Night Time Bath Time

Good evening blogosphere, I am aware I have been absent for a long time. However, I am back now so calm yourselves and embrace me. 
Okay, so now that odd introduction has passed and we have all taken a moment to ask what the hell is wrong with me, I shall begin.
It's currently 11:05pm and I am sitting in my living room in my pyjamas with a face mask on, (read that loosely, I'm essentially letting my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish sit on my skin for a bit longer, I shall talk about that soon), after just getting out of a bubble bath, as that is what one does on a Tuesday evening, when there is nothing on the T.V because it's a bank holiday, and you have exhausted all of your resources on YouTube. 

Picture from weheartit.com! Not mine. This is what I imagined my bathroom to look like

I'm home alone and wanted something to do, after drinking a bottle of Koppaberg which didn't sit very well with me, I'm still feeling the effects now, I decided I would run a bath and put some bubbles in. I was going to just use some sort of shower gel to improvise as bubble bath isn't something I tend to purchase, a bath is for washing, when you're too lazy to stand up in the shower, I was happy to stumble upon a tiny bottle of CHAMPNEYS Oriental Opulence Bubble Heaven, and I tell you, that description is spot on, it smells exactly how you would expect heaven to smell! The one that I used was Ylang Ylang and Patchouli, I swear to you there are no words to describe it, it's quite sweet and has a slight vanilla scent to it, but there's also a sort of citrus kick to it. I am fully aware that this is describing a scent with two completely different ingredients, but I am not a perfumer so obviously I'm not accurate, it isn't often I come across ylang ylang in my daily life. Anyway, as good as it smells it was a bugger to get out of the bottle, I'll give it it's dues, the plastic bottle is a sturdy little thing, but it makes it incredibly difficult to get the product out as you can't squeeze it, also the consistency of the bubble bath itself is quite gloopy and doesn't pour very well, so after a good 5 minutes standing over the bath of running water I gave up and let whatever product came out do its job. I must admit the bubbles were splendid, however I have come to the conclusion that I cannot stand the rustling noise the bubbles make when you lie in them, it's quite aggravating really, but this is not to say that the product is bad, I just don't want to hear a consistent popping in my little ears. I wouldn't say the bubbles do anything to your skin, I don't feel any more moisturised than normal, but nor do I feel any worse for it. It's just a nice little indulgence isn't it?


To go along with the bubbles I also took in my two favourite candles, the first being Yankee Candle's Cherry On Snow which only comes out at Christmas but the other cherry scented Yankee Candles are pretty much identical, and the second being Jelly Belly's Toasted Marshmallow. Now, don't laugh at me, I know it isn't the height of sophistication, but it smells so nice and it isn't over powering and sickly like the Yankee Candle Vanilla Cupcake but it smells quite similar, it also isn't as pricey! 


I know I said that this bath was to just relax in, after a while the popping bubbles got so irritating that I decided I would give myself a scrub, that sounds vile, I'm not that dirty, I just meant, using a body scrub, I bought two body scrubs a few weeks ago from Wilkos, I believe they were 2 for £1.50 and I was in need of some nice smelling body washes so I thought I'd do it. I'm not a snob  when it comes to body washes, there's no need to spend a thousand pound a year just to waste it on bits of your body not many people see, if it smells nice then I'm going to use it. Today I opted for my Vanilla and Honey Smoothie because I was in that sort of sweet scent mood. Honestly, these smoothie/scrub things are brilliant. I don't know exactly what the scrubby bits are made of but it feels a bit sandy and a bit oaty if that makes any sense, but it also lathers up really nicely like a normal shower gel! It feels great and it hasn't disturbed my skin at all, although not many things do, the skin on my body is pretty good, it's just my face that's a bit touchy! 


After doing all the lady things that one does in the bath which doesn't need to be explained, (again, that sounds really rude! It wasn't..I just meant, shaving things, but who wants to know about that, if anyone's interested I use a man's gillette razor and gillette shaving foam), I got out of the bath, dried myself down and sprayed my moisturiser on, I'm really disappointed that I can't find it on the Boots website, but it's from The Sanctuary Spa range at Boots, I'm not sure if they still sell it as I've had mine for a while, it's essentially an oil spray moisturiser and smells really good. I just spritz it on and let it soak in, it does say you should rub it in, but I find my skin laps it up pretty quickly, plus I'm not a fan of oily hands!


And finally, onto my face! It has been going mental recently and I don't know why. My whole body has been going a bit crazy, and it's probably not something you would all like to know, but I was a week early, and I know that I was because it's the full moon this week, and it is usually on the 3rd or 4th of the month. That's all you need to know, before you all start thinking "Oh my lord, Fai has gone mental and thinks everyone wants to know about her cycle", I can assure you, I don't want everyone to know, not everyone in the world reads this blog ;), anyhow, I stopped using my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish (review here) because I felt it was really drying my skin out, but the past couple of days I've been feeling a bit oily, which is just weird, I've never had oily skin and I'm not sure why this has happened. It has been warm in the UK and I did accidently catch the sun on my face, so I'm not sure if this would have made a difference, but something's gone awry so I just decided to put on a fairly generous amount of the Cleanse and Polish and let it sit for a while before I washed it off. I'm not sure what good this is going to do, but I thought it may rebalance some of whatever is going on! We shall see!
Sorry for such a long winded post, but I have been gone for what seems like forever so I feel that it shouldn't matter, and if it does matter let me know! All you have to do is write a wee comment down below and I shall see it! 


