How to use the Champagne Glow Drops from LimeLife by Alcone

I am not really into highlighters but I have used these Champagne Glow Drops pretty much daily since they were launched. Out of the three colours these for me are the most versatile for all skin tones and skin types and give a glow to skin whatever the age.

Danessa Myricks Light Work Palette

I don't even know who I am anymore. I just bought an entire palette of highlighters, and not just randomly, I got one that everyone is talking about. And so far I love it. No I haven't had a complete personality transplant and started highlighting the end of my nose but for some glow on the cheek bones and cupids bow these are just stunning. But that's not my favourite way to wear them - these are just beautiful on the eye lids especially if you are a fan of the glossy lids trend but can't stand anything sticky on your eyelids.

For those with darker skin tones Light Work Palette II has deeper tones that won't come out ashy on the skin. These aren't the cheapest palettes in the world but the pans are large and I mean, I feel like I won't ever need to buy another highlighter. A little goes a long way and I like to apply this with a soft fluffy brush (I use this No. 19). Now personally I think it's hard to beat a cream highlighter but you get a different kind of finish with a powder and I'd go as far as to say that for a powder highlighter I'm not sure these can be beaten.

What You Need to Know 

• 6 colours
• Soft powder formula
• Vegan and cruelty-free
• Available from Guru Makeup Emporium  and Tilt Makeup

January - April 2018 Favourites

Some of my favourite things that I've been using over the past couple of months. I haven't been trying that many new things recently so would love to hear what you've been loving, or hating.

As I mention in the video I first bought the Clarins Instant Concealer in 2015 and was sent the Travalo in 2011 though it felt like it was longer ago!

All products are listed below and if you haven't already then do go and subscribe to my YouTube channel and come and join my Facebook group.

Heliocare Gel 360 Fluid Cream SPF 50+
Ilia Illuminator in Sway
Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Deep Cream
Clarins Instant Concealer
Burts Bees Vanilla Bean Moisturising Lip Balm
Yunic Floru Nail Varnish
Travalo

Reviews:
Ilia Illuminator
Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Deep Cream
Clarins Instant Concealer
Travalo

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Make-up Shaming

I keep seeing things about make-up shaming. I haven't read them in-depth as, well I haven't really had the chance to read anything apart from Hairy McClary for any length of time in the past few months but a brief skim and I get the point.

With the rise and rise of the statement brow, contouring and Instagram make-up there now seems to be the idea that people should 'stop make-up shaming' which I suppose means that those of us (yes me included) who think that sometimes make-up is taken too far and not applied how we would like to see it applied should stop being so judgemental.

Now this is a dangerous subject and I'm hesitant to write about it but... well I'm going to. Feel free to get involved in the comments section. The pictures are just to illustrate my point. I dashed upstairs on a whim during nap time and slapped this on. One side how I'd do my make-up for a job interview and one with the problems I see regularly. It's not perfectly done and it's basically all the problems I can think of in one go which you don't see that often. Usually the most full-on brows I see are on a basically bare-faced person which makes them even more bizarre. I used pretty much the same make-up on both sides of my face - I used a tinted moisturiser on the normal side and a more full-on on the other and just a brow mascara on the normal side and some brow powder (from a Dark Blonde palette!) on the more full-on side. Eyes, contour and highlight both from the same products. You'll notice the neutral lip... I rarely see a lip and think it was a mistake... it happens, but not often.

Ilia Illuminator

The Ilia Illuminator in Cosmic Dancer was on my wishlist of products to try in 2017 and I was lucky enough to be sent a whole bunch of products to try from Ilia including the illuminators in Sway and Polka Dots & Moonbeams and I've used them both lots since I received them.

Though it's always lovely to be sent exactly the thing you want where's the challenge in that? When I first saw these two I thought I'd try them once and then formulate and opinion as neither would really suit my skin tone but, though I think Cosmic Dancer is probably the right colour for me I have worn the other two a lot. Polka Dots & Moonbeams probably does need skin darker than mine to show up - for those who want a silver-y highlight but Sway is a really pretty way to add a bit of bronzey shimmer to my pale skin and in fact is probably the most universal colour even though it looks scary.

