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The Beauty Products I'm Taking On Holiday

Sunday 16 July 2017


In just a few days time I'm off to sunny Las Vegas/ San Francisco for two weeks, and by this point I'm just so excited to have a little break away from the stresses of London life! I've decided that I will be a little better organised this year, since I'll be gone for such a long time, so I thought I would talk you through the makeup and skincare items I'm taking with me as I pack them into my already bulging suitcase.

Skincare


Holiday skincare is always a struggle for me, since my usually very dry/troublesome skin tends to be better behaved in warmer climates (and Vegas is going to be very warm - 46 degrees of warmth, to be exact!) My first priority was to find a good facial SPF, since every one I've tried so far has broken me out, including the Kiehl's one which is supposedly breakout proof. This year I've decided to give the Origins A Perfect World Day Cream with SPF 40 a try. Origins products are always crammed full of lovely ingredients, and this moisturiser with White Tea is no different. I'll update you in a couple of weeks with a whole review on how my skin reacts.   

Carrying on with the accidental tea theme, my next holiday skincare pick is the Green Tea Leaves Moisturiser* from Garnier. When I first saw "mattify" in the description I thought I was going to hate this one, but it's actually very hydrating for a cream which is so light, and even I suffer from a few oily patches in hot climates so this could come in handy!

Makeup 


I hate wearing makeup on holiday, but unfortunately my skin is still going through it's stroppy teenager phase, so I don't have to confidence not to wear it. I've chosen my makeup options based on how comfortable they are to wear, and how low maintenance they are likely to be in the sweltering heat. 

My first makeup choices are both from a brand that I've just discovered, Pixi by Petra. I'll admit that the Sheer Cheek Gels* look a little scary in the packaging, but they are actually incredibly subtle on the skin, adding just a pop of colour to my usually pasty face. I like to apply them underneath a light foundation for a "lit from within" healthy look. Once on they almost act as a stain, making them completely budge proof in the tepid London weather (I'll definitely be testing their lasting power in Las Vegas!)

My second Pixi picks are the GelTint & SilkGlosses*, aka the most comfortable lip products known to man. I've been getting a lot of wear out of these recently because once applied, I forget I'm wearing them! The double ended design includes a stain on one end (this is the budge proof bit) and a gloss on the other end (which adds a punch of hydration). I honestly believe Pixi are on to a winner with these, and luckily I have all three shades, so I won't have to look at another lip product whilst I'm away! 

I like to make sure I have my base options covered for just incase I get a tan (ha!) So I've purchased my all time favourite drugstore foundation, Bourjois Healthy Mix, in two shades, one which is a few shades darker than my usual choice so that I can create the shade that I need. Healthy Mix is the only drugstore foundation I've tried that can be built up to be full-coverage without looking super cakey. In England I tend to favour my trusty Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation, because I really need the 12+ hour lasting power, but on holiday I'm unlikely to be out an about for such long amounts of time, so I can touch it up where I need to.  

Another new product to my collection is the contour stick from Tanya Burr's Makeup line. I decided to pick this up because I adore her stick blushes, so if the formula is at all similar then I know I'll love this too. I hate wearing too many powdery layers on my skin in the summer months, because I want my makeup to look undetectable, so I'll be trialling this one next week. 


Last up is another new product to my collection, and this one is a purchase that I'm feeling more than a little guilty about. I've been eyeing up YSL's Touch Eclat Blur Perfector for so long now that when I saw it in the Feel Unique sale I didn't hesitate to snap it up, despite the fact that I've read really mixed reviews about it. The packaging is absolutely beautiful, which I'll admit played a heavy part in my need to own this compact, but I was also really interested by the concept of an "invisible foundation". I'm planning to wear this as a finishing powder, and I'll have a full review ready for you on my return. 

So those are the products I'll be taking away with me next week! Let me know what's in your essential holiday kit in the comments. 