Thanks for reading lovelies, I hope to be back soon!
Fai x


*Disclaimer: All opinions are 100% my own, I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned, nor have I been given any products or been asked to review them! 

Barry M Lip Paint Pale Nude | Review and Swatches

Apologies that it looks squished and bent! I've used it every day

I have found a new lipstick love! On the same day that I bought Rimmel’s new Wake Me Up Foundation (you can see my review here) I also bought Barry M’s new Lip Paint in shade 154 Pale Nude. It was 3 for 2 in boots, I had to buy a new mascara and foundation, so it would have been silly not to pick something else up too! I mean, come on, it was free! I was just browsing through the Barry M stand; it’s a brand I tend to neglect now-a-days. When I was younger I used to buy a lot of their products, but I feel it seems to have a bit of a teen connotation with it, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, they make great products for reasonable prices, but as I’ve got older the need for bright green eye shadow and bright pink mascara has declined somewhat (Yes, I did own a bright pink mascara from Barry M..I hang my head in shame). However, I was looking at some of their new nail varnishes, and next to them, were their new lip paints, in 155 (Pretty Pink) and 154 (Pale Nude). I was instantly drawn to the Pale Nude lip paint, a light peachy orange shade, which is not dissimilar to their new Nail Paint in Peach Melba. For some reason I have been having a bit of an orange phase at the moment. I swatched it on my hand and thought to myself “Yes, this is something I definitely need in my life” and went ahead and got it.

            As it was 3 for 2, I did technically get this for free, so whilst I was very much excited to use this lipstick, something in the back of my mind was telling me that it was a really bad idea, that it would make me look washed out and gross. However, my subconscious was proved totally wrong! I absolutely love this on my lips. I always apply foundation over my lips before I put on a lipstick because my lips are so pigmented and it just makes the colours really bright and a bit weird. I was totally sold on this as soon as I put it on, and I have been wearing it every day since. I have never worn a lipstick every day, and usually just stick to my good old faithful Blistex relief cream, because it’s easy to apply and feels amazing, but I find myself reaching for this lipstick each morning, and even re-applying through out the day.

            What I have found with this lipstick though, and what I have found with a few of the Barry M Lip Paints, is that although it doesn’t dry out your lips, or makes them feel uncomfortable, if you apply this without using some sort of moisturising product underneath, it will cling to any cracks or dry skin that you have. So definitely, a quick use of a lip scrub, then apply a balm and let that sink in before putting this on, and it will apply beautifully and smoothly!

            I must admit though, when I checked the Barry M website to see what the actual name of the Lip Paint was, I was very surprised to see that it was called Pale Nude. The name and the picture on their website is very deceiving, because the colour is definitely more orange. Which I don’t have a problem with at all, but if you are looking for a true nude, this may not be for you.

            Thanks for reading!

            Fai x

*Disclaimer: As always all opinions are 100% my own, and I am no way affiliated with any of the companies mentioned. All products mentioned were purchased by me.

Rimmel Wake Me Up | Review

So I’m sure you have all been hearing about, and reading the hype that has surrounded the new Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation. With its claims of anti-fatigue ingredients it’s certainly been a talking point for those of us who stay up all night, for whatever reason we may have!

I’ve never really been one who will try a product based on what the adverts claim, and this still remains true, however, when I popped into a small Boots store a few weeks ago to find that they didn’t stock Revlon I thought I would give Rimmel a try. This decision didn’t come easy though, as I stood at the Rimmel stand for a good 20 minutes deliberating whether or not I should purchase, I have to say the colour range is absolutely atrocious! Now, I am practically albino pale, this is probably not news to some of you, and with the lightest shade “True Ivory” edging more on TOWIE stars’ fake tans I was absolutely terrified of buying it. In the end I jumped in and decided to just go for it. With a price tag of just £8.99, compared to Revlon’s ever increasing price of their Colour Stay, I felt that even if I hated it, I wouldn’t have spent a fortune, plus I have a lovely bottle of Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation in 100 which has done a gorgeous job of making the colour the right shade of pale!

So when I got home to test it out I must say I was pleasantly surprised with the product. It does have an odd smell to it, nothing unpleasant, but if you are sensitive to scents in face products this may not be for you. I was really happy with the coverage it gave me, although that may also have been aided by my Illamasqua RF 100. The texture is also beautiful, it has a semi matte feel when you apply it (I will talk about this later), but it most certainly doesn’t dry out your skin. As someone who suffers from very dry skin I was a bit worried that it may cling to patches, but it definitely hasn’t done. It gives a gorgeous even finish, and I’ve also found that once I’ve mixed the right colour with my RF100 I can also get away with only using the foundation where I suffer with the most acne!

I apply a sizable amount of RF100 and mix with 1 and a half pumps of Rimmel Wake Me Up, and apply with my Louise Young LY34 foundation brush 

Left: RF100 Right: Rimmel Wake Me Up True Ivory

Mixed!

