When Should You Throw Out Your Makeup?

Image Source, edited by me

Makeup expiration dates are one of those things for me that I always forget about and always seem to keep my makeup way longer than you are supposed to. For this reason I am pretty sure that I have a few products in my collection that I should have said goodbye to a long time ago. So in an attempt to try and not hoard all of my makeup I decided to do this post about when you should throw out your makeup.

Face

Liquid Foundation:  6-12 months

Concealer: For wand applicator concealers it is about 6 months but for pot or stick concealers it can be up to 12 months, especially if you use clean brushes to apply them with

Powders (setting powder, blush, bronzer, etc.): Between 2-3 years 

Eyes

Cream eyeshadow: Between 6 and 12 months, depending on if it has dried up or not

Powder eyeshadow: About 1 year

Mascara: 3 months, which I know is inconvenient since I usually find mascara lasts longer than that, but bacteria spreads extremely easily and you do not want to get an eye infection.

Pencil Eyeliner: These can last for up to 3 years as long as you sharpen them regularly

Liquid and gel eyeliner: 3-6 months, again to avoid eye infections

Lips

Lipstick: About 2 years

Lipgloss: Again about 2 years

Keeping your brushes clean will help make your makeup last longer since you will limit the amount of bacteria that is transferred from your face to the product and vice versa. Remember this is just a guideline, if your makeup is still working fine, without causing any skin issues or looking or smelling bad, then it is probably okay (however mascara is a different story!) and also remember that if you get an eye infection, to throw out any makeup that you may have used to prevent reinfection.

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Review: Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel

Hello everyone!
Since summer is officially under way now many of you may be starting to use fake tan again in preparation for the warmer weather and sunnier days. There are so many products on the market now for fake tanning it can be a bit overwhelming deciding on good one to try. So today I thought I would help you out by reviewing my favourite self tanning product, the Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel.
Firstly I would like to say the name is a bit misleading since it isn't instant. The product itself is clear, with no guide colour at all, and it leaves no colour on the skin when you first apply it. I think it is called an Instant Gel because the colour develops very quickly and dries pretty fast, so you aren't left with that sticky, tacky feeling on the skin. This means you can get dressed quickly after applying it without the worry of it smudging all over your clothing (or bedding if you apply it at night).
Other than the potentially misleading name the only other negative thing is the smell of it. Personally I can deal with it since I know that the results will be worth it, however others around you may not have the same thoughts although I haven't found a fake tan that doesn't have a bad smell, so I guess it is part of the experience!
The colour however is amazing.On my very pale complexion it has never turned out orange and if I apply it with latex gloves (my fake tan secret weapon) there are no streaks and it just leaves my skin looking nicely bronzed. You can also choose the intensity of the colour depending on how often you apply it, so in that way it is like a gradual tanning product. This is another bonus for me because I don't want it to look too intense so applying it every three to four days keeps it looking dark enough but not too over the top.
Have you tried this product before? 
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My Everyday Makeup: Summer Edition

Hello everyone!

Today I thought I would share with you the makeup look I have been wearing a lot recently. Since it is now officially summer I have made sure that my makeup is quick and easy to apply and that nothing is too heavy to prevent it all melting off of my face in the sun. I really like this look as it is very simple and allows me to get ready very quickly in the morning so I can make the most of the potentially hotter and sunnier days.

Lets start with the face makeup. I skip foundation usually during the hotter months as it is just a little too much to have on my face, however I still wear concealer, both under my eyes and on any blemishes and discolouration. Under my eyes I use my No7 Instant Radiance Concealer in shade II and dab it with my ring finger until it is all blended into my skin. On any other blemishes I use the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in the shade fair and again, blend it in with my finger.
Next up powder. I like to make sure my skin isn't looking too matte or too shiny so I use my Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder in the Shade 53 with my Real Techniques Blush Brush. This has to be my all time favourite powder because it sets my makeup in place with out my skin looking cakey or overly matte. 
After powder I like to use some of the GOSH Precious Powder Pearls in Glow with my Real Techniques Blush Brush again and apply it to the outer parts of my face in a 3 shape on both sides of my face to make me look like I have a little bit of a tan without too much of an orange look.
After bronzer is blush. I use the Bourjois Little Round Pot Blusher in Rose de Jaspe, again with my Real Techniques Blush Brush which leaves my skin with a healthy flushed look and since it is slightly shimmery it leaves my skin looking slightly dewy, but not like a disco ball.

After applying all of my face makeup I go onto eyebrows. Recently I have been loving using my MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Fling to fill in my brows. I then go into set them with either any old clear mascara or my Benefit Gimme Brow in Light/ Medium to set them into place and keep them there all day.
Eyes are kept very simple with only eyeliner and mascara since I don't like wearing heavy makeup on my eyes in the summer and personally eyeliner and mascara are my eye staples. I use MACs Fluidline in Blacktrack applied with a MAC 210 brush and do a simple line with no flick. My current favourite mascara is the Maybelline The Falsies Mascara, and depending on how much drama I want depends on whether I apply one or two coats of it.

Lastly is lips and I personally prefer a sheer balm like product for this time of year and currently I am using my No7 Sheer Temptation Lipstick in Tempt. This is a really pretty sheer, glossy pink and it also contains SPF 15 to help protect your lips from sun burn or becoming chapped.