Fx 

*PR sample, my review expresses my own honest opinions 

What's In My Bag This Summer

Sunday 9 July 2017


I've always been fascinated by "what's in my bag" posts, and I know a lot of other people are too (us bloggers are nosy folk), so I thought I'd clear away the debris of "emergency" chocolate bar wrappers and receipts dating back three years and show you the contents of mine. I'm obviously going to show you the relevant bits only, but do let me know if you would like a full inspection of my unidentified keys and broken biro pens, and I'll see what I can do.

Makeup


When I'm wearing a smaller bag (like this one from Topshop) I like to keep my makeup luggage as minimal as possible. At the very least I'll always have a nude/neutral lipstick on me, something like Pillow Talk by Charlotte Tilbury, but if I have the space I also like to carry a red, because you never know when evening plans might pop up unexpectedly. At the moment I'm loving this vibrant cool toned red from Tanya Burr's makeup line, in the shade Big Kiss, because it's so comfortable to wear.   
Fragrance 


I'm a sucker for miniatures of anything, but mini perfumes are my absolute favourites because they're so handy for popping into even the smallest of clutch bags. I received Laura Mercier's Ambre Vanille fragrance in a bath set for Christmas, but I keep it in my bag because I'm in love with the soft vanilla scent, I spritz it constantly! Another mini fragrance I'm obsessed with this summer is Sweetheart by Ghost*, which is so feminine and floral, perfect for sunny days. On the topic of mini's, I also like to carry around a tiny sample of Charlotte Tilbury's Legendary Lashes mascara for when my lashes start to fall back into their usual straight, stubby state. 

Earphones


I couldn't write this post without mentioning the most essential item in any of my bags - my earphones. Music is very important to me, so often my mood will completely depend on the tunes that I'm listening to. I was lucky enough to be sent these beautiful wireless earphones* from Sudio, and I'm not over-exaggerating when I say that they have completely changed the way I listen to music. Firstly the sound quality is incredible, it's like listening to my favourite songs through surround sound, and secondly I never have to worry about tangled headphones again - these seem to be completely tangle proof (believe me, my bag has put them to the test!) They come with an adorable little travel case and tons of different sized earbuds (perfect for fellow tiny eared girls), plus they're pink and rose gold! If you're interested in picking up your own pair then I have a 15% off discount code for you, just enter FridayFaye15 at the checkout. Let me know what you choose! 

So that was my very simple run-down of the contents of my bag. As we all know, I'm super nosy, so please do share the contents of your bag in the comments! 

Fx 

*PR sample, my review expresses my own honest opinions 

A Summertime Haul with Just My Look

Wednesday 5 July 2017


Recently the lovely team over at Just My Look got in contact and asked if I would like to try some of their products. I hadn't heard of the website before, but they stock so many amazing well known brands that I thought I would share my top picks with you!

Milani Blushes 


I'm a huge fan of Milani so I was so glad to see so many of their products available on the Just My Look website. I decided to pick up another of their Powder blushes because I love the formula of them, this time I went for the shade Tea Rose which is a subtle pretty pink, great for the summer months when I try to avoid looking like I'm wearing lot's of makeup. I also chose a baked blush in the shade Luminoso, I love that it adds a bit of extra glow to my complexion without adding any glitter, it just makes me look more healthy!

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter


The Balm's Mary-Lou Manizer has been on my shopping list for literally years, but I've never gotten round to actually trying it, so this was my opportunity! I was a little worried that this one wouldn't live up to the hype, but fortunately it's just as beautiful as everyone says! I don't usually opt for gold highlighters because my skin is naturally quite yellow, but because this one is super subtle (and easily build-able) it seems to flatter me. 

Sleek Cleopatra's Kiss Palette


By now I'm sure you're aware of my love of Sleek's Solstice palette, so I decided to try out another of their highlighter palettes, Cleopatra's Kiss. The quad contains four shades, two powder and two cream formulas, and I like to apply them with my fingertips for maximum glow. The size of each individual highlighter is actually quite small, so it can be tricky to pick up the right amount on a brush, so for me fingertips is the way to go with this one. I honestly believe that Sleek create high-end quality products with drugstore price tags, and I'm so glad I now have both palettes in my collection. 

