FOTD: First Day At School

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer 

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation 

Bourjois Bronzer Duo 

MUA Highlighter in Iridescent Gold

Sleek Contour Kit in Fair

M.A.C Blusher in Crisp Whites

Collection Eyes Uncovered Pallet (Gold)

Maybelline Colour Tattoos in On And On Bronze

Rimmel Wonderfull Mascara 

Collection Extreme Felt Liner

Barry M Eye Crayon 

Collection Lip Liner in Pink Heaven

L'Oreal Colour Riche in Eva's Nude 

Volia!

All About That Blusher

For as long as I have been into makeup, I just didn't really wear blusher because I just had so many problems with it because I am quite pale but, ALAS I have finally found some techniques and blushers that work well.

My favorite Blushers to use are;

• Sleek Rose Gold because this offers such a nice highlight and has great pigmentation.
• MUA blusher in Bon Bon because it is a perfect subtle coral for pale skins, I think this would look great on redheads!
• TopShop Cream Blusher in Head Over Heels, it looks quite shocking in the pan but I like to dab my finger in lightly and really work it into my skin. This blush works best with a more intense eye/ lip look

The way that I have applied my blush recently has a big part in my kindled love for it. So before I use to apply blush with a standard blush circle brush, however that didn't suit my face so then I invested in an Angled Blush Brush from MAC and then I apply it on the apples of my cheeks and then really bring it up onto my cheek bones.

Why TopShop Beauty is the Best

Whenever I go into Topshop, I will always have at least two beauty items at the end, without fail. So today I thought was the perfect opportunity to tell you why I love it so much.

LIP BULLETS

LIP STICKS

BLUSHERS

There are 3 main reasons why I love TopShop Beauty more than other clothing shops makeup;

1.Packaging: It's so cute and photogenic but apart from appearance, it's so lightweight. The Lipstick packaging is made of metal so that the lipstick doesn't melt so much in the summer as it would in plastic packaging. The Blushers are extra lightweight but are well made and they come with a compact mirror so they are great for traveling. TopShop do lip bullets which are slimline and don't have any extra packaging then necessary.

2.Formulation of the lipsticks is incredible because they are so long lasting, also the creme blushers particularly are great for in the summer months because the oils from my face don't eat the product up.  

3. The Scent is amazing because... it doesn't have one! I like my makeup not to have a scent to them because if they are all different and then they all mix and nobody want's that now do they?

Have you tried any TopShop Makeup? What are your thoughts? 

The Perfect Red Lipstick, That Won't Cost You An Arm And A Leg

Hands up if you find it overly hard to find the ''Perfect Red Lipstick''? Yeah, me too. Alas, look no further, I have the answer for you...

Of course it was going to be from L'Oreal. Oh how I love that brand! This lipstick adds to my every growing collection of red lipstick, but Blake's Red is P-E-R-F-E-C-T! Let me break it down for you;

The scent is incredible. I am a huge fan of parma violets and it honestly baffles me how anyone couldn't love them, however if you don't like that scent then I would void this whole collection.

Packaging is beautiful, some of my lipsticks have lids were it smushs  the actual product therefore making it 10x harder to use in the morning, however the packaging for this product is designed so that the product never happens because it has a little cut out so that it closes nicely. Also the lid is tailored to the same shape as the bullet.

A struggle I always find when looking for the perfect red lipstick is that the pigmentation and formulation never go hand in hand. L'Oreal Colour Riche Collection have definitely fixed this problem, the actual colour of Blake's' Red is very dense and opaque, that being said in no way does this product sit heavy on the lips and is long lasting also.

What is your Go To Red Lipstick?

The Carry On Essentials Guide

So it is official traveling season, most commonly known as Summer . Everytime I say summer I automatically think of Olaf from Frozen. But yes,it is officially summer if you could even call it that. Near enough everyone I know is going away on holiday whether it abroad or to somewhere in Britain. No matter where or when you go on holiday I feel it is always essential to have a carry on or hand luggage of sorts. However I always face two different with hand luggage; I never know what to pack therefore always over packing. That being said I wanted to help others out but just giving you a list of all the essentials.










