You, Me & Beauty...: NARS

Girls Day in London Town

08:43

Last week I went into London to see one of my friends from Madrid who was in the country for a week or so; and of course we had a proper girls day out, I'm talking, brunch, shoe shopping, makeup shopping, more food, finished off by sitting on the sofa with a glass of wine catching up on just about everything!

I thought it would be a nice idea to share with you some pictures of the places we went so you yourself could check them out the next time you're in Londres.

Food

A girls day out isn't complete without a nice meal or two. The first place we went to was Balthazar in Covent Garden for some brunch. This place is notoriously hard to get a table during lunch and dinner time, but you'll be fine if you're just going to brunch like we did. I could not recommend it enough, the food is amazing and the atmosphere and decor isn't something you find everyday; Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures while I was there, the pancakes had all my attention!

For lunch, my lovely friend took me to one of her favourite places to go in London. Caffé Concerto has restaurants scattered all over London; we went to the one in Knightsbridge. The decor and atmosphere was all very 'up market Paris' and the food also has the same feel to it. We had the warm duck and pear salad topped off with a glass of prosecco and my God was it amazing. I managed to take a few pictures while we were there.

Me and Ksenia at Caffé Concerto (Isn't she pretty?!)

Red lips + prosecco + my new ring

Shopping

I personally didn't do a lot of shopping, all I brought was a ring (Shown in the picture above) but I did have my first trip to & Other Stories located on Regents street which is where I brought my beautiful new ring, and we also popped into Space NK.

The morning we went into London I had seen a tweet by a blogger (I can't tell you which one, my memory is awful, apologies) mentioning this store called '& Other Stories' and made a mental note to visit it if we had enough time, and funny enough we stumbled across it when walking down Regent Street; in typical Lara style I kind of fan girled and jumped up and down saying how much I wanted to go in, and I was not disappointed. It's a bit of a miss + match store selling pretty much everything, from gorgeous shoes to cotton buds. The layout of the store can only be described using two words, clean and chic, making it a shoppers heaven. So whether your in London or any other city where this store is located I highly suggest you go in and look around, there are so many beautiful things in there; you could either come out with some beautiful new clothes or some new body products.

We then moved onto Space. NK and I think I deserve a round of applause for not buying anything; However we were in there for about 25 minutes. Ksenia was introduced to the magic of Nars and I was educated in the Goldfaden MD products, the gentleman that served us was amazing and I wish I had found out his name. As with everyone that works in Space NK he was really informative and knew what he was talking about and really made you interested in the products. I was given a sample of the Goldfaden MD 'Doctors Scrub' and 'Vital Boost' Moisturiser so I'll be giving those a test run in the next few days to see if they would be a good investment and I will let you know.

A few snaps of the & Other Stories store on Regents Street.

Ksenia getting her makeup done in Space NK - she finally got introduced to Nars!

I hope you liked this post, it's slightly different than what I usually put up but I thought it would be interesting for you guys.

Lara x

Beauty

Review: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

08:05

I've been having a bit of a love affair with Nars recently; Its gone from me not even knowing where to purchase their products in the UK, to me using something of theirs on a daily basis, and even giving the Sheer Glow Foundation holy grail status (Read my review on that here) and i have a feeling that the Radiant Creamy Concealer could fast become the proud owner of a holy grail title also.

I was on the hunt for a new all round concealer and had heard good things about this new Nars product, so when i stumbled across a Nars counter on a shopping trip with mother dear, i just couldn't resist trying it out.

It was like love at first sight, I swatched a random colour on my hand to get a feel of the texture, and, as it says in the name it certainly is thick and creamy, but despite that its a real joy to blend into the skin.

There are 8 shades (In the UK, in America there is a choice of 10) in total, and normally I would hold no hope in finding a colour to match my skin with such little choice, however I was matched to 'Med/Dark 2 Caramel' and it is honestly the perfect shade for me, and blends seamlessly into my natural skin tone.

In terms of how it sits, feels and blends into your skin... its a dream! I have been using this on a daily basis, so I can sit here and safely tell you that if, like me, you aren't the biggest fan of wearing foundation during the day then this product is perfect!

I would say it has a medium coverage but can very easily be built up into a much fuller coverage without looking cakey on the skin, which is just what I want from a concealer.

Its creamy hydrating texture means that it can be used all over the face, whether you want to conceal that annoying spot or hide those 'I stayed up all night watching One Tree Hill' eyes. It doesn't crease anywhere on the skin and in terms of staying power i can't tell you how it fairs on its own as i do always powder my T-Zone as I hate the thought of being shiny, although I have never felt the need to top up during the day.