O.P.I Not So Bora Bora Ing Pink 


After lusting over the brand for such a long time, I can finally say I own an O.P.I Nail polish. This bright shiny pink just screams summer, I've been wearing it non-stop! On me this polish lasts for a good week without chipping, which is pretty impressive, and it dries super quickly on application. This shade is actually available on the Just My Look website for only £7.90 right now, so if you like the look of it then I definitely recommend snapping it up soon!

If you're interested in any of the brands I mentioned then head over to the Just My Look website and check it out for yourself, let me know if you pick anything up! 


Fx 

*PR sample, my review expresses my own honest opinions 

4 Things I loved in June

Sunday 2 July 2017


As another month draws to a close, I find myself looking forward to reading everyones monthly favourites posts, so this time I decided I would also contribute one! Without further delay, here are four of the things that I loved in the month of June. 

Zoeva cosmetics


I've been a big fan of Zoeva makeup brushes for years now, I find that the quality is incredible for the price and they have a pink and rose gold range ... what's not to love! Despite being a big fan of their brushes I had never tried their makeup range, so when I saw the Basic Moment collection pop up on my Instagram feed I knew I had to own something. I'm a simple "one shade shadow" type of girl, so the Basic Moment eye shadow palette which is packed full of wearable everyday shades is perfect for me, there isn't one colour I haven't used! The blush palette contains a blush, a bronze and a highlight shade, and though the bronze isn't my favourite (I am super picky when it comes to bronzers!) I'm in love with the blush and highlighter, which make my complexion look so bright and glowy, without looking like I'm wearing too much makeup. 

Beau Belle Brushes


Be still my beating heart! I was fortunate enough to be sent these beautiful rose gold brushes by the wonderful team over at Beau Belle, and I just can't stop staring at them. I received the white brush pot*, which is gorgeous in itself, and 10 different high quality brushes to cover pretty much every makeup need I could ever have. I really like the idea of the storage pot, it makes a beautiful addition to my dressing table, plus it has a lid so you can travel with it (which would be perfect for makeup artists!) 

Breaking Out Of My Comfort Zone


In the past month I feel that I have made huge leaps in confidence with regards to my blogging and Instagram content. I've been lucky enough to be given opportunities that have pushed me outside of my comfort zone, such as the Feel Unique and John Frieda collaborations which involved me having to show my face on Instagram. I was so terrified before posting those images, but I received the loveliest, most supportive comments from you guys, so thank you for that! Last month I was also sent two beautiful watches from ADEXE and Daniel Wellington, and was therefore tasked with writing fashion related content for the first time. Though there are bits of those posts which make me cringe, I'm quite happy with the way they turned out, and I'm eager to try to write a few more! 

Tanning


Speaking of stepping outside of my comfort zone, this month I tried fake tanning for the first time. As a super pale girl with no ability to tan naturally, the concept of smothering myself in a semi-permanent brown mousse was one which had horrified me for years, however with a little bit of encouragement from Fran, last month I decided to go for it. I chose Loving Tan's Deluxe Bronzing Mousse in the shade medium, after reading hundreds of rave reviews. The first time I applied it I was so cautious that I used not nearly enough product, so it actually made little difference to my skin tone. The next time I was feeling much more confident, so I used double the amount of product and left it on overnight, rather than for the recommended 6 hours. This time the shade was much darker, but I somehow managed to miss huge patches on my arms and the backs of my legs, and I used too much product on my hands. I'm just about prepared to go in for round three now, so fingers crossed this time it will turn out perfectly! 

Face Mists


Those of us who live in the UK actually got to experience some sunshine in June, with temperatures soaring to 30+ degrees in London. During this hot weather spell I discovered that storing facial mists in the fridge is a great way to keep cool throughout the day. My favourite is Jurlique's Rose Water Balancing Mist*, because it smells heavenly, but this method would work with any face or body mist. Not only is it a wonderfully cooling treat, but it's also a great way of keeping skin looking fresh and feeling hydrated throughout the day. 

So those were four things I loved in June, let me know if you like these kind of posts and I'll try to make it a regular feature on my blog, also let me know what you have been loving over the past month in the comments! 

Fx

*PR sample, my review expresses my own honest opinions 
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