So that's it, my current everyday makeup. What products have you been using recently?
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Review: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

Hello everyone!
Today I am going to review one of my most recent favourite additions to my makeup collection, the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation. This is one of those foundations loved by many in the beauty blogging community and so of course I was eager to try it out. I had never tried anything from NARS before because it had always been a bit out of my price range, however I had always admired their products, so when I got this product I was very excited to try it. 
Let me tell you a little story as to why I got it (other than because I really wanted it). Before my dance show back in May I was on the look out for a foundation that didn't contain SPF since we always have photos taken of us with flash, and I didn't want the dreaded ghost look caused by flashback from SPF. There were a few available from the drugstore, however since the Sheer Glow foundation had been on my wishlist for so long it seemed the perfect opportunity to buy it.
Now as many people who buy NARS base products will know, shade matching is not much of an issue because there is a wide range of shades for everyone, however whether your shade is in stock is a different matter. So after going to my local Space NK store and looking online the shade I was matched to, Siberia, was out of stock. So I asked my Dad to pick it up for me in a Space NK store in London. Of course Siberia wasn't in stock, but Mont Blanc was, another shade I had swatched on me in store, so that was the one I went for. After trying it out at home it actually isn't a bad shade for me. As long as it is well blended (I use my Real Techniques Expert Face brush to do this) the colour is not to pink toned or too dark.
My favourite thing about this product is that, although it is not sheer, like the name suggests it's actually quite full coverage, it isn't too heavy and doesn't ever look cakey on the skin. The finish of this product is really gorgeous as well as it is slightly dewy, leaving your skin looking healthy and glowing, which is definitely my preferred finish for a foundation.
The only bad thing about the product itself is that it does cling to dry patches, so if you are going to wear it make sure your skin is well exfoliated and moisturised to prevent this from happening. I also wish that it came with a pump. Although you can buy this separately, I would prefer if it was included in the product already. 
For £31 from Space NK it is a slightly more pricey foundation, but personally I think it is totally worth the extra money. It leaves my skin looking flawless, it lasts on the skin all day and the finish is perfect for me.
Have you ever tried this foundation?
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Weekly Wishlist: High End Makeup

Hello everyone!
Today's post is going to include many of the high end products that I have put on my wishlist over the last few months. For some reason recently I have been obsessed with the more luxury brands and although I will always love drugstore products, there is something about those slightly more expensive ones that make me want them in my collection. 

So first up is something that I have heard a lot of positive reviews of from the likes of Anna and Lily and that is the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. To me it sounds like a really good all round concealer. One of my things I can't stand with base products is when they look cakey on the skin and from what I've heard this is a relatively light weight product that works well both under the eyes and on any spots or discolouration. 
Another NARS product I've been looking at recently is their Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser. This seems like my kind of product because it is apparently light weight and sheer enough for it to appear as if you haven't got any makeup on but it will give you enough coverage for a good skin day. Not only that but it also contains SPF 30 which is perfect for protecting your skin from the sun's damaging rays.
The YSL Rouge Volupte Shine lipsticks have been on my wishlist for what seems like forever as I have heard so many good things about them. They look really glossy and moisturising, which is my favourite finish for lip products, and the array of colours gives me the impression that there will be a colour for everyone.
Believe it or not I do not currently own an Essie nail polish even though my collection of polishes is unhealthily large. The shade Bikini So Teeny always seems to catch my eye whenever I venture over to the Essie stand in my local Boots store. I think this would be the perfect summer colour and I do not currently own a blue polish like this one so it seems like a product that could perfectly fill that cornflower blue shaped hole in my collection.
Next up are Benefit Box O' Powders, in particular the shades Hoola and Rockateur. I am always on the look our for a matte bronzer that won't give me the mud or tangoed look. Hoola is always said to be a good option for a bronzer like this and with summer upon us it seems like the perfect time of year to buy it. As for Rockateur, it just looks like a blush colour that will give you a healthy glow/sheen to your cheek without the disco ball effect and the fact it is a rose gold blush kind of sells it to me because I love anything rose gold.
Now onto the MAC 239 brush. This seems like the perfect brush for applying eyeshadow to the eyelid and I currently do not own a brush like it so I could be a very useful buy. I am also currently trying to expand my brush collection since it is slightly limited so this could be the perfect addition to my collection.
Finally the Too Faced Natural Eyes Pallet. This product has been on my wishlist ever since Blair Fowler used it back in 2010/2011. Neutral eye shadows are my favourite and with a mix of shimmer and matte shadows this pallet could be a perfect pallet for both day and night eye looks and I think it would be very travel friendly, so perfect for summer holidays.
What is on your wishlist?
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Little Update

Hello everyone! So my exams have finally finished and I have only just had a chance to sit down and write this blog post which I was meant to write at the beginning of the week but have been very busy (I know excuses excuses!).  So with my exams over I will hopefully have a lot more time to blog over the course of the next two or three months. Now I am planning on posting three or four times a week up until the beginning of September when I return to school but of course that could change as the summer goes on depending on how busy I am. Sorry for the quick post but fingers crossed everything can start again on Monday. Bloglovin'|| Twitter|| Instagram