On the down side, this product is excessively shiny. I have dry skin, and never really have a problem with wearing a foundation that has a bit of shine to it, in fact I quite enjoy that dewy finish, however, I find this a bit over the top. It can make me look really oily, which is a really peculiar problem, considering the texture when you apply it feels matte. I’m not sure whether it is because it’s an oily foundation, or whether it is because of the really subtle shimmer that is in the product. I am inclined to think it is more the latter, because no matter how much powder I put on top, I still look shiny. And I hate using a setting powder on my skin, because it’s so dry and just makes me look cakey. Not a good look, it just sinks into my skin and looks gross. Adding to this shiny problem, the foundation transfers like crazy, I rarely set my day to day foundation with a powder, I usually only ever do that for a special occasion when I know I won’t be able to touch up all day, but I have never had this much of a problem with transferring. The odd bit here and there with other foundations I’ve used maybe, but Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation literally comes off on your hands with the slightest touch.

All in all though, I do feel that the pros outweigh the cons with this product. There are definitely ways of getting around the awful colour range, and with the longevity of the product a downside, I just won’t wear it on a night out. There are other products that are better for that. With a price of £8.99 you can’t complain too much, it’s one of the cheaper drug store foundations, and it does give you gorgeous results.

Thanks for reading lovelies!

Fai x

*Disclaimer - As always, all opinions are 100% my own. I purchased all products mentioned with my own money. I am in no way affiliated with any company mentioned.

Tears, Laughter and Alcohol Proof Makeup!

So the day that all my friends have been anticipating for a whole year finally arrived on Saturday, the wedding of the most gorgeous couple you'll ever meet. It was a gorgeous day, and even though it was forecast rain, the weather held off! It was obviously a very emotional day for the bride and groom, and for all involved and during the first dance I started sobbing uncontrollably for no apparent reason (it may have been down to the few glasses of wine during the meal), but I just couldn't stop. After that I thought, good god, what a mess I look, I expected mascara to be running and streaky foundation. I was pleasantly surprised however, to discover nothing had budged!!

At 9:30am, just finished makeup

1:30pm at the church

Taken roughly 10 minutes after I'd been uncontrollably sobbing! No budging at all!

What I Was Wearing
Foundation: Revlon Colour Stay in Ivory mixed with Chanel Pro Lumiere in 10
Eyes: Illamasqua Succumb all over the lid; Makeup Atelier Nacre Corail on the outer corner; Makeup Atelier Bronze through the crease; Gosh white eyeliner on the water line; Une brown pencil eyeliner on lower and upper lash line
Mascara: Maybelline The Colossal waterproof and BM Beauty Lash Curling mascara
Brows: MAC Omega eyeshadow
Lips: MAC Creme Cup
Cheeks: MAC Harmony and La Femme Misty Plum
Finish: Laura Mercier Translucent Powder

Dress: Matthew Williamson £40
Pashmina: The Tie Rack £4.99 in the sale
Shoes: Nude from Barrats
Jewellery: Thomas Sabo bracelet and necklace,
Nail Varnish: Baby Pink Barry M and Pure Turquoise Barry M

Thanks for reading! You can follow me on twitter @FaiBassett or like my Facebook page Fai Bassett

Fai x

Valentine's Day Goodies!

As the day that terrifies men, excites women and depresses us singletons fast approaches I thought it only necessary to at least mention it. As soon as the Christmas season is over, card shops inflate the heart balloons and everyone goes blind from all the pink and red. As much as I hate the Valentine’s season I have been having a good old nose around at everything the shops have to offer and have stumbled a few bits and pieces that I might just go out and buy for myself.

As always, Lush has created some beauties for V’day, and my top pick from their collection has to be the P.S I Love You gift box! It’s packaged in a gorgeous little box adorned with roses and swallows and tied up with a piece of string. Inside is a mixture of the well loved products such as “Raining Men” shower gel and my all time favourite product from Lush – “Soft Coeur” which is a honey and chocolate massage bar. Another little goody inside is the “Silky Underwear” dusting powder, a light powder that you can use all over your body that smells of jasmine! I’ve never heard of this product before but it sounds intriguing! Not quite talc and maybe a little more sensual!? And last but not the “Sweetheart” soap to finish of the quad! I think this is such a great little gift set, even if you’re single to buy yourself and relax. I think this is such a great deal at £16.95 that if you feel you need that little extra indulgence you won’t feel guilty about your bank balance. You can find out more about the P.S I Love You gift box on the Lush website.

Another great little indulgence that won’t make your bank manager call you up is the Whittard of Chelsea Strawberry White Hot Chocolate! It definitely hits up the pink quota for the season and will also last you much longer! It’s £5.50 for 375g. Especially on these horribly cold nights we’ve been having. Settling down in your fluffy dressing gown with a mug of this on a cold evening, with a mug of strawberry white hot chocolate, who needs a man to cuddle up to? You can find the Strawberry White Hot Chocolate here, and there are more Valentines gifts there too, and selected items are 20% off with the voucher code “LOVE14”

I guess we shouldn’t leave out those who are loved up, although I do like to forget you couples exist around this time (I’m joking of course, I’m just clearly bitter about it all) Marks and Spencer have got some brilliant Valentine’s cards on offer. In the day of emails and texts they’ve really considered that not many people like to send cards, and when they do the recipient often just discards them. So Marks and Spencer have got some great little designs that have got keepsakes that you can detach! My favourite being this little one (link) with removable pegs that you can keep to remind you of one another. It brings tears to your eyes and warmth to your heart doesn’t it?

Whatever you end up doing this 14^th of February I hope it’s a very happy and healthy one!

