On days where you don't have much time to worry about your makeup, you’re only going to be running errands but you don’t want to be barefaced or you just generally don’t wear a lot of makeup the five minute face is an important routine to have in your arsenal for when you need it. 

BASE | For base when you’re in a rush it’s best to keep things simple. Skip a foundation as they take a bit of work to buff into the skin and instead opt for a tinted moisturiser/BB cream/CC cream type product, these are much lighter on the skin and so take next to no time to apply. I’ve recently been enjoying using the Bourjois CC Cream - full review here. Although you could skip a base altogether.

CONCEAL | When you don’t have a lot of time a quick all-round concealer is the way to go. The Rimmel Wake Me Up is one of my all time favourite concealers as its good for under the eyes and any blemishes, it also blends into the skin quickly and easily.

BROWS | The quickest way to fill in your brows is with a pencil as faffing around with powders or pomades takes far too long when you’re strapped for time. I love the Soap & Glory Archery Brow Tint & Pencil, the pencil side is waxy so sets your brows as well as fills them in and the pen side creates a natural looking brow as you can create individual looking hairs.

EYES | If you’re in a rush there’s no time to mess around with shadows or liner so just a good coat of mascara will see you through - don’t forget to curl those cases though. My mascara of the moment has been the Maybelline Lash Sensational - full review here.

CHEEKS | Forget about contour and bronzers and instead just opt for a cream blush. It’s quick and easy but adds a youthful and fresh look to the face. The Bourjois Cream Blush in 01 Nude Velvet is a beautiful coral shade which will suit most skin tones.

LIPS | For lips just opt for a lip balm, no one has time for to worry about a red lip in a hurry.

What are you 5 minute makeup go-to’s?

~ Jade xx

Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder | To combat oily skin I have to use a powder but often that comes with having an over-matte base which leaves your face looking dry and having exaggerated pores. With this powder though that doesn’t happen. Your makeup is set, your face is matte but you still have a radiance about your skin and pores are left looking invisible - full review here. 

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil | This was a recommendation from Lucy and one that I was very weary of. Having oily skin the thought of putting oil on my face terrified me but it removes makeup like nothing I’ve ever used before and leaves the skin feeling nourished and moisturised, but not greasy.

Barry M Quick Dry Nail Paint - Eat My Dust | I’ve been obsessed with this shade since I picked it up all the way back in March. It’s the perfect pastel blue that isn’t too pastel and the formula is fast drying for any impatient people out there like me - full review here. 

Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Pencil - East End Snob + Revlon Moisture Stain - London Posh | As of late this has been my favourite lip combination. The Rimmel Lip Pencil is another recommendation from Lucy and the colour is a great pinky nude with the formula being long wearing but not drying, I had to go back and pick up some more shades - full review here. I’ve had the Revlon Moisture Stain since last year and loved it when they first launched but it became lost and buried in my makeup collection. I was recently looking for a nude gloss though and digging through my stash found this beauty. The texture is unlike any other gloss product but isn’t sticky and sticks around a long while. I like to put East End Snob all over my lips for colour and add London Posh to the centre of the lips to add dimension.

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream | Recently I was on the hunt for a summer base that was light in feel but still had coverage - quite hard to come by. I picked up this CC Cream from Bourjois to test out and ended up loving it - full review here.

What are your current favourites?

~ Jade xx

“Apricot pigments for anti-fatigue, green pigments for anti-redness and white pigments for anti-dark spots with 24Hr hydration and SPF15 to create a luminous and flawless complexion in one step.”

I’ve been on the hunt for a good summer base recently. For me, tinted moisturisers don’t cut it as I need something with coverage as my skin is my biggest concern but I also don’t want anything that’s too heavy because heat and a heavy base don’t mix very well and will create a melting, sweaty mess. Enter, the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream. I picked this up the same time I repurchased the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation - which is another favourite base of mine, review here - and decided to road test it and see if my perfect summer base was sitting on the high street all along.

