TheBalm Instain - Strawberry Toile

To a blush obsessed beauty blogger, it doesn't get much better than being able to trial a new blush formulation in a stunning shade! As soon as TheBalm Instain in Toile* hit my desk I threw it on my cheeks, and loved how pigmented but blendable the strawberry coloured powder was. I applied it using my Real Techniques Stippling Brush (as I do with most pigmented blushes) and layered it a little bit and found it easily buildable, so it would definitely work for those who only like a sheer shot of colour on their apples, too. Here are the other products I used to complement the strawberry shade Toile!

TheBalm describes this as a strawberry colour, and try as I might I couldn't find a lip shade with the name strawberry in it. Days like these I wish I owned Revlon Strawberry Suede let me tell you now! I decided to choose my lip shade on colour alone and so the Covergirl lipperfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Coral Twist* made the cut (these feel so nice on the lips, have you tried them yet?) The rest of the look was pretty simple, and I was impressed that I only used 7 products and about 7 minutes to finish this look!

 Anytime I use a beautiful bright blush it negates the need for a detailed eye look, so after applying TheBalm's Put A Lid On It eyelid primer* (which I had never even heard of before I received it!) I hastily scribbled the champagne shade of my Revlon Colorstay Smoky Shadow Stick in 201 Torch all over my lid, and then used the amazing deep brown shade as a liner on the outer third of my upper and lower lashline. The dark shade of this has actually snapped off (not happy Jan...) but I still use it as I love the shade that much - this speaks volumes I think!

 My inner corner highlight was mint (as usual!) with the essence Me & My Ice Cream 03 Always in my Mint marble shade. My plan is to use this wet sometime this week to see how vivid I can make it - things like this can be highlights of my day, seriously! Base needed to be simple for a hot Melbourne day so I used my favourite BB cream, the Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream*. To top off the look I used my new Revlon Lash Potion mascara which I bought at half price last week and I'm enjoying it so far.

So there you have it - a strawberry blush-centric easy makeup look that anyone could do!

TheBalm Instain blushes retail for $26.95 AUD and you can buy them here!

What do you base your makeup looks on - the eyes, the lips or the cheeks?
Have you tried much from TheBalm?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

 

Daily Tray

You know you've read a great blog post when you drop what you are doing (which was cuddling Charlie with a hundred blog tabs open...) to make a move with your makeup stash. Reading Larie's musings and seeing the products she keeps out to use regularly inspired me to steal the idea and create a 'daily tray' for myself - the products I want to make dents in, need to test or want to enjoy for a little while. Every few days I can see this getting a wee shake up, but I think semi-regular posts with the new additions could be beneficial for me and something you would hopefully find interesting.



I've got some of my staples in there like my Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel and my Too Faced Shadow Insurance, but I also threw in items I haven't touch in months like Revlon Nearly Naked foundation and my Laura Mercier foundation primer. I decided that while I wait for my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette to arrive I would give the original version a rest and bring out Naked 2 for a play. I had forgotten how beautiful the shades in this variation are, and am glad that soon I will have the fabulous trifecta.

A new minty shade for my inner corners came into the daily tray from the essence Me & My Ice-Cream collection, as well as the bright coral gloss from the new Beauty Beats collection (amazing glosses by the way!) I'm not loving either of the mascaras but can't bear to throw them away just yet as they aren't the worst I've ever used, so they will be in here for a little while.

An important part of my daily tray? Products I need to use up or want to hit pan on! I've had NYX Peach for so long and as you can see it is on its way out, so I've been wearing it daily with another shade dusted on top to make it interesting but still get rid of the pan. The bit dip in the champagne shade of Dior Fairy Golds is actually really exciting me and I can't wait to see some shiny Dior pan for the first time in my life!

 

Product list:

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

Revlon Nearly Naked foundation

Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer

 

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

E.L.F. Coffee Bean single shadow

essence Always in My Mint single shadow

Dior Fairy Golds palette

Urban Decay Naked 2 palette

Maybelline Mega Plush mascara*
Revlon 3D Volume mascara

essence Hot Chocolate eyeliner

 

NYX Peach

Chanel Accent

 

Revlon Rosy Future lipgloss*

essence I'm A Groupie lipgloss

 

Clinique Dramatically Different + moisturiser*

Lush Lust solid perfume

Avon Bond Girls perfume

 

Colour Theory Bronzer in Sun Kissed (not shown)

 

***********************************************************************

 

Do you keep your main products out on show too?

How often do you dive back into your collection to find a treasure?

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

 

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.