Daniel Sandler Radiant Glow Palette

Every time a trend kicks off all brands jump on the bandwagon and then Daniel Sandler comes up with the grown-up version. Want to try highlighting but don't want to look like a Christmas decoration? Then the Daniel Sandler Radiant Glow palette is a very good place to start.

Developed for eyes and cheeks you can either sweep this all over the face for a beautiful glow or across the tops of the cheeks for a subtle highlight. And what makes it a particular favourite of mine is that it's neutral peach tones mean it's perfect for anyone who may have redness but still wants to achieve a healthy glow.

You can select one of the four shades to use in specific areas - eye lids, inner corner or the top of the cheeks or you can swirl a fluffy brush around the quad and use as a blusher. The colours are beautifully blendable and buildable and universally flattering.

Sleek Makeup Solstice Hightlighting Palette

This palette is one of the biggest releases of 2016 and although I find highlighters pretty resistible I had to try this one out for myself. It's taken longer than expected though as I got stuck on just using the cream colour as an eye base and for a while I didn't get much further. But we're here now. I finally got my bum in gear.

So we should start with the cream product which is the one I've used most. For me if I had to choose I'd always want cream over powder. This is purely personal preference and this palette is popular despite only 1 of the 4 highlighters being cream. A lot of the reviews are from people who prefer powders. It is what it is. They say you can use this on the body. Again I would prefer to use a liquid - I still have a tin of Bettina from Benefit which I use if I need to (and remember).

The cream highlighter, Eclipse, and it's on the top left of the palette. It's a very pretty pale purple colour which, in my opinion, is lovely  used as a base for the eyes but is also the most subtle of the 4 to use on the cheeks. It is unlikely to last all day unless you don't touch your face or speak on the phone at all. But it doesn't last all day on me - but it's great for going out for drinks in the evening.

NYX Wonder Stick - Quick Review - Friday Video

I really love this product, reasonably priced and does the job

Friday Video - Quick Review of Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstar Bronze and Glow

I love this so much I could run off with it...

Available online from Charlotte Tilbury or in Selfridges for those in the UK

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow

I didn't enjoy the run up to Christmas - for various reasons I won't go into but due in part to the most horrific cold I've had in a long time. I had to cancel all my fun early December plans and was generally snotty and abstemious until the 12th by which time I was so behind with the boring bits of Christmas that there was not that much time left to do fun stuff (yes, yes I know, cue tiny little violins).

The outer packaging - which you have to throw out

This is how I came to hop off the tube at Bond Street on my way to meet friends* and head straight into Selfridges with a four year old voucher burning a hole in my pocket and a hankering for some of the new Charlotte Tilbury products. 

I thought I deserved a treat and never having scraped together enough money for the Mulberry bag or Chanel sunglasses I wanted to use the voucher for come really high-end cosmetics for personal use. I'd heard and read some fantastic things about Charlotte Tilbury products and the beautiful, classic packaging made my mind up.

I ended up with three products - Filmstar Bronze & Glow, Charlotte's Magic Cream and the Retoucher (reviews on the other two to follow). I have to say you do pay for the packaging - a lot of which you throw away but it's been incredibly well thought out and produced, I almost didn't want to put it in the bin, but that's where it has to end up which and I'd rather not have all the disposable packaging and pay less.

The actual case. Nice isn't it!

I was originally going to get the gold Bar of Gold highlighter but was instead persuaded to try the Filmstar Bronze & Glow face sculpt and highlight and having tried it on there really was no decision to be made. Yes the Bar of Gold may be really lovely to have in your kit for photographic shoots and the more glamorous looks but as this was a personal, rather than a work purchase, the Filmstar Bronze & Glow was much subtler and more wearable and I often contour my face so it's wonderful to have something that does the job so beautifully. It really does transform your face. As long as you blend, blend, blend.