Firstly I like to pack a notebook and pen. I always pack these because sometimes I like to put pen to paper when I have ideas and its also good for doodling if you get board i also make sure to pack about two pens as I have had my pen run out on me before but its also good for colouring and highlighting if you need too so essentially you're killing two birds with one stone.


Something I would never be without is my Kindle. I always download at least ten books before I go on holiday and I normally read one of the books whilst traveling I also download music onto my kindle so that I don't waste up all my phone battery.


I haven't ever really seen the point of taking a bag load of makeup with you in you carry on however I more than anyone understand that makeup s a confident booster and who doesn't want to feel confident all the time? What I normally take is just some concealer blusher mascara and a tinted lipbalm. I chose a lipbalm over lipstick or lipgloss because when traveling especially on an aeroplane you lips and skin can become so dehydrated.


When travelling in a plane I normally pack two moisturisers one for my face and then one for my hands however when I travel by other means I just tend to pack my hand cream and then put the face moisturizer into my suitcase.


When sitting for a long time I've noticed how knotty the back of my hair can get so i now just pack a travel sized hair brush with me to avoid looking like I've stuck two wet hands in a plug socket.













What do you pack in your carry-on?

Makeup Starter Kit

Hi again everyone, so today I thought it would be nice to talk about a Makeup Starter Kit and I know that when I first started liking makeup, a blog post like this would have been a real cheat sheet so lets begin...

SOURCE

The way that I'm going to write this post is in the way you would apply your makeup. So naturally I'm going to start with base.

Firstly you may want a primer. What a primer's many jobs is, is to act as a barrier for your skin so that the makeup doesn't clog up your pores. Another job of a primer is to fill in your pores and ensure your makeup stays on all day. I recommend the following:

Maybelline Baby Skin

Max- Factor Face Infinity 

L'Oreal  Infallible 24hr Matte

After primer you will need either a foundation or a a BB cream. A foundation tends to be of a higher coverage so if you feel like you want to cover more I would suggest these foundations:

Rimmel Match Perfection 

L'Oreal True Match 

L'Oreal Infallible 24hr Matte

However if you want a lighter base then I recommend:

Bourjois Paris BB Bronzing Cream 8-in-1

L'Oreal Paris Nude Magique BB

Rimmel BB Cream 9 in 1 Makeup

To set everything in place I would recommend using the Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder.

For Bronzing and Highlighting I would recommend the sleek contour kit which also includes a blusher.

For brows I would recommend trying out quite a few things first but my favorite to use is the MUA eyeshadow in penny.

Eyeshadows are really hard to recommend but the Flawless Matte Palette from Makeup Revolution is such a good deal for money. You get 32 really high quality, well pigmented, blendable eyeshadows for just £8

Depending on what look you are going for I would recommend the following Mascara's:

Rimmel Extra Super Lash Mascara
Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara
Revlon Fabulash Mascara

Lastly for lipsticks I would recommend checking out the MUA stand as most are just £1

Current Favorites

In this post today I am going to separate all the things I have been loving, beauty and non-beauty favorites into their relative subcategories.

BEAUTY 

Makeup:

• First off is the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation, I have been loving this foundation recently because with the summer in full swing (She says as it is pouring down with rain) this foundation is super light however it offers the perfect amount of coverage.
• On the same Rimmel note I have been loving their new(ish) Lasting Finish Concealer . This really rivals my M.A.C Prolongwear and for me it doesn't crease underneath my eyes which is such a selling point for me. 
• Another Rimmel Concealer favorite is the Wake Me Up. Not being a fan of the foundation I let the concealer just sit in my drawer but the other day I whacked it back out and haven't stopped using it .
• For bronzers I have been loving the Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Bronzer in the Shade Golden Days combined with the Bourjois Delice de Poudre Duo.