It is slightly pricey being £21 for 15ml, but I can honestly say that this is my favourite concealer of the moment, if not all time! It is something I am constantly reaching for, and will probably always have in my makeup collection and thats always a good sign!

Click Here to see me using it in my 'Everyday Makeup Routine' video.

Lara x

Acne Prone Skin

Out With The Old In With The New..

10:38

New blog layout and a new everyday makeup routine!

I was looking at my blog today, and was just not loving the layout, so i decided to give it a little pick-me-up. I also, filmed, edited and uploaded a new video today which is about my everyday makeup routine (Click here to see my YouTube Channel and watch the new video)

Hope you like the new layout and video!

Lara x

Products I used:
- Murad Shine Control and Acne Prone Primer
- Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in 'Caramel'
- Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara
- Nars eyeshadow in 'Bali'

- Nars blush in 'Gilda'

Acne

My New Holy Grail?!

13:13

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I finally did it, i finally brought the famous NARS Sheer Glow Foundation!

After having been on holiday for just under a week my Bobbi Brown foundation had become way too light for me, so i decided i would take the opportunity and buy The NARS Sheer Glow foundation. Now unless you've been living under a rock you will know that this has been one of the most talked about products in the beauty world; because i had watched countless videos and read numerous blogs on it, i felt pretty confident in my purchase.

The words 'sheer' and 'glow' are not words you want to be associated with a product your about to buy if you have acne/combination skin, however i was pleasantly surprised! I got matched to the colour 'Syracuse' and its perfect, it neutralises my overall skin tone and takes away any redness in my skin without making it look cakey. I would say it is a medium coverage and could very easily be built up to a fuller coverage for a night out etc.

So far i have been using this product nearly every day and have pretty much fallen in love, and i now completely understand why it gets so much love and is considered by many to be a holy grail.

Me before (Top) and After (Below) applying the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

Lara x

Beauty

Mini Haul: Madrid Style

14:46

First off i feel like i should apologise for being a bit MIA recently, its been a crazy few months and blogging kind of slipped my mind; but fear not, i'm back, and i've come back with a haul for you guys. Now i don't know about you, but im a big fan of hauls, maybe its because im incredibly nosey like that; this is only a small one, but hey, any new makeup is good right?

So being the smart shopper that i am, i brought all the products at El Corte Ingles here in Madrid (i think the english equivalent would probably be John Lewis) and because i have a foreign passport i got a 10% discount (nice bit of helpful information for anyone traveling to Spain).

Nars Blush in Gilda

Nars Long Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Rue Bonaparte

The first two products, as you can see from the photos above are from NARS. Now these two products made this a pretty exciting purchase as they are the first things i have ever brought from the brand, it may surprise you that i didn't go for the cult favorites such as 'Laguna' bronzer and 'Orgasm' blush, but they weren't really what i was looking for. I was in desperate need of a new blusher, but didn't want to go down the pink sparkly route that i normally do when buying blusher and Gilda was the perfect product. As you can see from the picture it is a pretty vibrant salmon/ coral colour and i will admit that the thought of using it kind of scared me, but if i use a little and blend it well it looks really lovely and natural and looks even better now that i have a slight tan. The whole non-glittery blush thing means that you would probably have to use a highlighter with it, especially in the evening time.

The second item i brought was a flesh/light coloured eyeliner to put in my waterline as part of my everyday look to brighten up my eyes. Having used this product for a while now, i can happily sit here and tell you that it does the job, im not going to give it holy grail status just yet, as i feel that i could find something better. In terms of it being called a 'Longer Than Life' eyeliner, i'd have to disagree a bit, it doesn't last all day on me and it does need touching, but thats the only down side i can think of.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara + La Roche-Posay Cleansing Gel

Now im not a fan of wearing/ applying false eyelashes, therefore i always buy mascaras that can give me the same amount of intensity minus all the fussing about. For this reason i have always been a huge fan of the Maybelline 'The Falsies' but this Rimmel mascara was on a 2 for 1 offer so i thought id give it a go, and i can't quite believe that im typing these words, but this may replace my beloved Maybelline mascara!! One coat of this, and i have my perfect day time look- defined but not crazy in your face lashes, and on a night out 3-4 coats of this and i may as well be wearing false lashes, and at times have even been asked if i am... i highly highly recommend that you go buy this and give it a try.

