hydrating lip balm but has to be a thick layer so that it can really penetrate deep into the lips. Then what you need to do is take a piece of plastic film and place it on your lip and leave it on again for as long as possible, preferably overnight. It might seen a little extreme but trust me you will wake up with the smoothest, softest and most moisturised lip ever. 

(Top: with a thick layer of my Clarins lip balm on

Bottom: with a piece of plastic film over the lip balm)

I don't have a lip mask to be honest but I use a thick layer of my all time favourite lip balm by Clarins and it is as good as any lip mask in the market. This Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm is just so hydrating, so smooth on the lip and I love the thicker texture but by no means sticky. 

Stop from here if you are off to bed but if you are doing this in the morning or before going out then obviously...

Step 4. Lipstick... Apply your favourite lip product to finish off that gorgeously moisturised lip, et viola... A perfect lip that any woman could ever dream of. 

(You see if your lips are nice and moisturised then any lip colour will look gorgeous)

There you have it. My secret to a perfect lip. If you follow these 4 steps and trust me your lips will thank you and every woman will stare at your lips (in a good way) and every man will want to give that gorgeous lip a big fat kiss (in a romantic and sexy way)... :)

Thank you guys so much for reading and remember to follow me on Twitter and Instagram @eflicciardello for daily updates. If you like my style then follow my blog by hitting the "following" button on the top of this page. Have a lovely day wherever you are and see you in 2 days! Bye! muahh! 

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My Everyday Makeup Look - Autumn Edition with Drug Store Makeup

Hello beauties, it has been a month or maybe two even since I did an everyday makeup look (I'll link them  if you are interested in seeing what products I used) but that was with all high-end makeup as well as the look that I enjoy wearing in the hotter months so today I want to show you the look I have been wearing a lot lately and it is safe to say that it is now my go-to everyday simple makeup look for autumn and winter. I hope you like it as much as I do. Let's start! 

On an everyday basis I don't really use foundations because my skin has been really behaving lately and for everyday makeup I just don't feel the need of putting on foundations but I do wear it if I need to go somewhere "fancy" or I know that I have a long day ahead. This is just me so feel free to put on your favourite foundation if you need to or you are one of those who can't live without foundations. I used to be like that so I know the struggle! Lol! 

However, an illuminating concealer is a must for me no matter what. My favourite drug store one is this la touche magique Perfect Match Highlighting Concealer by L'ORÉAL (8 euros) and I have the shade in 02 Ivory Beige. It is now a tad too light for me but I do find that it really highlights my under eye area well this way. It is light in texture but covers pretty well. It does settle in my under eye lines even with a setting powder but it is not too obvious. Because I do get shiny mainly on my T zone so I like to set my face with an illumintaing setting powder. I don't own any drug store powders because they either break me out or too chalky so I normally just use my beloved Guerlain Meteorites finishing powder but again use whatever it's the best for you or leave it as it is if your skin doesn't get oily. 

This little cheek and lip stain in Beauty Queen from theBalm Cosmetics (10 euros) comes really handy for everyday makeup. It is such a pretty pink colour for everyday use. It's very subtle and I like the fact that it is multi-use. I just dot this on my cheeks and blend out with my fingers and that's it blush done. 

For giving me some colour on my face and a light contour I use this gorgeous Sweet Treat Bronzing Powder from Stila. I know that Stila isn't categorised as drug store makeup but this bronzer contains 10g of product and only costs 12 pounds so I think it's pretty affordable because it will last you for absolutely ages plus it can be used as a "blusher" too so no need to spend money on another product. Definitely worth it and soooo pretty. Look at it! 

Last part of my face makeup is to apply some highlighter on my cheekbones just to make them stand out more and makes me look more radiant. The one I have been enjoying is the Shimmer Balm by thisworks. Again this isn't a drug store brand but this little pot cost me 4 or 5 pounds for 10g and I think that is a drug store pricing. Agreed? Plus it is packed with good skincare ingredients so for 5 quid you just can't go wrong. I love the golden glow this highlighter gives, so pretty for all year round. 

Moving onto eyes. I like to keep it very simple but pretty at the same time. The best option for me is this Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Crayon in 003 Bad Girl Bronze (5 euros). I just sweep this on and blend out with my fingers. And the best part? It looks like I have done some serious work on my eye lids. Love this stuff and the colour is dark enough for autumn with some lovely fine golden shimmers running though. Really pretty!

I skip mascara for most days because honestly, I just can't be bothered. I don't have a lot of time in the morning and for my straight stubborn eyelashes it takes me ages to curl them and apply mascara, re-curl them and re-curl them. The struggle is real people! Sigh! But if I have to then I would use my trusted L'Oréal False Lash Architech 4 Dimensions Waterproof (15 euros). 

For eyebrow, I use my KIKO Precision eyebrow pencil in 02 (6 euros). Click  for the full review because this is a cheaper alternative of the Anastasia Brow Wiz. Awesome stuff! 

Finally lipstick. For autumn months I really have been loving the lip combo of the Sephora Nano Lipliner in 09 Pleasant Plum (4.90 euros) and Makeup Revolution Lipstick in Rebel with Cause (1 pound). Perfect colour for autumn and winter and they are both lovely, goes on smooth and last well throughout the day. 

And that's the finished look. Simple, takes about 10 minutes, appropriate for autumn/winter, pretty and affordable = happy days! 

(under natural light)

(Left: with artificial light Right: natural light)

There you have my everyday makeup for autumn. I hope you have enjoyed it and please let me know what's your favourite drug store makeup items that you have been enjoying lately. Feel free to tweet me (@eflicciardello) a picture of your autumn makeup look if you want to I would love to see. Thank you so much for your time and see you on Saturday! Muahh!

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