Starting with the positives, although this is a CC cream - or correcting cream - it packs serious pigment. I had heard it gave good coverage compared to others like it on the market but I was pleasantly surprised at how much coverage it gives. It isn’t quite medium coverage but will cover any smaller breakouts you have going on at the time with ease. It’s fairly thick in consistency but blends out easily - I’ve applied this with a damp sponge, brush and my fingers, all blending out perfectly. The finish is luminous and glow-y without being overly so - I like to powder it due to my oily skin but normal-dry skinned gals will be fine - it leaves a natural summer glow look without anything being glittery like some high street aluminising bases can be. The colour correcting system really works too as my hyper pigmentation is covered as well as the redness around my breakouts - I’m lucky and don’t suffer with dark circles so I can’t comment on that front unfortunately.

However, I’m not a fan of the packaging. I would prefer a pump although the product is perhaps a little thick for that but the tube is one of those where you take the lid off and the product starts to come out without you applying any pressure and can get a bit messy if you aren’t careful. Personally, I think the price is slightly high too at £9.99, which although compared to higher end brands is cheap, for the high street it’s definitely at the higher end of the scale considering this isn’t a foundation. The staying power isn't the best however I do have oily skin - I find I need to touch up a couple of times throughout the day - so it may wear longer on someone with a dryer skin type. The shade range - as with all Bourjois products - is disappointing too as there are only four shades so if you’re a deep skin tone or someone who likes a tan you’d be best to steer clear this time.

What’s your summer base pick?

~ Jade xx

For as long as I can remember my go-to powder has been the Rimmel Stay Matte. I’ve mentioned it many times in previous posts, however recently I’ve been reaching for something new.

The Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder has become my new favourite high street powder and has replaced my love for Rimmel’s Stay Matte. This powder doesn’t keep me matte for as long as the Stay Matte - it claims to keep you matte for 10hrs but I don’t think any powder in the world could work that magic - but it doesn’t leave my face looking slightly lifeless like the Stay Matte does, instead it gives a subtle radiance to the face which I really like as although I have oily skin and I don’t want my makeup to move I still want my skin to look healthy. 

The Healthy Balance also doesn’t emphasise any pores like the Stay Matte does if you’re slightly heavy handed, as it's a finely milled powder so sits on the skin beautifully. I have the shade 52 and it gives some coverage too which is nice for touchups during the day as a translucent powder just re-sets your fading makeup whereas a powder with coverage will set your makeup and add a little extra. 

Probably my favourite part about this powder though is the packaging. It’s a slim compact with quite a generously sized mirror which makes it a handbag essential and unlike the Stay Matte the lid is sturdy so doesn't break in half or smash. The Healthy Balance Powder is enriched with Yuzu - for anti-shine - and Sharon fruit - to keep your skin hydrated - rather than using synthetics. This powder is also Noncomedogenic - it doesn't block pores - and is Hypoallergenic so is good for even sensitive skin.

What’s your favourite powder?

~ Jade xx

The weather is slowly beginning to warm up here in England which means it's time to switch up what's in your makeup bag. Heavy, matte foundations are out to be replaced by lighter, dewy-er finishes. Vampy lip colours are to be swapped with soft hues and chiseled cheeks are swapped for an all over bronze. This is how I'll be switching up my makeup bag this spring/summer. 

BASE: Winter is a time for full coverage, matte bases but summer makes way for a lighter base. My pick this summer is the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation - review here -, it has a light coverage but can built on and when mixed with medium coverage foundation like the L'Oreal Infallible - review here - it creates a radiant base which still offers coverage. Personally I'm not a big fan of tinted moisturisers but if you're in the market for that kind of base the Bourjois CC Cream is a good option or the Bioderma Photoderm Max Tinted Cream*.

EYES: To add a summer edge to my usual neutral shades I've dug out my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette*, awash with pink toned neutrals it adds a lighter more fresh look to the eye opposed to using browns. If you don't already own the Naked 3 I'd recommend picking up the L'Oreal La Palette Nude in Rose instead as the colour scheme is very similar but the cost is a lot less and actually the shadow quality is better than the Urban Decay palette. I've also been using more cream shadows recently, the Bourjois 24hr shadows are a great cream to powder formulation, the one shown is the shade Petale De Glace but I also love the Maybelline Colour Tattoos, especially the shades Pink Gold and On & On Bronze.