Skincare

Recently I have been loving the Soap & Glory The Ultimelt Deep Purifying Hot Cloth Cleanser his is a great pamper item. I use it about once a week at the end of the week to treat my face. The product is thick and creamy and smells amazing (as do all of S&G’s products). I massage it into my face as per the directions and then wipe it off with the cloth provided. My face is left wonderfully soft, smooth and radiant. I absolutely love it. Another great product in the range.

LIFESTYLE

T.V Shows (I'm just going to list them so that there are No Spoilers)

• Orange Is The New Black
• Once Upon A Time
• Dance Moms
• Criminal Minds

Music

• Lost Frequencies- Are You With Me
• Milky Chance- Stolen Dance
• Kygo- Stole The Show
• Ed Sheeran- Gold Rush

Movies 

• Spy
• Insurgent
• Avengers- Age Of Ultron

BLOGS

• Cocochic
• Beans Beauty Blog
• Hope, Freedom, Love

THE BEST FROM MAKEUP REVOLUTION

Ah Makeup Revolution; A beauty blogger's new found friend. I can understand why though; Low rice and AMAZING quality (what's not to love?). Today I wanted to add my 2 pennies worth and talk you through my top picks and why I love them.






First up is the Iconic palettes. I love these as they are such good dupes for the Naked palettes from Urban Decay yet they are a fraction of the price.




On the same lines of the Iconic Palettes I also love the new Iconic Pro palettes which have 12 shades in which are super pigmented and really blendable. The have been compared to the Lorac Prom Palettes.




Even more eyeshadow next but they're all matte in the Flawless Matte palette. I have green eyes and finding the perfect eyeshadow palette for my eye colour has proven difficult but not anymore thanks to Makeup Revolution.




My next pick is actually their VIVID BAKED BRONZER IN GOLDEN DAYS, seeing as summer is just around the corner I find that this bronzer adds the most perfect amount of bronzing to my face. I have a lot of problem with bronzers as I am quite pale but Makeup Revolution have definitely hit the nail on the head







What are your top picks from Makeup Revolution?

Concealer 101

My Brushes 101 seemed to go down really well so I was thinking of making this into a little series on Charlotte's Corner. Today I wanted to discuss Concealers and what the different ones do.

Creamier consistency concealers such as the Rimmel Lasting Finish one is great for covering any spots/ blemishes/ pigmentation. This consistency is not good for under the eyes as it is quite heavy and can cause creasing.

The Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer is one of my favorites for under the eyes as it is fairly light and has good pigmentation.

Highlighting pens such as the Maybelline Dream Touch Lumi are really good when cream contouring or for highlighting under the eye's.

Last but not least is long lasting concealer. Budget friendly versions include the cult classic Collection Lasting Perfection which is super creamy and high coverage, then you have the MAC prolongwear concealer that is pricier but does a great job at everything- undereye concealing and highlighting, priming the eyelids for shadow, covering redness. JUST FAB!

My Foundation Routine

So I love wearing makeup and one thing that I love applying strangely is foundation. I wanted to share my foundation routine with you because some people might be interested or looking for a new foundation or maybe looking for a way to apply their foundation.

So as you can see I own a fair few foundations and they're just my mostly worn ones! They all have different qualities and uses so therefore I chose different ones depending on what look I'm going for so let me talk you through each one and why I love them;

• Rimmel Lasting Finish 25hr Nude with SPF 20 is a great everyday medium coverage base. I prefer to apply this with a brush as I find that way I get the nicest texture and finish which is very much satin as it feels smooth on the face, I would say that this foundation is more on the dewy side. It definitely does not last for 25hr so therefore I always try to get the most wear out of it by setting it with a powder and using a primer.
• M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid is a great maximum coverage foundation and I love applying this with a damp beauty blender as this is the way that I get maximum coverage. This foundation does have SPF in it but for me it doesn't create flash back so it's great for special occasions.
• Rimmel Match Perfection is a great low to medium coverage dewy foundation. I like wearing this when I'm just running errands or if I want to look highlighted. I have dry skin and sometimes it can look really dehydrated so this foundation really adds some extra glow!
• L'Oreal Infallible 24hr Matte foundations is a great long lasting bullet proof low end version of Estee Lauder Double Wear. I love wearing this when I have a lot to do or when I'm going to work as work can sometimes get really hot and like I said this foundation is BULLET PROOF.
• Next is L'Oreal True Match and I love this at is super dewy and adds a really nice glow to the skin, It's water based so does feel like it adds extra hydration back into my skin. I prefer wearing this when my skin looks super dry as to not look like a grease ball!

