Simple and Glossy

I had to go and get some passport/ID photos done the other day, and I thought the make up I threw on was worth sharing as it really is one of those looks you can wear just about anywhere! 

(it's my go-to look for when I need to look really polished without making a statement)

I used Lioele BB Cream, which you might have noticed I've worn in the past few posts, that's not because I love it though, in fact now I've come back to after dabbling with so many other BB Creams and Tinted Moisturisers it actually falls rather flat. But the tube is almost up so I just want to finish it off! Usually I'd substitute it for Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser (as I truly love that stuff)

I decided to keep my eyes matte, something I never, ever do, but I was feeling a little inspired! I just used Mac Brule and Urban Decay Twice Baked over Mac Painterly. Some careful eyeliner and my new mascara finished the look! I usually swipe on some eyeliner in 10 seconds flat but I definitely took my time today making sure they were completely even - to be completely honest the extra time spent fixating on minuscule bumps didn't really make much difference!

A little bit of Hoola so I don't look dead, and then I finished it all off with a generous about of my all time favourite lip gloss - Buxom in Sugar. The slight tingling slightly plumps us your lips, the colour is perfectly natural, and I really think it's the gloss that makes this look something worth putting on here!

The Lip Product Tag

I've seen a few of these on various blogs and youtube, are there seem to be a ton of different questions with everyone sporting their own list! So I've done a bit of a combination of a few different lists.

1. Favourite balm or treatment?
I'm very low maintenance when it comes to lip care, which is bad. But I hate feeling like I have stuff on my lips so treatments are out the window since I only do a lip scrubs once in a blue moon. I'm going to be boring and go for my EOS Lip balm. 

2. Favourite eye catching Red/Bright

This has got to me Mac Russian Red. It's a lovely matte red that's just deep enough to make it easy for me to wear.

3. Favourite Pink Lipstick
This is strange, but I rarely wear pink lipstick. I just haven't found one that really suits me. The only 'pink' lipstick that I've kept in my clear out is Mac Viva Glam Gaga as I do like to keep a pink on hand 

4. Favourite Nude Lipstick

I am not a nude lipstick person. Oh I've dabbled with them, bought more than I can count but I've never worn one more than once or twice before dismissing it. Nudes just do not suit me.

5. Luxury or Drugstore?
Buying a luxury lipstick just makes me feel pressured - if you get a bad shade then you've shelled out all that money for something you'll never use (speaking from experience here with YSL 24..) So Drugstore all the way… although that depends where we're putting mac as I always think of mac as somewhere in between

6. Best Mac Lipstick

I do love my mac lipsticks so picking one is just hard!

7. Favourite Gloss

This is another easy one. I'm really not a lipgloss person, I just never wear them reaching for lipsticks over a gloss any day. But I recently bought a Buxom gloss in Sugar and I'm hooked. It tingles when applied which I usually hate but for some reason it stops it feeling so heavy - heavy gloopy, sticky glosses are my idea of a nightmare.

8. Favourite Spring/Summer shade

Honestly, once the weather warms up it's tinted lip balms all the way. And if I'm being honest the one I reach for most is vaseline rosy lips. Boring I know, but you just can't beat that slight wash of colour 

9. Favourite Autmn/Winter shade

Benefit Do Tell. This was another one I only had to contemplate for a moment or two as do tell instantly sprung to mind. It's the perfect winter colour for me adding some drama to your look while staying creamy despite frigid temperatures.

10. Lip Liner: yes or no?

i want to say yes, but i never, ever use one. I'm actually guilty of 

American Haul

I've spent the last 3 months travelling and a large chunk of that was through North America. And being a little bit of a make up addict, I obviously couldn't pass through the states without picking up a few things!

I was pretty restrained, and held myself back from going crazy but I absolutely love everything I did get

EOS Lip Balm
I feel like this is just obvious. I've wanted one for ever, so I simply had to pick one up. obviously.

Mac Nocturnelle
A little while ago Fleur sported a light purple smokey eye and since then I've been hooked on finding the perfect purple. Especially since Mac Trax smashed on my travels

Essie Watermelon
This purchase is entirely due to Laura. I'm addicted to her blog, and I've come to trust her nail polish recommendations so when I saw this beautiful shade I knew it'd be making its way into my basket.
(I actually got this in Toronto not the USA and the brush is completely different, I'm hoping it's not a new shape as I much prefer the bigger brushes)

Essie Bikini So Teeny
I saw this years ago on various blogs and I've wanted to get my hands on ever since. But I could never find it in the UK so when I saw it in NYC it was another no-brainer.

Buxom Lipgloss Sugar
This was the only purchase I wasn't set on buying before landing in the USA, but after trying it on in Sephora I was sold. Given I usually hate lip glosses this one is pretty special.

Nars Duo Eyeshadow Kalahari 
I have been eyeing this up for months but bars is ridiculously pricey in NZ so as soon as I went into Sephora in the states I knew this was coming home with me!