Love to you all!

Don’t forget that you can subscribe to my blog by clicking Join This Site, you can follow me on Twitter too, @FaiBassett and like my FaceBook page Fai Bassett - Makeup Artist

Thanks for reading lovelies!

Fai x

*Disclaimer I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned, nor have I been asked to mention them.  All opinions are 100% my own!

REVIEW | Premae Skin Care Harmony Face Balm

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Premae, a new luxury skin care company dedicated to producing allergen-free skin care. They offered to send me a product that claimed to be allergen-free, water free and kind to acnegenic skin. As I hadn’t heard of the company before I decided to do a bit of research into the company first before agreeing to try their product.

           

            The product I have been trying out is the Harmony Face Balm for Combination Skin Types. The product comes in a 50ml tin and is, as the name suggests, a hard balm, similar to the consistency of Vaseline. The balm contains all natural ingredients (the full list can be found on their website here).

            I received the Harmony Face Balm 2 weeks ago and have been using it every day, both morning and night. I have found the best way to apply this is to take a small amount and apply straight to your face, a little in each area (the cheeks, forehead, nose and chin) and then to massage in with your fingertips. Although the product has a waxy texture, as soon as it comes into contact with your skin it melts instantly into a liquid, making it easy to distribute evenly over your skin. In the morning I do use a smaller amount as it does take a little while to sink into your skin, and if you’re trying to get ready in a hurry it isn’t best to put your makeup on until this product has completely settled into your skin. The product says it is for combination skin, obviously, I can’t comment on whether or not this product would actually be suitable as I have been using this on me, and my skin is incredibly dry. The only thing I can say is that I would be a little bit cautious on using this product if you did have slightly more oily t-zone as the product can leave my skin feeling quite greasy for a while if I use too much.

Click on photo to enlarge to read full list of ingredients

            I definitely think this product gives great benefit to your skin, as it is incredibly nourishing and moisturising. I have been suffering from a cold and where I would usually get an incredibly dry nose from using tissues, I have been applying the balm to just my nose a few times a day and it has definitely helped the dryness that usually occurs! I have also been using a little bit on my lips and it leaves them feeling really great too. The balm is completely unscented which is great for people with sensitive skin.

            The Harmony Face Balm doesn’t come cheap at £18 for 50ml, however as you only need to use a small amount, it will definitely last a long time. I’ve been using it every day for two weeks and you can hardly notice that any has gone from the tin. It’s also great as you can see how much product you’re using and can regulate how much you need each day.

           

            I would be really interested in trying some of the products purely designed for dry skin, as I’m not sure how this product would sit on someone with combination skin.

            Premae Skin Care is BUAV approved and all their ingredients are natural and ethically sourced and can be purchased from their website. You can follow them on twitter @premae_skincare.

Thanks for reading! Don’t forget that you can subscribe to my blog my clicking “Join This Site” or you can follow me on twitter @FaiBassett for regular updates!

Fai x

*disclaimer: The products mentioned in this blog were sent to me for consideration to review. I am in no way affiliated with Premae Skincare and I am not being paid to review their product. All opinions are 100% my own

January Favourites and OOTN 28/01/2012

I'm going to try and do Monthly Favourites, it may not be every month as a lot of things don't tend to change, but when I find an amazing product I will be sure to update! So as January finally draws to a close I  hope you enjoy my top picks for January. 

Illamasqua Light Liquid Foundation shade 115 – Being so pale I’m almost translucent, it is an absolute nightmare to find a foundation colour that actually matches my skin, and Illamasqua has such a great range of colours. I initially bought the Light Liquid Foundation for my kit, I have 6 colours in total, but I tried this out and was instantly impressed with how good the colour was for me. I’m not a great fan of the consistency of this product, as its quite dry and doesn’t have an amazing coverage, so what I’ve been doing is using predominately the Illamasqua foundation and adding a small amount of Revlon Colour Stay in Ivory which I find adds a bit more to the coverage, and it stops the Illamasqua L.L.F looking too dry on my skin. I will hopefully be investing in the Illamasqua Skin Base foundation; however the closest Illamasqua counter is in Cardiff, which just isn’t convenient, so I’m dubious to buy it online without testing it out first! If anyone has tried it and think they may be my colouring let me know how you’ve found it!

Liz Earle – Cleanse and Polish – This doesn’t need any explanation; you can find my review here which will tell you why I love it so much!

Lush – Snow Fairy – I bought this at the very end of December when Lush had their half price sale of all their Christmas lines. I had heard so much about it on YouTube as everyone seems to be addicted to it, so I thought I would pop in and see what all the fuss was about. It smells so good! I would liken it to the smell of the Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub. Such a sweet smell, which may not be to everyone’s taste, I also couldn’t resist the name. Let’s face it, anything to do with fairies I’m all over it (If you hadn’t realised already my name means Fairy). Not only does it smell amazing, it lathers up so nicely, the bubbles are so soft and creamy and it makes your skin so smooth! Unfortunately they are only brought out every Christmas, so I bought two bottles, and I’m trying to use it sparingly.

