how to | fresh and radiant skin

Please excuse the fact that my hair makes it look as if I had just rolled out of bed, I hadn't.. cough. This is the make-up look that I wear most days, its simple, radiant and fresh. My secret weapons to flawless looking skin are both the Illamasqua Skinbase Foundation and the Nars Copacabana Illuminator, both of which I absolutely adore. I like to sometimes also like to use the Sisley Express Flower Gel beforehand which really perks my skin up too. If it's a really hot day and I don't fancy wearing much make-up then I will go for the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua which is my second favourite foundation, it doesn't give a great deal of coverage but has such a glowy finish. For my brows I've been filling them in with a lighter colour than usual, I can't bare using a warm toned brown on them so it always has to be an ashy shade. Flicked liner as always for the eyes with some smudged underneath the bottom lash line to create the illusion of thicker looking lashes. The lip and blush shades I choose were both a barely there almost unnoticeable pink to achieve an effortless overall look.

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sisley eye contour mask

If you are on a budget when it comes to beauty products then look away now as this product from Sisley is about as enticing as it gets for a high end skincare product. I certainly don't believe that you have to spend a fortune on skincare but every now and then a product comes along that is unlike any other on the cheaper end of the scale. If I've had a bad nights sleep or I'm feeling a bit stressed my eye area is always the first place to show it and they can also be sore from late nights and long days. So if there's one problem area that I like to take care of most it's this and for that reason I'm usually trying out one cream or another to combat signs of tired eyes.

The Eye Contour Mask by Sisley is half way between a balm and lotion, it applies to leave a hydrating layer and feels nourishing without being too heavy. A lot of eye creams and serums that I've tried in the past seem to sink away too quickly to actually get working on the skin which is why I've come to really like the idea of a mask instead. You can blot off any excess product after 10 minutes as directed but I prefer to leave it to fully absorb and don't ever find that there is any left to take off after much longer. I see the mask as a treat product that I only use on the rare occasion to give my eye area some looking after, perhaps once or twice a week. It's truly wonderful at hydrating the skin in the morning and will do the job like nothing else but it's also a great product to apply just before bed time to ensure you won't wake up looking like a zombie. It's definitely worth having a think about for any city slickers that are always on the lookout for something to perk up tired skin around the eyes, you only need to use the tiniest amount and given the size of the tube it should last quite a while. But however wonderful it is I do realise we can't all afford around £70 for a skincare product.

SISLEY EYE CONTOUR MASK - £67.95

sisley express flower gel mask

We all have those god awful moments where we wake up and take one look at our dull skin and want to jump straight back into bed. These are the moments that no ordinary face creams will do the job and your skin is crying out for a little miracle worker to give your skin a radiant glow. I have a lot of these kinds of days which is why I'm forever on the lookout for products that will give my skin that much needed boost. Recently I have been lucky enough to have been trying out the Express Flower Gel mask by Sisley and have been enjoying doing so. It applies to the skin as a thin watery gel and although it's marketed as a mask you leave it to absorb into the skin fully rather than washing it off. It's the best product that I have found to give my skin an instant hit of hydration and leaves my skin looking as if I've just had a facial. It's a great product and one which I would definitely repurchase if I had the budget, my skin is generally very dry which is why it works out to be the perfect solution for me.

SISLEY EXPRESS FLOWER GEL MASK - £74.50

sisley california soul: the products

For Spring/Summer 2013 Sisley have combined these products to create their 'California Soul' look, I love how when everything is used together a beautifully bright yet sophisticated make up look can be achieved. I will be putting together another post on creating the 'California Soul' look but for now will be giving an insight into each of the products.

 

PHYTO-OMBRE ECLAT EYE SHADOW IN LINEN - £27.50 - This shade is the perfect natural matte nude colour with a hint of pink, I wouldn't say that it's a must have but it does create a nice base colour if worn alone with liquid liner for example.

PHYTO-OMBRE ECLAT EYE SHADOW IN VELVET - £27.50 - This shade is a lovely light smoky purple that works well when used for a daytime look. The pigmentation is rich so it has good colour pay off too, it's a good option for anyone who likes to avoid shimmery shadows.

PHYTO LIP SHINE IN SHEER CHERRY - £27.50 - Now here is something that you can get excited about, a beautiful bright sophisticated red lipstick with ever so chic packaging to match. I have an absolute addiction to red lipsticks and I can certainly imagine this becoming my new favourite.

PHYTO KOHL PENCIL IN KHAKI - £31.50 - Eyeliners aren't something that I ever tend to use on a regular basis meaning that I wouldn't spend a small fortune on one such as this but that being said it does match my green eyes really nicely and is very soft and easy to work with.

L'ORCHIDEE HIGHLIGHTING BLUSH WITH WHITE LILY - £60 - Last but not least is my favourite product of the lot, for obvious reasons! This blush is truly a little piece of art and puts all of my others completely to shame, the outside packaging is mirrored and once opened up reveals an elegant shimmering orchid. Obviously it costs a bomb (we are talking Sisley here) but it's truly magical in it's own right, and the colour looks stunning once on the cheeks too.

sisley so intense mascra

Every time that I think I've found my favourite mascara another one is launched on the market which makes me ditch the last in favour of something different. I think all girls are in the same boat on this one and forever searching for the one. There have been a few that have come close, enough so that I'd be happy to buy them again but the perks of being a beauty blogger is that I am lucky enough to try out more than my fair share, which brings me onto this Sisley mascara. 

Sisley is luxury beauty at it's best, the prices are sky high and the quality of the products scream sophistication. I've recently been trying out the So Intense Mascara and have been hugely impressed thus far. The mascara wand is nothing short of genius, it literally grabs onto my lashes and combs the product through them to create beautiful thick feathery lashes that look clump free and volumous. It's a very well pigmented mascara as my eyelashes are left a shade of jet black and as the name would suggest, intense. I also noticed how gentle it felt, there's no scratchy feeling to the brush and my lashes end up feeling soft rather than crispy and hardened as with most mascaras. The only thing to watch out for is if you have typically watery eyes, as although it stand up well all day it doesn't cope at all well with any tears. I'd happily state that it's one of the best mascaras that I've ever tried, and if I had the budget I would repurchase it time and time over. I feel slightly bittersweet towards it because it's such an amazing mascara but the price means that it's not accessible to most, but I guess it depends on what beauty products you like to invest in. I will update you all in terms of how well it stands the test of time before it dries up in the tube, who knows it may earn it's value for money in that respect.

SISLEY SO INTENSE MASCARA - £38