CHEEKS: Recently I've switched out my powder blushes and bronzers for cream versions to add to the summer vibe of lighter skin. The Bourjois Cream Blush in Nude Velvet has been a favourite as its a perfect peachy pink shade which suits a lot of skin tones, it's also a cream to powder formula so it lasts a long time on the skin, Revlon and Max Factor also do some really nice cream blushers too. For bronzer I've been using the Maybelline Fit Me concealer - review here - in the shade 35 to add warmth to the perimeter of my face, there is a lack of cream bronzers on the high street - apart from the Bourjois Bronzing Primer which annoyingly broke me out - so using a concealer a few shades darker than your skin tone is a good option. 

LIPS: For lips I've recently been using the Rimmel Moisture Renew lipstick in Nude Delight, it's a warmer toned nude to my usual Kate Moss x Rimmel pick - review here - so is a nice change for summer. For a brighter option I love the Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balms especially the shade Vivacious which is a bright fascia pink, these crayons are super pigmented and moisturising - full review here.

What are your picks for this spring/summer? 

~ Jade xx

Recently I’ve been trying out a couple of new foundations from the high street. One new release and one that’s been around for a while. My thoughts on the new release will be coming soon but for now I have my thoughts on the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum to share with you all. 

“Fresh and instant blending gel texture blends and glides onto the skin for an even, natural finish with no mask effect. Imperfections are erased, signs of fatigue are smoothed and the skin’s radiance is boosted for up to 16 hours”

I have tried the original Healthy Mix in the past - although it has since been re-formulated - but have never tried the serum version. When I picked this up I was looking for something with a bit more of a ‘glow’ but without being too dewy. Although I have oily skin I often find that more matte foundations can make my skin look very dull and flat, however too dewy of a foundation makes me look like a grease ball within five minutes.

Happy new year everyone! For the first post of the year I thought I'd do another instalment of 'my current favourites' - previous posts can be seen here and here - of the few new favourites I've discovered over the past couple of months.

Firstly, the Jo Malone fragrance in Amber & Lavender*. I don’t think I’ve ever used a perfume that smells so good or lasts so long. This beauty was waiting for me under the christmas tree this year - thank you Santa - and I haven’t stopped wearing it since. The 30ml bottle is £37 and the much larger 100ml bottle is £78, expensive but so worth it.

I’ve had a love hate relationship with this Super Liner eyeliner from L’oreal since I bought it around sixth months ago. However, I’ve discovered it makes it really easy to do my everyday winged liner and it doesn’t smudge. I originally didn’t like it because I didn’t feel as though it was black enough and when you used it the fluid ran out quickly, but if you shake it well before use it’s absolutely fine. The super liner also doesn’t break the bank - a definite bonus.

I’m a fan of the Maybelline colour tattoos so when Bourjois came out with their own cream like eyeshadow formulas - Colour Edition 24hr - I was intrigued. At first I was apprehensive for they’re a cream to powder formulation however they last a really long time - not quite the twenty four hours like stated, though. Colour pay-off is pretty great to, I have the colour Petale de Glace which is like a lighter version of ‘satin taupe’ by MAC. I’m not overly impressed with the rest of the colours however and I feel that the colour range is what really lets this collection down. 

After using Lucy’s Sleek Face Form palette a few times and falling in love I decided I had to get my own. Lucy’s review of this beautiful palette can be seen here.

I’m a big fan of volumised hair and am no stranger to backcomb. However, backcombing my already damaged hair with a comb isn’t the best thing for it. Enter the L’oreal studio line volume super sizing spray. This stuff is basically backcomb in a bottle. You spray it at the roots of the hair and scrunch until the desired amount of volume has been achieved. It doesn’t make your hair feel sticky at the roots like others I have tried and its very affordable - but word to the wise, don’t use this if there’s a possibility of being rained on as water mixed with stuff creates a paste and its not easy to get out.

What are your current favourites?

