New make up trend- STROBING

It wasn't that long ago that I was banging on about contouring, and now we are facing a said 'New Make up trend', Strobing. This makes me laugh, as being know as a 'new trend'. Its a extreme form of highlighting people! It will probaly surprise you, that you have been doing a subtle form of this trend for ages! This is such a great look though. It makes you look radient, fresh faced and gives you that youthful glow. So, I am all over this, never fear ladies, I will take the confusion out of this new found trend and talk you through all the  products I have been using, and the techniques to achieve this look.

The key to this look is a layering of cream highlighter, then subtle powder highlighter, and then a heavy duty highlighter, just over the high points, to add that extra 'Bing'to your skin. So, first choose your cream highlighter, there is quite a few that I like. I will (check out my review on this product) try and restrain myself and stick to an old favourite, It is an oldie, but a goodie, Benefit High Beam as my cream highlighter and Mac Mineralize skin finish in Soft and Gentle (check out my review on this product)for my powder. To add that 'bing' in a few well chosen spots, Im using YASSS!! Jaclyn Hill's collaboration with Becca - Champagne pop. I literally squealed when this came through the post and proceeded to remove it from its package with such care, that you would of thought I was holding my first born child again, for the first time!!. This highlighter is a peachy, pinky, gold, a very warm colour and it packs a punch. If you want your highlighter to be seen from NASA in space, this is for you. These products are perfect to achieve this look.

After you have applied your make up to your whole face, take your cream highlighter and apply on high points of your cheeks, top of your brows, top of your cupids bow, the middle part underneath your lower lip, chin and down the bridge of your nose, blending and patting the product into the skin. Then take your first powder and go over these parts again, I am using the Real Techniques Setting brush as its precise and soft which will blend nicely, you can use any small fluffy brush for this though.

Then get a pencil brush, I am using the Crown brush C431 and Becca Champagne pop and apply underneath the brown bone, end of the nose, cupids bow, inner corner of the eyes, and on the cheek bones, and just watch them 'Pop'. I like to finish this with Mac Fixx+ which gives a dewy finish too the skin, but is perfect for when you are using this much powder on the skin to bring the skin back to life.

Mac Soft and Gentle, Benefit High Beam, Real techniques Setting brush and Crown C431 Brush

So, thats my take on 'Strobing'. Have you tried it? Or is it what i said in the outset? You have been doing a subtle version all along. Will you be dropping contouring for this trend?. I would love to know what highlighters you have been using to achive this look.

Love Nay x


Disclaimer- I have not been paid to mention any of the above products, I just like to share.

June Daily Make up favourites

Its that time of the month already, and I can certainly say June has been an incredible month. I decided to share with you all, my two go-to make up looks that I have been wearing, all of June. The Look I have been emulating, is two make up looks, one a blown out purple/taupe eye, with my new love, Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in 08. I bought this about 18 months ago and decided pretty quickly that it just washed me out, because my hair was a copper colour at the time, then fast forward to now, hair change to bronde (hairdresser term for mixture of blonde and brunette hair colour) and now I have rekindled my love for it, and it is now firmly placed in my hand bag. The second look is a bronzy/goldy/brown eye, same technique, rounding out the eye, and I teamed this with Nars Cruella lip pencil (my review) which is a perfect tone to go with my bronzed eye look.

 I have re-visited some oldies this month to renew my love for them. The first is Illamasqua Skin Base foundation. My attention had been diverted away from this foundation, and it was only when I cleaned out my kit, I realized how much I had missed it. This foundation is a medium coverage, but is definitely build-able. I like how it covers imperfections, but still looks like 'skin' giving you that fresh faced look. My second product is Mac Strobe cream. I had thought I had lost this, as when my youngest son was about 8 months old he had a taken a shine to it, and evidently it went missing, until now! I found it in a pair of old shoes and was overjoyed to have found it again. I use this under my foundation to give a radiant glow to the skin. With the new term 'Strobing' which is really highlighting given a new name, I have found using this also on those chosen areas is keeping my make up fresh and up to date. I have to admit my brow routine has not changed though. I am still using my old faithful Anastasia Beverley Hill Dipbrow in medium brown with Maybelline Brow Drama, as I am yet to find anything different that has caught my eye. (brow routine)

