winter base

1. Vichy Aera Mineral BB

This BB Cream was something I bought when BB creams were a huge fad, but back then I wasn't big a big user of foundations or bases, and would simply dab concealer over my face where it was needed. I thought that Vichy was a good skincare brand so their BB cream couldn't be bad and decided to give it a go. When swatching at my local drugstore, I chose the darker shade which I still find to be quite light on me these days and I only use this when at my ultimate palest. I've been using this a lot during the winter months, both in New York and in Hong Kong as I feel like this is 'better' for your skin than putting an actual foundation on, but who knows if this is actually any better. Though it goes on a tad grey for my liking, it magically evens out my skin tone and somehow gives a bit of a glow. Bonus - this BB cream is paraben free, hypoallergenic, tested on sensitive skin and fragrance free and has SPF 20. 

2. Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer in Medium

This concealer is full coverage to the maximum -- it's very thick and was almost difficult to squeeze out of the tube at first, but when dabbed over blemished with your ring finger, it blends seamlessly into the skin. It's heavily pigmented so even the thinnest layer will give you enough coverage, and is tacky enough that it's not sticky, but long-wearing. It's also meant to be creaseless and waterproof -- the waterproof part I find fairly believable as this does make it through a sweaty 45 minute long spin class, but it does tend to gather in my annoying undereye creases (even when set with powder) but that's the only place on my face it does that.

3. Collection 2000 Illuminating Touch in 3 Glow

This is a YSL Touch Éclat-esque type of thing with the clicky brush and the brightening concealer. I don't find this product particularly revolutionary or life-changing, but it helps at concealing my endless eyebags and is a nice item to keep in my purse for when makeup slips off. 

4. Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder in Universal

I've already raved about this powder here so I won't delve into too much detail. This powder has been a long-time favourite in my collection, I've been through about three of these pots now, I pretty much use it every day, so it won't be going away anytime soon.

5. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Exposed

 I mentioned this lovely blush here when I was favouring it during spring weather, but in all honesty, I've been favouring this blush ever since I purchased it.  The Tarte blushes are known for their long-wearing quality, and safe to say, it meets its reputation. This shade in particular, is the perfect everyday shade to give your face that extra bit of colour without being overpowering, and matches perfectly with a dark night-out eye.

6. MAC Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Sun Dipped

Like the prior two listed, this bronzer was also spoken about briefly here. I find that this is probably my favourite bronzer for the winter months -- it's not too dark to make your face look like a separate entity from your body, and it's also got a hint of shimmer in it to give you that extra glow-y look during the paler months. Even better - the packaging is absolutely fantastic, but unfortunately it is limited edition.

summer to autumn: base

The weather in NYC has been sort of bipolar -- it's gotten cold and warm again a few times over the last month, but it's finally starting to really feel like autumn so I thought I share some of my transition-friendly choices.

1. Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser in Sand

I've previously done a more in-depth review about why I like it so much in this post and briefly mentioned it here, so I won't go into too much detail again, but this is currently my favourite choice of base as it gives my face a bit of a glow, and helps lock in moisture as the drier weather is starts to settle in. Sometimes when I want a heavier coverage, I'll whip out the Real Techniques Buffing Brush but 99% of the time I'll slap this on with my fingers.

2. Maybelline Pure Mineral Concealer in 02

One of my favourite concealers ever, mentioned here and here, so I won't go into a lot of detail. It really just is my go-to favourite -- it feels light on the skin, has a decent lasting power and covers what needs to be covered. 

3. Collection Illuminating Touch Brightening Concealer in 3 Glow

Pretty much every single makeup brand has one of these clicky-illuminating-concealer pen things and as Collection recently branched out to Hong Kong, I thought I'd pick another one of these up. I think this shade is a little bit too dark for me but as I've still got a bit of a summer tan, it seems to work quite well under my eyes. Nothing revolutionary, it's just another useful item to help conceal my dark eyebags.

