The Perfect Primers for a Flawless Face

Well prepped skin is one of the most important factors for a smooth foundation application – allowing a good morning moisturiser time to sink in is a great first step to a flawless look (and I have to admit it’s one I sometimes forget to do pre-coffee) If I know I have a long day ahead or that I want my makeup to last longer than usual, I have an arsenal of primers in my everyday makeup drawer to reach for.

Quite often I will pull out my Face of Australia Face Base Primer for day time use – it’s a renowned dupe for the pricier Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Primer*, and having compared it to the travel size NP I have in my stash I have to agree with that claim! They basically feel just like a light moisturiser and sinks in really quickly without feeling velvety like a silicone based primer. My sister has pretty dry skin and uses this when she wears foundation, and she loves how easy it is to apply and that it doesn’t break her out.

Until quite recently I was apprehensive about using silicone-heavy primers, but the pores around my nose and in between my brows have been annoying me lately so I was excited to try the Smashbox Photo Finish Color-Correcting Primer sample that I received at Sephora on our honeymoon. A thick green paste in texture, this acts like ‘spak filler’ to put it bluntly and I’ve been vigilant about double-cleansing when I wear it so it hasn’t clogged my pores or broken me out at this stage.

Last but not least is an unlikely primer in the form of the Dermalogica Oil-Free Matte SPF30 sunscreen*, which smells citrusy fresh and is something I wore all year round to protect my skin from sun damage. It leaves the skin matte without taking away any moisture from the skin and I found that my foundation sat so much nicer when I wore this underneath – a great incentive to wear sunscreen daily, no?

Now that we’ve spoken about priming the skin, I’m off to sink a coffee to prime my brain for the day…

Emma x

*Products mentioned were provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Beauty Favourites // January 2014

 

It has been a while since I've done a favourites post, but I decided that I wanted to share some lovely things that I've been using this month.

Face of Australia Bronzer Tinted Tanning Mousse* - For the first time in a long time I've been using fake tan *gasp* and though I still glow like a ghost, I have been enjoying the tiny bit of colour that I've been getting with this. The fact that it does apply with a tint is infinitely helpful to a klutz like me, and the mousse texture is pretty easy to work with, leaving no streaks thus far (though I did miss a patch which was pretty funny!)

Etude House Sugar Cookie Blush in 002 - Glowy pink cheeks and pretty packaging is a blush fiends dream! I bought this (and some other shades) on my last day of teaching placement, so not only is it pretty it also reminds me of a great accomplishment. Blush win!

Savvy Cheek Balm in Blissful Blush - Such a great texture for a cheap $3 blush, I'm very happy with this coral shade and love how easy it is to blend. This was probably my favourite shade from my recent Blush Week post.

Maybelline Color Whisper in Petal Rebel* - Glossy pink lips are my kryptonite right now, and this little beauty along with my Covergirl Gloss Balm in Haute Pink Twist* have been gracing my lips a lot this month.

 

Maybelline Color Bloom Balms in Pink Blossom and Peach Blossom - A beautiful gift from my friend Carly who was recently in Bali! Adore how these apply clear and deepen quickly, and the stain is such a nice thing to wear under other glosses or lipsticks. I really hope Maybelline brings these to Australia, they would sell so easily!

PureTan Pure Moisture Coconut Body Crème* - The smell of this is summer, straight up. I do wish it was a touch more moisturising for my elbows, but it leaves my skin soft and smelling of coconut so suffice to say I am addicted. Love the whipped crème style texture, swoon!

 

Dermalogica Oil Free Matte MediBac Clearing spf30* - I adore this matte sunscreen, it works brilliantly as a primer underneath makeup and I used it while on holiday in Albury as well as anytime I was outside in January. It doesn't break me out and I find that my makeup is always better when I wear this underneath.

What products have you been loving this month?

Please leave your sunscreen recommendations in the comments below, I want to get my next purchase organised with time to read some reviews!

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

 

*Provided for consideration, but true favourites. Honesty, always.

 

Summer Skin Essentials

While the UK shivers through the snow, we in Australia are absolutely roasting! Seeing the difference between the whinges of my family in Scotland/England and the whinges of my local family is quite funny. The beauty products I use in summer are also quite different to the products I use when it’s cold, and I thought I would share some of my summer skincare essentials with you.

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist: A beautiful and refreshing rose scented spray, housed in a stunning frosted glass bottle. As I've mentioned previously, this isn’t handbag friendly, but for long days at the desk it hits the spot!

Dermalogica Oil Free Matte Sunscreen (with Medibac Clearing)*: Though the ladies at Dermalogica have said that this may be too matte for my dry and dehydrated patches of skin, I am still head over heels for this sunscreen. It contains SPF 30 and truth be told, I use this as a primer just as much as I use it as my daily sunscreen.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse OR, aka Dry Oil Golden Shimmer*: It is no secret that anything French has a headstart for my affections, and this is no different. I’ve been using this down the centre of my lily white legs to get a bit of healthy-glow action happening, and over my arms and décolletage to glam up my summer outfits. The smell of this is the same as the original Dry Oil, which I tend to use as an overall moisturiser.

Uriage Bariederm Barrier Cream*: A less glamorous addition to the summer bag, but a necessity nevertheless. Barrier creams are excellent at stopping chafing, and is recommended for nurses and mechanics who wash their hands and get dirty frequently. Chris is a mechanic and also chafes during summer, so he loves swiping a bit of this stuff when the weather heats up.

 

Clarins Mineral Bronzing Duo (in Dark)*: Nothing better on a summers day to have bronzed up skin, and since I don’t tan, I turn to bronzers to give me the glow I need. My love for Clarins knows no bounds, as this blog documents, and these two shades work for my pale skin even though I was sent the dark version, if I use a light hand.

Unmeltable lip products!

YSL Glossy Stain in #15 Rose Vinyl: I adore the formula of the YSL Glossy Stains, and because they don’t melt or snap when warm, they are perfect for keeping in my handbag during hot weather. The glossy finish is casual enough for everyday and the stain means I don’t have to retouch very often, and all of those factors make this a perfect summer lip product for me!

Sportsgirl Give Some Lip liquid lipstick (pictured is the shade Luscious): I swear by this liquid lipstick/lipgloss formula, I love the unique scent and the beautiful colour selection. These are unmeltable, and really pigmented for juicy looking lips.

Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss in Coral Reef: Revlon are stellar when it comes to lip products, and these glosses are really comfortable to wear, with Coral Reef being the perfect coral shade for this heat.

So now it is your turn to share your summer essentials in the comments below,  I’d love to hear what you rely on when the weather heats up!

*Marked items were provided for editorial consideration. Honesty, always.