What are your go to foundations and how do you apply them?

My Holiday Skin Care

This year I'm going aboard. Woo Hoo!!! So therefore that means that my Skincare will temporarily Have to change because of the hotter climates.

Here is what I'll be packing in my skincare bag;

 Bioderma Micellar Water in Sensibio H2O in 100ml travel sized bottle which was incredibly hard to get hold of seeing as I live in the U.K 

Clinique All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage which will be going in my carry on bag as the air conditioning and altitude make my eyes really puffy
 Garnier Micellar Water in the morning 

Simple Kind to Skin Light Moisturiser 

Superdrug BB eye Cream

 Origins Super Spot Remover just in case!

REN ClearCalm 3 Anti-Blemish Clay Cleanser decanted into a pot (and is all I now have left!)

Haircare Routine

In recent times, my hair has not been in the best of conditions. From copious amounts of box dyes ranging from Ginger to Black then having it striped and bleached blonde, to ombre, it's fair to say that my have has been through a battlefield full of harsh chemicals. That's probably why it's a good idea to devise an amazing haircare routine that will hopefully restore your hair to a natural or better condition. Just a little note before we start is that these products work for me and my hair type, style, colour and condition. This post will not tell you what will work for your hair, as I don't know the type, style, colour and condition your hair is in. However I do hope that you can get some tips if your hair is like mine which is dry, short, damaged and wavy.

My hair care essentials are definitely a good shampoo and conditioner. I must admit I have tried many of Shampoo and Conditioners are I believe I have got the best Shampoo and Conditioner strategy going. I use the Tresemme Silky Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner all over my scalp. This helps restore moisture back to my hair and reduce breakage. Next I go in with the Pro-Voke purple Shampoo at the ends of my hair to maintain the blonde ombre.




About once a week I use a mask on my hair and the one I like to use is L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Pro-Keratin Refill Hair Masque– an intensely nourishing hair treatment designed to specifically treat your weak, damaged hair. This masque is deeply nourishing and conditioning, and will leave your locks so luscious and soft – lovely!

My Daily Number

SHOWER TIME
1. Shower Gel - Soap & Glory Clean on Me
2. Moisturiser - Victoria Secret Pure seduction
3. Shampoo - Tresemme Silky Smooth
4. Conditioner - Tresemme Silky Smooth


DIRTY FACES
5. Cleanser - L'Oreal Perfecting Milk
6. Exfoliator - Homemade recipe
7. Serum - Avene Hydrating Serum
8. Moisturiser - Simple Hydrating
9. Eye Gel - Superdrug BB eye cream


HAIR MATTERS
10. Oil - Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Oil
11. Styling - Charles Worthington Texturising Spray


MAKEUP OF THE DAY
12. Primer - L'Oreal Infallible Mattifying Primer
13. Foundation - L'Oreal True Match Lumi
14. Face Concealer - MAC Prolongwear
15. Eye Concealer - Rimmel Wake Me Up
16. Brows - MUA Ever After -Penny
17. Brows - MUA Clear Mascara
18. Eyeliner - Collection Super Felt Liner
19. Mascara (top lashes) - Benefit They're Real
20. Mascara (bottom lashes) - YSL Baby Doll
21. Face Powder - Rimmel Stay Matte
22. Bronzer - Bourjois Poudre Duo
23. Highlighter - Bourjois Poudre Duo
24. Blusher - MAC Peaches and Cream
25. Lips - MAC Creme D'Nude