Aussie – Luscious Long Shampoo and Conditioner – I’m going to confess something terrible right about now, I haven’t had my hair cut in nearly a year! I know, terrible, shoot me down, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. I had it all cut off really short (well, short for me, it was shoulder length) back in 2010 and since then my hair has been growing so slowly, that now I have it at the length I want I’m just too scared to go and get it cut again. I will eventually because the ends are so dead. But I’ve been using Aussie’s Luscious Long range and it’s been so good for my hair. It smells amazing like all of Aussie’s products, but it also makes my hair so soft, and it feels thicker too. I can swoosh it around and it feels like I’ve just stepped out of the hair dressers, it may not look like it, but it certainly feels like it. I don’t know all the ins and outs of the products, but I think it’s definitely benefited my hair

On Saturday night it was one of my friend Dannie's Hen Night and the theme was the Letter D (for obvious reasons) and I went as a disco ball! Here are some pictures from the night!

Foundation - Revlon Colour Stay - Ivory & Chanel Pro Lumiere in 10 (discontinued)
Blush - La Femme Golden Rose
Contour - MAC Studio Tech foundation in NC50
Mascara - BM Beauty Lash Curling 
Jewels and Mirrors from The Range

Top - From a boutique in Tavistock - £25
Disco Pants - River Island sale 3 years ago £10
Shoes - New Look, customised by me
Fake Tan (I KNOW! Hold the applause) - Beyond Bronze by Fake Bake - Instant in shimmer Light

REVIEW | BM Beauty Lash Curling Mascara

Following up from my BM Beauty review from December, which you can find here, I thought I should talk about my favourite product that I was lucky enough to try out.

         

            I’ve always had issues with my eyelashes. They’re very straight and very blonde. Long enough to be noticed, but without mascara it looks like I have none. And I have never found a mascara that can hold a curl in my lashes for a whole day, without them looking crispy and hard. I’m not a massive fan of waterproof mascara, because I don’t like to sit and scrub at my eye for hours on end to make sure I’ve got every last bit off.

            So when I saw BM Beauty’s Lash Curling mascara I thought I would give it a go, and I have been amazed with the results. The formula isn’t too wet that you have to keep your eyes open in fear of panda eyes, and it’s also not so dry that you have to spend half an hour dragging the brush through your lashes to get a good amount of product to coat your lashes. The Lash Curling mascara coats your lashes easily with just one application and dries quickly without your lashes going hard. And you can build up the product easily to get a more dramatic look.

No Mascara 

One Coat

  

Two Coats

Three Coats on top lashes - One coat on bottom lashes

            I’ve also found that with this mascara it curls my lashes on its own without having to use curlers before hand, which is great because when doing my own makeup I do like to skip steps if I can get away with it (probably not the best confession to make, but I’m sure you won’t tell anyone) so this mascara really has become an essential part of my daily make up routine. I will definitely be re-purchasing when this tube runs out!

            The mascara wand is a bristle brush which is great, as I find plastic mascara wands scratchy and often achieve a more sparse look, whereas BM Beauty’s mascara not only curls my lashes, it also makes them look thick as well. All of BM Beauty products are free from animal testing, and the mascara is infused with minerals and nourishing oils and waxes. It retails at £12 for 8ml and can be purchased from the BM Beauty website here. 

            For anyone with already super curly lashes, they also have a Lash Thickening mascara :)

            Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog by clicking “Join This Site” on the right hand side of the page. And you can also follow me on twitter @FaiBassett

Fai x

*disclaimer* I am in no way affiliated with BM Beauty, I was given this product as a thanks for helping out on the BM Beauty stand at the Clothes Show, I am not being paid by the company to review their products, and all opinions are my own. 

Why I Chose Make Up

So many people ask this question, and I can understand why. The make up industry is one that not many people can get their head’s around. People know about it, but not always do they understand it. Over the past few years make up artist’s have had a new platform to show case their talent, and more and more people have become interested in the industry by finding make up tutorials on YouTube, and reading the blogs of make up artists as it’s become to the forefront of social media.

I have always been interested in makeup, mainly because I love colour and experimenting, but also because I suffer with bad skin, and I’m also incredibly pale. Finding ways around and having to create my own foundation cocktails by mixing different colours because I have never found a single foundation that suits my skin got me more interested in the other side of make up. It wasn’t just about creating looks with amazing colours; it became more about wanting to know how to make other people feel better about themselves.

A lot of people have the opinion of “you shouldn’t wear makeup because it’s fake”, but I completely disagree. Wearing make up can change a person, yes, but it only enhances a person in the sense that it gives them the confidence to step outside their front door without having to feel embarrassed or self conscious about the way they look. There is nothing in make up that seeps into the brain that changes personality, trust me. I’ve been there, and I very rarely step outside without a full face of make up. And wanting to do so doesn’t mean that I’m conceited, wearing make up makes me feel confident enough to walk with my head held high, and I wanted to be able to make other people feel that way too.

Of course, you can create alter egos for yourself with the way you create your makeup, but this doesn’t mean it isn’t the real you. Everyone has so many sides to them, that so what if one day you want to wear no make up at all, and the next day you want to wear black eyeliner and red lips? You shouldn’t be made to feel bad about wanting to either, no matter what other people say about “being natural” you can be natural and wear make up. If you don’t feel confident enough, or you just want to even out your skin tone that little bit, it doesn’t mean this isn't the real you!

And this is the reason I chose make up artistry as a career. Of course I still love creating amazing looks and trying new things, but the feeling of creating a look that gives someone more confidence to go and do something they wouldn’t usually do is so much greater than anything else, because I know what it feels like.

