Makeup for Travelling

It's my worst nightmare - choosing what things to take away with me and what things to leave behind. I quite often turn up at my mum's for the weekend with a similar size suitcase to the one I take on holiday for a week in the sun because a) I am a crazy person and b) I just like options okay? But I am trying to get better.

Makeup That Will Last 9 to 5: The Work Proof Base

I have tried primers, foundations and concealers galore in my search for makeup that will get me through a whole day at work. My search was futile. That dastardly skin of mine just eats makeup right up! 

After two years in an office where the combination of the aircon and sitting with my face in my hands out of frustration/irritation/boredom was a recipe for a makeup disappearing act, I've finally found a routine that can stand up to the perils of the day and take a punch. And because I'm so kind I'm sharing it with you!

The Glue

First up on the makeup menu is the Rimmel Stay Matte Primer. This stuff is a nice cream consistency and mattes skin out without completely drying it. It creates a lovely even surface for my foundation and glues my makeup right onto my skin from when I leave the flat at 7:30 until when I fall in the door at 6pm. And being Rimmel the price isn't exactly eye watering, coming in at a teeny £5.99!

The Coverage

My foundation of choice is the MAC Studio Fix Fluid. This stuff is kind of a classic. It's a nice thick consistency, buffs beautifully into the skin and creates beautiful medium to full coverage without looking all cakey and gross! Because it is quite a matte finish it has really good staying power and my skin still looks pretty damn good at the end of the working day! 

The Glow

The combination of the matte primer and heavy duty foundation can leave my skin a touch on the dull side so I mix a touch of the Revlon Photo Ready Skinlights Illuminator in Pink in with my foundation. I am obsessed with pink toned highlighters, I think they are absolutely beautiful and give a really natural effect. This adds a gorgeous radiant glow to the skin and keeps things looking nice and fresh throughout the day! I am obsessed with this stuff- adding this into the mix gives me the perfect compromise between good coverage and a dewier finish! 

The Ultimate Concealer

For concealer is has to be Benefit Erase Paste. This stuff is like tip-ex for spots and dark circles. I apply with my ring fingers and dab it in to blur any imperfections - particularly focusing on my under eyes and around my nose. Side note - I bought mine in February and it is now August and I still have a good couple of months of product in there. I'm not really a less is more sort of person either, I slap this stuff on like it's the secret to eternal youth. Your £20.50 goes far - serious value for money! 

I'm honestly so chuffed with how well this base stands up to long days in the office! I would love to hear what other stand out products are perfect for long days at work or school (because let's face it, we all love to try new things!)

Mhairi-Anne x

Beating Breakouts: (or skincare for PCOS)

I have had bad skin for as long as I can remember. I'm pretty sure in my school photo from when I was in Primary 7 (so at about 10 years old) I was already covered in the little red bumps of acne. This was probably because I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - a condition that effects 1 in 10 women. PCOS can be genetic - my mum and sister have it and it is likely my Grandma had it too. It can effect fertility, insulin resistance and has all kinds of really glamorous side effects including weight gain, excess body hair, hair loss and the one that effects me the most - bad skin! 

I've tried every treatment, cleanser and cream under the sun to try and get things under control and thought I had found the solution - but Liz Earle gave up on me recently so I've shaken things up and my skin has never been better! All thanks to French skincare brand La Roche Posay.

How to ... Grow Mermaid Locks!

The other day my friend asked me 'Mhairi-Anne, what are we going to do when we are too old for long hair?!' I was horrified. I will never be too old for long hair. My hair is my favourite thing about my appearance. It makes any outfit more glam - even jeans and a t-shirt and my minging converse! My friends always ask me how I keep it so long and so healthy - and let me tell you it can be a pain in the ass at times! So I've decided to spread the love and tell you exactly how to get the mermaid look! 

Spoiler alert: less is more! 

Busy Girl Bites: moreish traybakes

A busy girl has got to keep her colleagues sweet. How else are you going to call in all those favours? I find the best way is to sweeten them up with a big dose of sugar! This week I baked these tasty traybakes - a recipe passed down from my Grandma to my mum to me! - and now I have my lil engineers wrapped around my even littler finger! *evil cackle* 

Drink This: Drugstore Moisturiser & Serum for THIRSTY skin!

I don't know about you but my skin is always thirsty! This Busy Girl drinks 3 litres of water every damn day and never skips her moisturiser and still it is always dry and dehydrated. Or at least it was! This summer I have come across 2 absolute gems for whetting my skin's appetite and adding a bit of magic glow!

Mini MAC Haul

Sometimes MAC just happens doesn't it? I'm in Dundee visiting my family and the nice quiet MAC counter in Debenhams always just lures me in. There is something about not having to battle with little girls to swatch lipsticks which just appeals to me.

Anyhow I ended up *cough* investing in two new products. Both oldies. Both goodies.