4. Collection Shimmer Shades in 1 Way to Glow

I really do have to share how much I love this little quad. It has 4 shimmery shades that I absolutely adore; the champagney-white is perfect for highlighting, the rosy and peachy colours are great for perking my cheeks up a little, and the bronzier shade is awesome for adding that extra glowy tan to the high points of your face. All in all, it pretty much has all my ideal face shades, the powder is buttery soft and the colour payoff is excellent.

5. MAC Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Sun Dipped

This bronzer was part of a limited sailor-themed collection which launched last year I think? Anyway, the packaging is beautiful, it has a navy and white striped pattern on the lid and delightfully glossy instead of the typical satin black you get with MAC. I find this shade to give me the perfect bronzy look without making me look like an orange and as I've hit pan, I am rationing out my uses carefully.

loves of the summer so far: eyes & lips

1. MAC Paint Pot in Indianwood

One of the first makeup items I ever bought in my life, this has been in and out of my routine for years but remained one of my favourites. It is the perfect bronze-y shade, especially during the summer with a bit of a tan, and is somehow capable of withstanding the 75%+ humidity that exists in Hong Kong as well as the oil that seems to inevitably spread over my eyelids. Perfect for sprucing up your face on a day by the pool and any on any other average day as a base under both matte and shimmery powder eyeshadows.

2. NARS Eyeshadow in Cyprus

I love NARS packaging. I don't care if the matte black gets dirty over time. I will forever love the simplistically beautiful clamshell compacts, and it was the fact that the single eyeshadows are a dinky adorable mini-size that compelled me to buy this shade. I've found over the years that this is the perfect every-day eyeshadow for giving your face that bit of 'oomph' to wake you up and look ever so put together, when in reality, all you did was squash a fluffy brush into the product and haphazardly smear it across your eyelids whilst half-awake. It is pleasantly shimmery when layered under equally shimmery cream shadows, (for example the aforementioned MAC Paint Pot), yet not too over the top to remain neutral enough for those days when you want to look like you've not quite got anything on. 

3. Maybelline Full'n Soft

This mascara is runner-up to my favourite ever - Maybelline Volum'Express the HyperCurl. It is a close-contender and slowly becoming my preferred of the two as it leaves my eyelashes with the perfect amount of volume and length whilst managing to hold the curl for the entire day.

4. Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in 300 Rose Blush

A whimsical purchase from New York which I liked at first but fell out of love with as I was preoccupied with my reds and plums during the cold and dreary winter. This has made it into my bag almost every day in place of my much-loved Clinique Chubby Stick in Chunky Cherry as I find it to be the perfect pinch of pink for my face during the summer months. It has a small amount of shimmer, doesn't lean too far pink, (in fact it probably leans closer to red), and has the loveliest smooth finish on the lips. I was also much surprised to find out that it has SPF 18 the other day when I was giving the label a glance to check the name of the colour and I'm also surprised to say that I've gone through about half the tube already since whipping it out earlier this month. Love.

spring face

The perfect spring face combination for the bipolar New York City weather which honestly makes you look like you haven't got anything on your face at all.

1. Tarte Amazonian clay 12-hour blush in Exposed

- after hearing much hype about this I found myself purchasing this delightfully nude, almost dusty-pink powder blush online. It has outrageous lasting power and gives the most natural pink tinge to your cheeks.

2. Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in Warm Beige 3.5

- an old favourite I put away for a while but have recently re-discovered. This shade has always been the perfect match for my skin tone and it tends to be used more like a concealer than actual foundation.

3. Rimmel Stay Matte long lasting pressed powder in Transparent

- bought this upon the recommendations of the lovely Tanya Burr, and though I didn't like it at first, I find myself reaching for it quite often now.

4. Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman Pointed Foundation Brush

- the perfect brush to use with the Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick as it doesn't leave an overly thick layer.

5. Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman Contour Brush

- small but still an ideal size to be used for blush, it gives you enough control and blending power.

*Photo taken with iPhone 5, processed through VSCOCAM.