Last but certainly not least, i brought myself a face wash. If you have read some of my last posts you will know that i have/ some times still do suffer from acne breakouts. I would normally buy a product that was geard towards acne prone skin, but i decided to give my skin a break from all the harsh stuff, and get the most gentle thing i could find, and that is why i brought the La Roche-Posay Cleansing Gel, and my skin has really thanked me for it. It gets every little bit of my makeup off and doesn't sting or irritate my eyes. I've had very few breakouts since using this product and my skin feels a lot more hydrated then it did before. If you are looking for a bog standard face wash then this is without a doubt my highest recommendation.

Lara x

Acne

Everyday Makeup Routine

14:39

This is a blog post that i have been wanting to put up for a while, but i just haven't had the guts to as it requires me to plaster pictures of myself without makeup on, on the internet; and having suffered with acne, the thought of doing that scares me a bit, but here i am. This is basically just going to be a step by step look at how i do my makeup everyday. This look is what i wear to go to class, shopping, lunch with friends etc. Its incredible simple and natural, which i personally think is what an everyday should be. *Be warned, this will be a picture heavy post*

Here is are the before and after pictures. As you can see in the top picture my acne scaring is quite prominent and i look like i haven't slept in days and in the botom picture, i like to think that you would agree with me in saying that there is a vast improvement. Keep reading to find out how i achieved the end result.

After moisturising using the CVS moisturising lotion for all skin types i apply my Bare Minerals Foundation (Full Bare Minerals makeup review here) I apply this using the Bare Minerals Full Flawless brush, in the buffing action that they tell you to use. I apply this until i have a medium coverage. My acne scaring is never fully covered, but i feel that if i put anymore on i would just look like a cakey mess.

Once i've applied my foundation i move onto my eyes. I always without fail curl my eyelashes, it helps to open up your eyes and make you look more awake, and if you've had a late night, you're going to need all the help you can get; the curlers i use are by tweezerman. I then apply two coats of mascara; i personally like using two different mascaras to get my desired result. I use the YSL Shocking mascara first, which adds volume like no other, and then i use the Clinique High Length mascara, to lengthen and separate my lashes.

Now its time for the eyebrows. I naturally have quite thick and dark eyebrows, but i like to use i bit of eyeshadow to help in the areas where my eyebrows are slightly more sparse (I tried to find out the name of the eyeshadow i use, but was unable to, i can however tell you it is a MAC eyeshadow that's a kind of coffee colour... not that thats much help). I apply the eyeshadow using the Real Techniques brow brush and comb it through using a spooly from MAC.

Next up is what i consider to be the most important step in my routine after applying my foundation... under eye concealer! I use Benefit's Erase Paste in number 3. A little goes a long way with this product, i think i've have mine for something like a year and a half and its still going strong. My first impression with this product was not a good one; when i first started using it, it would look really cakey and crease like nobody's business but having watched many YouTube videos in which this product was i used i realised that i was just putting way too much on. This concealer can help you hide a multitude of sins, no one will ever tell that you had a late night once you put a bit of this on!

Unlike a lot of people, now is the point where i apply my translucent powder, don't ask me why, because, well, i don't have an answer for you, this is just what makes sense to me, but you can apply it at the very end if you wish, i honestly don't think it makes a difference. I use the Laura Mercier Translucent Powder with my Topshop Powder brush. Being translucent it doesn't add any colour or take away colour to/from my face, it simply helps my makeup last longer and stops me from getting shiny; and since im living in Spain, this will be my best friend in a few weeks as the weather will start to warm up.

Bronzer time! This is a step that i will miss out once i get a tan, but in the winter months i like to put a light dust of NARS Laguna bronzer on my cheeks, neck and then blend a bit into my hair line. I don't put a lot on because i'm not really a fan of the tangoed look; sometimes you can't tell that i've even put any on. I apply the bronzer with the Bare Minerals Flawless Face brush.

Now its time to put some colour back into my cheeks. I've been using MAC PeachyKeen since i started wearing makeup, and i haven't really tried anything else. Its the perfect colour for both summer and winter; in summer it enhances my tan, and in winter i just put a little dusk of this on and it just brightens my face up. Now this is a shimmery blush, so if you go crazy with it, you won't look to great, however it does mean just you can get away with not putting a highlighter on.

After i've done all this, i will then go ahead a choose my lip colour for the day, it will normally be a natural lipgloss or lip balm. Below are side profile pictures of me with and without makeup, as you are able to see how the acne scarring on my cheeks is covered up.