My Current Cheek Rotation ft. Hourglass, Too Faced, MAC + more

Over the last few months I tried to push myself out of my Chanel Joues Contraste blush rut (my love for that product is strong, you guys!) in an effort to rotate through my large blush collection. These are the products I've primarily reached for through that time and I have to say that I've been enjoying it - but that I'll always return to Chanel for a good blush rush.

Blushes and palettes are two of my favourite things, so it makes sense that I adore the idea of a blush palette! My current favourite and most used palette is the Too Faced Love Flush Blush wardrobe and I've worn each colour at least once over the last little while. The other blush palette is the Hourglass Ambient Light Blush Palette which I took up to Queensland for our week away, and I'm happy to say that while there I used all of these shades at least once as well. I really like the glowy effect that the Hourglass cheek powders give to the skin and I think those who like a natural but luminous finish would really appreciate these. It kind of takes the need for highlighter away which I like during the day, but I amp up the glow for any special occasion or night out with TheBalm's Mary Lou Manizer, which deserves all of the hype it receives from the beauty community.

Something different that I've been popping on my face lately has been bronzer - I go through stages with wearing bronzer and the lead up to our 'beach holiday' (which ended up being a bit chilly if I'm honest!) I was wearing The Body Shop Honeycomb bronzer every day in excitement for a week away. I love how light and easy to apply this product is, I use it to sculpt my cheeks (which I really need right now, pregnancy puff is real!) as well as give overall warmth to my pale complexion. Two other blushes that have been getting some love are neutrals (surprise, surprise!) Benefit Dallas boxed blush is super pigmented and though I always try to use a light hand with it I always end up buffing it afterwards to tone down the colour. It's a gorgeous though and that perfect bronzer/blush combination shade that I adore. A more pink-toned neutral is MAC Poised which is a staple of mine, it's just an easy colour to throw on if you don't want to put much thought into pairing shades or matching a certain makeup look. 

What cheek products are you currently loving?

Emma x

The May Makeup Bag

May felt like a whirlwind for me, and I relied on a stack of beauty products to keep me looking somewhat presentable as I tried to stay awake without taking a nap everyday! While in Queensland I kept my makeup low-key as none of the family on my husband's side indulge in beauty products, but the other three weeks it was business as usual with a lot more concealer piled on out of necessity.

I'm still testing out the Morphe 35T palette despite receiving it as a gift for Christmas last year...some days I adore it, and others I'm frustrated that the shade in the pan is nothing like what the shadow actually looks like on my eyelids! I'm also fond of palettes with named shades which this lacks, but I still think this bad boy was worth the money and have been dipping into new colours almost every morning on top of my MAC Painterly Paint Pot. I've also been using my sample of Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara that came in a Beauty Loop box from Mecca Maxima - love how long those little tubes last!

Base seemed to be the usual suspects in May - I've repurchased my Rimmel Fix & Protect Makeup Primer and always have a tube of Rimmel BB Cream Matte on the go (both were originally PR samples that ended up in my permanent rotation, love when that happens!) I've moved onto a new pressed powder to use up, the Maybelline SuperStay 24HR Waterproof Powder* which gives a bit of coverage on top of my liquid base which I like. My saviour in May was definitely my Clarins Instant Concealer*, my pregnancy hormones are out of control right now and I'm spottier than I've ever been so layering this high coverage concealer is making me feel less self-conscious about my skin. It's still driving me nuts though!

I've been rotating my blushes fairly well recently but my most used shades in May were definitely from this Too Faced Love Flush Blush palette - I've been loving how pigmented they are and I have been trying out a denser brush laid on the side to apply them, and I'm digging the effect! How Deep is Your Love and Love Hangover might take the cake as my favourite shades right now...

Lips have been pretty low key as they've been quite dry and chapped (and I had a horrible pimple followed by a horrible cold sore all in the one fortnight - thanks weakened immune system!) I've been using balms but have also had a stack of nude/MLBB lip liners stashed in my bag for a bit of definition - the ones pictured are Savvy by DB and essence but a whole range of others were worn in May.

So that's my May makeup bag done and dusted! I'm looking forward to throwing some new things into my June makeup bag to spice things up a bit.
Emma x

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.