My concealer though has been another rediscovery. I am a slave to my blue/black circles under my eyes and as I have got older (and they have got worse since having children) I have become well mastered in the process of camouflaging them. The Mac Pro conceal and correct palette has been my trusty friend on many a job, but I have never used it on myself, as I have always liked Bobbi brown correcter in the shade Peach, but recently I forgot to pack it, so had to revert to my Mac pro palette and oh joy of joys, its amazing! I mean I know it is amazing, because I use it on my clients and see fantastic results, but I had just got stuck in a rut with using my old faithful. To contour and highlight, I have been using another Anastasia Beverly Hill product, their Contour Kit (link to product review) and to add a bit more radiance to the skin, Mac cream colour base in Hush added on the top of the cheeks. Its a pretty peachy, gold cream and just gleams on the cheeks ( I also have a review on this product). Also on the cheeks just to add even more glow, I have been using Nars Cult Classic Orgasm blush, a peachy pink with golden shimmer. It beautifully blends onto the skin, which is very in keeping with both my chosen looks.

left-right Mac Teddy eye pencil, Mac Woodwinked, Mac Espresso, Maybelline color tattoo 24hr on and on Bronze, Nars Cruella

For my eyes to achieve my bronze/goldy/brown look, Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr On and On Bronze (I have a review on both Maybelline  Color Tatto 24hr) on the mobile lid blending up into the crease, then packing over that, Mac woodwinked eye shadow, which is a pretty warm antiqued gold and it just melts onto the lid. Then into the socket line blending upwards Mac Espresso, which is a muted gold brown to give that blown out look that I really like at the moment. I have been then putting Mac Teddy eye pencil (sorry this is a little Mac heavy) which is an intense bronze along the lash line and blending that out to really make the lashes stand out. For my purple/taupe look, I popped on Maybelline Color Tatto 24hr in Permanent Taupe on the mobile lid, and then I put in the crease, Mac Blackberry, a burgundy-plum brown with Mac Haux, which is a soft rosey brown blending that up wards to add warmth to the eye. To finish both my looks off, I have been wearing Eldora hand made, real hair false lashes, H151. They are so pretty, fluttery lashes with a invisible band which is perfect if you are not wearing a full liner.

Left-Right Mac Teddy eye pencil, Maybelline Color tatto 24hr Permanent taupe, Mac Haux, Mac Blackberry, Rimmel Kate Moss 08 Lipstick

So there you go, these are my June Make up favourites. What products have you tried? What have been your Make up favourites? Also, if anyone could tell me of any brow products they are loving at the moment, I would love to hear from you.

Love Nay x


Disclaimer- I have not been paid for any of the products mentioned above, I just like to share.

Contour Game Strong- Part 2 My four favourite highlighters

So what if you love having cheek bones so chiselled, that they could cut glass, well contouring is for you, but what if you are like me and edging towards the wrong side of your thirties and contouring can on some days make you look abit gaunt, and in need of a good meal, then highlighting my girl, is the way you want to go. Highlighting the high points on your cheeks, cupids bow, and under the brow bone makes you look as fresh as a daisy.

Highlighting powders/creams

The Balm Mary Lou Manizer
I was first introduced to this powder highlighter by a good friend and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. The packaging itself is so beautiful. The compact highlighter has a lovely mirror inside which is a great size to do any touch ups needed during the day. The highlight itself is pretty epic, it gives a pearlized glow to the skin which is not subtle at all, which if you are like me and like to look like a beam is coming off the top of the cheeks then this is the one for you.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in the shade Soft and Gentle
This was my first powder highlighter that I first bought on a mad spending moment while on a Bridal Make up course with MAC in Birmingham. The gleam on this baby is subtle and very pretty. It looks so natural on the skin, and just gives enough lift without looking to sparkly.

Benefit High Beam
This was my very first cream highlighter that I bought. This is my third one I have bought in twelve years, as I actually wore this on my wedding day!  So I have alot of love for this product. The formula blends really easily and a little goes a long way. If I am having a natural 'no powdered' kinda look then I will reach for this to add a natural radiant glow to my skin.

MAC Cream Colour Base in the shade Hush
I recently bought this after seeing Nikki from Pixiwoo YouTube channel using it in one of their Smokey eye tutorial, and loved the natural, golden glow it gives. You do need to really blend it into the skin as it does have a tendency to just sit on the skin. Saying that, the finished result is very natural and just gleams, once blended well.

So there you are, my four favourite powder and cream highlighters. Which one do you like the best? Do you use any of these or do you favour a different one? I would love to hear from you.

Love Nay x


Disclaimer- I have not been paid by any of the products mentioned above, I just like to share.