Very short entry today, but I think people are so often judged by their appearances, whether it’s because they’re not wearing make up, or because they wear “too much”. And it needs to stop. There is nothing wrong with wanting to make yourself look that bit more flawless. And let’s face it, anyone that says they prefer a person without make up on is probably lying…because they clearly haven’t seen me when I wake up ;)

Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog by clicking “Join This Site” and follow me on twitter @FaiBassett

Fai x

Common Misconceptions About Acne Prone Skin

Dry Skin Doesn’t Break Out

I have extraordinarily dry skin, but I also suffer from acne. Even where I break out, which tends to be in the same place every time, I don’t suffer from oily skin. My skin is very evenly dry; I don’t suffer from an oily T-Zone. Another thing people think is that not cleansing your skin properly and removing makeup, which of course can cause problems, but be aware not to just jump to this conclusion for people who suffer from acne and just assume they’re dirty. It is certainly not the case in most situations. The actual reason that people suffer from acne is because of a hormone imbalance. And I’m talking about real acne, not just the occasional spot here and there. This is why women a lot of women are prescribed the contraceptive pill, as high testosterone levels can cause acne. It can also be caused by infection, so antibiotics can also be prescribed to clear up the skin. So if any readers are suffering from sever acne, please don’t automatically assume that it’s because of your skin, a lot of the time its your body causing it, so go and talk to your doctor and see if you can get referred to a dermatologist :)

Dry Skin Needs Water

Obviously, this is not the case for me as I have sensitive skin and react badly to water. However water is useful for dehydrated skin, not dry skin. Dry skin lacks in oil, and therefore using face oil, such as DHC cleansing oil, is brilliant as it feeds the skin enough oil but also cleanses the skin from impurities at the same time. (DHC Cleansing Oil review is on its way) Of course, this also goes along with the oily skin causes break outs, but in fact using oil on my skin calms my skin down. Of course I can’t speak for everyone as everybody’s skin will react differently. I am just speaking from my own experience :)

Acne Is Only In Your Teens!

This one is the one that gets to me the most. Of course in some people’s situations, yes, they only experience acne in their teens; however my skin has got worse as I’ve got older. When I was about 13/14 I didn’t suffer at all, but when I got to the age of 16 I started to get break outs, and it got worse from then. Obviously now I am more aware of skin types, and I am able to feed my skin what it needs so I can keep it under control to a certain extent, however it doesn’t stop it for good. I know people who are still suffering from acne break outs who are certainly over the hormonal hell that is puberty! I think that a lot of people get confused with acne and getting the occasional spot. The spot treatments that you can get in pharmacies such as tea tree oil based treatments will work on the occasional blemish, but acne is an infection under the skin, that needs to be treated from the inside, out.

Of course, as I said before I can only speak from my own experiences, however I think it is important for people to be aware of these misconceptions as so often if you read up about skin care it can be so vague, and especially for makeup artists out there, you will always come across people who have such different skin needs, and often times you can’t just refer to the books.

I hope this has been interesting to read. I thought I would write about it as I’ve always shouted at the t.v, and got annoyed at books I’ve read when they say something so generic. Obviously I don’t blame them in anyway because of course they can’t always delve into all details. I just think it’s important as I feel that some people who suffer from acne might automatically assume that they have oily skin, just because that what is always said about break out prone skin, and it may not be the case. You have to know your own skin and its needs and not just assume that other people know best :)

Thanks for reading lovelies. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog by clicking “Join This Site” so you can be alerted of any new posts, and also follow me on twitter @FaiBassett

Fai x

Change of Schedule!

Sorry for not posting a proper post today. I had a blog all planned out but had to change the subject at the last minute. I want to keep up with the whole Monday and Friday routine, so just thought I'd give a quick little update to tell you whats going on :)

Fai x

Its All About the Pout

In my opinion taking care of your lips is the most important part of your skin care routine. I’ve suffered from very dry lips in the past, so I make sure I look after them as much as possible. Most people forget about their lips, especially in the summer, when they can become extremely damaged from the sun. The skin on your lips is incredibly delicate, so using a lip treatment with an SPF in it is very important. My lip treatment of choice is Blistex Relief Cream, which is a medicated cream that you can use for cold sores, but it is also a great moisturiser for chapped and sore lips. I use it every day, and I have no encountered any side effects, so although it is a medicated cream it hasn’t caused any problems. Blistex Relief Cream doesn’t have SPF so during summer I will use a separate product. I also use a lip scrub before bed, I use the sugar lip scrub available from Lush which come in a variety of different flavours, these are great as once you’ve massaged them into your lips you can just eat the remaining sugar, and they taste great :P

Using lip scrubs and keeping your lips in the best possible condition is vital if you want to create flawless application of your favourite lipsticks, especially if they are a matte finish. Before applying lipstick make sure your lips are well conditioned, and if you need to, use a scrub to ensure there are no dry patches. Let the lip treatment sink into your lips so there is no oily residue left over as this can cause the lipstick to streak.

I’m not one to wear lipstick everyday, as my lips are very highly pigmented naturally, so just a bit of lip balm will be enough to create a natural bitten look. However, I do like to wear lipstick to create different moods. I have 4 favourite lipsticks which are all very different, as I like to mix up my makeup.