~ Jade xx

Barry M textured nail varnish - lady

Revlon lash potion mascara - blackened brown

MAC eyeshadow - satin taupe

Bourjois happy light serum primer - matte

Real techniques contour brush

Barry M recently came out with a new textured line of nail varnishes called the ‘royal textured glitter’ collection. I picked up the colour ‘lady’ and have really been enjoying it. Two coats gives an opaque finish and the varnish itself is really pretty. Its part iridescent sparkle, part white glitter and part matte white flecks with an interesting textured finish. Barry M previously came out with a textured line of polishes during the summer and they didn’t catch my eye however this time around they have and I will be looking at picking up some more shades. The best part is they last a lot longer on the nails than a regular varnish because they’re textured. 

I’ve done a full review on the new Bourjois matte primer - which can be seen here - and since I bought it a couple weeks ago and I haven’t stopped wearing it. 

I picked up MAC’s eyeshadow in satin taupe when I was in London a few weeks back and I think I’ve fallen in love. I don’t usually go for cool tone eyeshadows as I don’t think they particularly suit me however satin taupe is great to pair with a warm toned champagne colour and adds just the right amount of smokey-ness for a daytime look. 

I’ve been trying out a new mascara recently and although I picked up the wrong colour - I’m a true black mascara girl all the way - I’ve been really liking this new option from Revlon. It adds just enough length and volume without my lashes looking too spidery or too full. 

Finally I’ve been in love with my contour brush from real techniques. Originally I used this for what the name suggests - contouring - however recently I’ve been using it to buff in my concealer. It’s the perfect size and as it’s duo-fibered and synthetic it doesn’t soak up too much product or make concealer look heavy and caky which I can sometimes find when I use a heavy duty concealer like my MAC pro-longwear. 

What are your current favourites?

~ Jade

I’ve heard a lot about Bourjois’ new ‘happy light’ range around the blogger-sphere recently so I decided to pick up the matte primer. I chose the matte version since I have oily skin so the ‘luminous’ version just wouldn’t work for my skin type.

The matte version is aimed at those who have combination to oily skin - like myself - and as the name suggests it is serum based. I much prefer that it’s a serum to other more cream based primers I’ve tried in the past as it feels like a serum creates more of a barrier between my skin and my make-up which in my mind makes me think that my oil is less likely to show through and my make-up is less likely to sink into my pores and make them look more visible. 

I mainly concentrate the product around my t-zone and smile lines as this is where I get most oily and where my make-up tends to move around the most. I find that patting the product into my skin works best rather than smoothing it on or rubbing it in - and is also rather therapeutic first thing in the morning. The primer has a pink tinge to it when first pumped out of the bottle but dries clear and is a tacky-like texture when first applied. 

For oil control I definitely do still get oily and do have to blot but certainly not as much as I would normally. Usually in an eight hour day I’ll blot around four times - like I said, I have super oily skin - but whilst using this primer I’ve found I only need to blot a couple of times. However, what I really like about this product is that despite the fact I still have to blot, my makeup does not budge. It stays in place across my T-zone and more specifically my smile lines which I always struggle with and have usually lost all the foundation around my nose by mid-day.

Price wise I picked this up from Boots on a special introductory offer for £6.99 but the original price is £10.99 which I personally think isn’t too bad. For a high street brand/product I would expect the price to be slightly lower but when compared to something like the Smashbox photo finish light primer which is £25 it is definitely a good, more affordable price. 

Have you tried the new Bourjois line?

~ Jade xx

Today I thought I’d share with you what makeup I tend to wear on a daily basis/current go-to products. The majority of these products are long time favourites but a few are new to me.

Revlon Nearly naked ~ 130 Shell

Bourjois chocolate bronzer ~ 52

Sleek blush ~ Rose gold

MAC mineralise eyeshadow ~ Snow season (limited edition)

Maybelline colour tattoo ~ Pink gold

MAC eyeshadow ~ Omega

Rimmel stay matte powder ~ 001 transparent

Rimmel exaggerate eyeliner ~ 001 black

Rimmel wake me up concealer ~ Ivory

Bare minerals prime time ~ neutralising

MAC eyeshadow ~ Kid

Nivea lip butter ~ Caramel cream

Lancôme rouge in love ~ 322M corail in love

Benefit they’re real (sample size)