BODY BEAUTIFUL
26. Deodorant - Dove Roll On
27. Perfume - Marc Jacobs Polka
28. Hand Cream - Soap & Glory Hand Food


TAKE IT OFF
29. Micellar Water - Garnier Micellar Water
30. Cleanser - L'Oreal Perfecting Milk
31. Serum - The Body Shop Serum in Oil
32. Face Wash- Neutrogena Visibly clear
33. Toner- L'Oreal Velvet Toner

The Spring Edit // Budget Friendly

NAILS: Rimmel London Rita Ora polish in Wild-er-ness

LIPSTICK OF CHOICE: MUA Peachy Keen

OUTFIT STAPLE: H&M Maxi Dress

Ultimate Beauty Wishlist- Highend Edition

MAC Lightboost Pen

MAC Lipsticks; Russian Red,  Hue,  Heroin,  Please Me,  Yash,  Honey Love,  Mehr,  Media

MAC Warm Neutrals Palette 

NARS Lagona

NARS ITA Brush

NARS Creamy Concealer

NARS Sheer Glow

NARS Multiple Stick

Estee Lauder Double Wear Eyeshadow Base

Laura Mercier Loose Powder

Urban Decay Primer Potion 

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

Dior Nude Air foundation 

Urban Decay Naked Concealer 

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon 

So basically the whole of Selfridges.

If you have any of these products please let me know your opinions on them.

Updated Skincare Routine

As with most things in beauty, things change.You may remember my post a while back about my skincare routine, things have changed so much since then. In this post I'll be talking you through my new and improved skin care and what I do of a morning and how that differs to what I do of a night time.

 Lets kick this off in chronological order, in the morning. From the moment I wake up I head straight to the bathroom and start my skincare routine. One thing that hasn't changed since my last post is the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit face wash. I like this face wash as its hydrating and really helps battle acne and blackheads.The way in which I use the face wash has changed though. I start off by patting my face with COLD water.The cold water will help get the blood circulating and after a night asleep my skin can often feel lethargic and look fatigued so therefore I need to get blood to my face to liven it up. After applying the cold water I then go in with the face wash working it into a creamy lather all over my face.Once there is a lather I then tip tap at my face which will aid the blood circulation. When I feel like the face wash has done its job I will then rinse it off with a damp muslin cloths. I prefer muslin cloths as they are softer and more gentle on the delicate areas around the face rather than a rough coarse flannel.


 Once I have finished washing my face I then like to pat my face dry, I'm always careful to pat instead of rub as this will help avoid wrinkles in later life. Once my face is dry, I go straight in with my moisturiser. I don't cleanse or tone of a morning as I have already do that of a night time. The moisturiser that I use is one of two. The first one I like is the Simple kind to skin hydrating moisturiser. This helps with my dryness and because its not got any harsh chemicals in it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. The second one is Nivea rich moisture day cream. This one is definitely load thicker than the Simple one however if my skin is feeling dryer than usual I will choose the Nivea one Of a night time there is more products involved. First things first I start off by removing my makeup.


I know most people despise facial wipes but I cannot hide the fact that they are they most effective way to initially remove makeup, I generally just use a generic brand such as the superdrug ones and always ones for dry/ sensitive skin. After the initial makeup removing has taken place, I go back in with the same face wash as the morning. After washing my face for the first time, I go in with a homemade face exfoliator. The recipe consist of Honey and Castor Sugar. I dig it out of the pot and start massage it into my face. I don't always exfoliate as it can be very agitating for my skin.


 After exfoliating I go and wash my face again as I feel like after a long day I need that extra clean. Once I feel clean I then go in with the L'Oreal Cleansing milk and this is great as a cleanser for sensitive skin as it hydrates and soothes so your skin never feels agitated. I use regular cotton pads from boots as I find these to be the softest. Once I have cleansed I use the L'Oreal Velvet Toner and I feel like this does a solid job at removing any impurities.

 Once I've toned I go in with my Simple Moisturiser and then go in with an eye cream. My most recent favorite eye cream has been the Superdrug BB 5-in-1 eye cream.