Number 4 – Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick – Crème 477 Black Cherry (link)

Is my most recent purchase, I was looking for a deep black red for winter, as I love the look of heavily matte bronzed skin and dark cherry lips for Autumn/Winter, especially on crisp sunny days (days such as today). Bronzed skin can easily be forgotten about during the winter months, but a good matte bronzer, to contour and warm up the skin looks great, and paired with deep cherry black lips it looks amazing. I found it very hard to find the right tone, as a lot of these colours that have been brought out are very cool toned, edging on the purple/blue side. However, Revlon’s Black Cherry has the right amount of red, yet still keeps that black, dark colour without looking like you are wearing a red lipstick. The only downside I would say about this colour is that it doesn’t apply well to the wetter part of your lips, so you are often left with a tide line where the lipstick has slid off when you close your lips, applying, blotting with tissue, and re-applying is essential. Also, as it is a very dark colour, I would recommend using a lip brush to create a full on look, or with your finger blotting it into your lips to create a more sheer look.

Number 3 – Maybelline New York COLORsensational 148 Summer Pink

When I’m feeling pretty and girly I often opt for a soft pink lip, this is the one that I reach for. It’s a really nice metallic pink, that’s super easy to apply as its opaque in one application and very smooth and moisturising, and its one of those lipsticks that you don’t have to think about when applying, mirrorless application is really simple with this lipstick as its not an extremely bright colour and applies a bit like a coloured balm more than a lipstick. It also has a slight scent of sherbet and vanilla, which isn’t overly offensive, but if you are sensitive to smells then this might not be the one for you, saying that, the scent doesn’t transfer over to taste, so unless you’re going to be walking around with your lips stuck to your nose, it will go relatively unnoticed.

Number 2 – 17 Mirror Shine Bee Hive (link)

This is another easy to apply lipstick, and it is incredibly smooth and moisturising. This colour is definitely a “my lips but better” colour and its almost a perfect colour match to my actual lip colour, with just a bit more of a neutral undertone. In the picture you can barely see the colour, but the shine is beautiful, and you wouldn’t need to apply a gloss over the top of this. And surprisingly this isn’t sticky at all, even with the high gloss finish. I wear this lipstick quite a lot as you can probably tell, in fact, I have two. The only downside to this lipstick is that because they are so creamy and soft they do tend to melt and break very easily. So a trip to the fridge is sometimes needed alternatively you could decant them into a small pot and use from there, as they don’t like to stay in bullet form.

And finally

Number 1 – GOSH Soft’n Shine Lip Balm – 41 Kiss

Don’t let the name of this product fool you, this is in no way a tinted lip balm, it has all the qualities of a lip balm, brilliantly moisturising, but the pigment in this lipstick is insane! You need the smallest swipe and the colour is opaque straight away, and very glossy. It also smells similar to MAC lipsticks which is a pleasant vanilla scent. I love this red, as it is a true red, its not too orange, and its not too pink either. I also really love that the bullet is small, so its easy to apply straight from it, instead of using a lip brush as you can get into the corners of your lips with out going over the lines. Unfortunately, this product is discontinued, I don’t know why GOSH decided to stop making these lipsticks, they are absolutely amazing, but I’m sure you will be able to find them on eBay

I hope you enjoyed today’s post. Remember, every Monday and Friday I update here

You can also follow me @FaiBassett on twitter for updates. You can also find a blog post written by me for The Academy of Makeup’s blog here

Thanks for reading guys :)

Fai x

*Disclaimer. I am in no way affiliated with any of the brands mentioned in this blog. I have provided links for the products that I could find on line. All of the products mentioned can be found in Boots and Superdrug throughout the UK

REVIEW | Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish

So I’m sure most of you have heard of Liz Earle’s cleanse and polish, it’s a bit of a cult product in the YouTube and beauty blogging community. Everyone talks about the benefits its given to their skin, however I’ve always been dubious to buy things online, I’m a bit of a sceptic when it comes to delivery charges, I rarely buy things from online web stores when I can just stroll into town and buy it without having to pay £4 P&P. So when I visited Leeds in August, after stumbling upon the Thomas Sabo shop (purely by accident, but I did drag my boyfriend back there on 

many occasions to gaze at all the beautiful charms) I also found the Liz Earle free standing store that’s just 2 doors down in the Victoria Quarter. On that first occasion I didn’t venture in as it was closing time, but I made a mental note to remember it was there and to go in the next time I was in Leeds. Having said that, it took me until October to actually purchase my first Cleanse and Polish starter kit, even though I’d visited Leeds many times before that, it just slipped my mind, because a lot of the time I was in the city centre I was rushing around in between lunch with the boyfriend and catching a train home.

I moved to Sheffield in October, so took the 40 minute train journey into Leeds just to visit Liz Earle, it may seem like a massive effort and you’re probably thinking that it would be easier to just buy online, but Leeds is a beautiful city, and if you’ve never visited, its definitely worth a go, in fact Victoria Quarter in itself is worth a visit anyway, especially with the new freestanding Illamasqua store which opened recently.

So I’ve been using Liz Earle since the end of October, and I cannot believe the difference it has made to my skin. I have extremely sensitive skin, so sensitive in fact that I’m allergic to water, I have to try very hard to use products which don’t contain too much water, and as much as I can I avoid using water on my face at all costs. However, with Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, although you need to use water to remove the cleanser after you have massaged it into your skin, using the muslin cloth that is provided in the starter kits, I find it much more gentle to my skin, as the cloth is absorbing the majority of the water, and once it is rung out enough, it is mainly the cloth that is removing the cleanser that is left on your skin. I then dry my face with a towel straight after to avoid the water that does come into contact with my skin drying into it, as I find this is where my skin gets the most irritated. Straight after doing that I apply a decent amount of e45 cream to my face to make sure it’s hydrated again.

The difference it has made to my skin is incredible, it’s far softer than it used to be, and although I do still suffer from acne, the redness dies down dramatically after use. I also find it prevents spots from becoming angry and painful. It also makes foundation go on far easier, I rarely use primer anyway, but using the Cleanse and Polish I find creates a more even base for your foundation, and makes the blending process softer. Another great thing about using the Cleanse and Polish, it makes my moisturiser sink in quicker. I have to use e45 cream as my skin is incredibly dry, and the e45 cream doesn’t have aqua in the ingredients, the only water they use in e45 cream is purified water, which is the last ingredient on the list, which means it’s also the smallest amount. However, I found that the moisturiser can take a long to sink into the skin, which is annoying, especially if you’re trying to get ready in a hurry, because putting foundation over a heavy moisturiser can be an absolute nightmare if it’s residue is still sitting on top of the skin!

Now that I live back in Devon, and we don’t have any Liz Earle stores, or concessions down here, I have had to purchase my most recent bottle on the Liz Earle website, however, paying £3 for P&P doesn’t bother me anymore, because I honestly don’t think I could live without this cleanser. In fact, I ran out just before Christmas and couldn’t afford to buy anymore for a few weeks until I was paid. And let’s just say, as soon as I had money in my bank, I made my order for a 200ml bottle of Cleanse and Polish. After using it for the first time in 3 weeks, my skin definitely let out a massive sigh of relief! My skin finally felt clean again!

There are however, two downsides to Liz Earle, firstly, now that I can’t just pop into the store, my Liz Earle loyalty card is feeling neglected even though I’m still purchasing. And secondly, a slightly more serious downside, they have changed the packaging. It is now in a squeeze tube rather than the pump, I find this really inconvenient as I do tend to use a lot of product, and with the pumps I could regulate how much I used, and I knew that two pumps would be the same amount each time. Now however, I’m squeezing the bottle and sometimes I’m not using enough, so the next time I do it I go overboard and use far too much! I’m not sure if this was a conscious decision for Liz Earle, and they’ve done this so people have to re-purchase more often, but I much prefer the pumps, as I’m sure a lot of people do also.

But I think even with that downside, my love for this product will not diminish at all. And I’m pretty sure I will be using the product for a very long time! I’m also looking forward to trying new Liz Earle products, so if anyone has any recommendations leave them as a comment below and I will look into them!

With my first purchase from the website I received 3 samples of their sheer tint foundation, in all three colours, so I’m looking forward to trying those out. Although, I’m a bit dubious, as my skin is so pale, it’s almost see through, and very rarely do colours match my skin! But once I’ve got around to testing it out I will probably do a review, and if it’s not a suitable tone for my skin, I will probably use it on my mum!

You can purchase Cleanse and Polish from the Liz Earle website, along with all their other ranges.

Liz Earle products are also available from QVC

Thanks for reading guys!

Look out for my new blog posts every Monday and Friday

Fai x


*disclaimer* I am in now way affiliated with the Liz Earle brand, all opinions are my own, and all products mentioned have been bought with my own money. I have not been sent these products for review purposes

MAKEUP IS ART - Review

This Christmas I was lucky enough for my sister to buy me this beautiful book, MAKEUP IS ART - professional techniques for creating original looks. As I unwrapped it I saw this incredible artwork on the front cover

The picture I've taken doesn't really do it justice, in real life you can see the shine of all the diamante's and it just blew me away completely. Needless to say I sat and read this book for most of the morning on Christmas day, just completely awe struck over the pictures inside.

But lets get down to an actual review. This book was created by the founder of The Academy of Freelance Makeup Jana Ririnui, with the help of makeup artist and creative director Lan Nguyen. The book has everything that any student makeup artist needs to know, and also is a great refresher for any trained makeup artists too! I found reading it made me remember a few of the little bits and pieces that you do tend to forget if you don't keep up the practice (oops!). The book is broken up into different chapters which cover everything, from skincare to backstage and catwalk makeup!

The last few pages of the book have amazing advice on how to build portfolios and how to get work in the industry, to build up a client base and getting your name out there!

Even after you've read through this book, the pictures are so inspiring its difficult not to just pick it up and flick through. Its also a great way of thinking of new ideas, and to get your makeup stash out and re-creating the looks on yourself. There are an amazing variety of wearable looks, and some beautiful creative pieces, using rhinestones and crystals, that really get my creative juices flowing, because I'm a sucker for anything shiny!
In fact, this book is going to be a great inspiration for when I dress up as a disco ball a the end of January. There will no doubt be a F.O.T.D and O.O.T.D for that, because I'm going to a big glittery mess! Love that.

This book is available on the AOFM website here and I would highly recommend it for any aspiring/student makeup artist, and for every makeup artist who is already working but just likes to have a good look through some beautiful work that others in our field do!


Thanks for reading!
Fai x

*disclaimer - I was given this book as a Christmas gift, and I am in no way affiliated with the company