This is now available in two colour options light to medium and medium to dark. Although I usually prefer a matte colour to use as a sculpt this has a lovely tone - you just need to be careful with your blending - and the darker contour powder is beautiful on its own as a bronzer.

The gold-based highlighter is beautiful - very subtle and glamorous. This set is definitely for those who like a classic style of make-up and have a bit of money to spend as it's £49 for 16g of product so not cheap.

I really love this and I would like to keep in my collection, whether I can afford to at that price remains to be seen. I'll also be interested to see how long it lasts and whether it breaks up eventually, as so often happens with products in beautiful packages. There's no denying a lot of thought and time has been put into the new Charlotte Tilbury range and this is one of the products where it really shows. If you try one thing from the range this would be the one to go for I think.

What You Need to Know - Filmstar Brzone & Glow

• £49 for 16g
• Two colours available - light to medium (the original) and medium to dark
• Paraban free
• Available online and at Selfridges

* for supper at Canteen on the South Bank - lovely and fun but I had completely lost my sense of taste so I have no idea what my Mac Cheese tasted like but I'm assuming it was delicious

UPDATED JANUARY 2017

Strobe Cream

My rather long silence is due to me being on an Intensive Guide to Make-up Artistry course at the London College of Fashion and the intensive part is no lie. I'm exhausted. I'd had rather an optimistic plan to blog the course like a diary but some how I just don't think that's going to happen. I do, however, have a definite favourite stand out product that we've been using on the course that I think is just fantastic.

Mac's Strobe Cream can be used as a moisturiser or with foundation and gives a lovely dewiness to the skin that is wonderful in photographs without being shiny. Because of the light reflecting qualities is reduces the appearance of fine lines and open pores. For anyone doing photo shoots or wedding make up this is a real must have.

A Little Sparkle

I have to say I am really sick of the Christmas shopping - I usually love it but am a total pauper this year, the crowds are completely out of control and it's getting harder and harder to know what people want. But this has been a great year for a bit of sparkle (remember the sparkly hair clips?). I may not know what other people want having been on a massive pre-Christmas shopping ban I saw so many things that I want. A word of warning - if you are retail starved don't think that you can just wander into Cath Kidston and not immediately want to hand over your credit card (or debit card in my case) even the tea towels are irresistible.

Miss M had to drag away from the NARS Glitter Pencils on Saturday. They come in eight colours by my favourite is Area (black with gold glitter) and Mudd Club (beige with gold glitter). They are £18.50 each but these are chunky pencils which will last for ages. The lighter colours 54 and Roxbury can also be used to highlight the cheeks. I can't stop thinking about them.

No 7's Highlighter is made up of champagne, platinum and gold powder to add highlights and sparkle to the face or body. There are so many different kinds of highlighters and illuminators around at the moment but this is great for general application and it won't break the bank at £13. It's perfect for taking to work to streak on your cheeks when you have to go straight out afterwards. For those of you wanting to spend a bit more on your highlighter Givenchy's Limited Edition Prisme Solitaire highlighting face powder is £28 - not only is this a great facial highlighter but for those of you brave enough to go strapless in this weather it looks great on the top of you shoulders.

I'm still a huge fan of Benefit's High Beam but for those lucky people with a less pasty complexion Moon Beam is a more golden pink. They both last for ages so well worth the £15.50. When I'm finally allowed to add to my sparkle collection I would love to try the Jemma Kid's Dual Illuminator (£12.50). It has cream highlighter in one end and shimmer dust in the other and best of all it's portable for another great Christmas party back up. Now go forth and sparkle xx

Time For Your Close Up

Sorry for the silence since before Christmas. It was a fabulous time in the Miss B household and I have to say that getting back into work took more mental and physical exertion than I would have predicted. But I've conquered the first week back (bonus and pay-rise free) and woke up this morning for the first time since the 1st not feeling too much like death. So HAPPY NEW YEAR. I hope you all had a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year and lets hope 2007 is as good, if not better, than 2006. I have to say I'm hoping for the latter.

So back to it for me and I think the story that I have noticed most this weekend (hard to miss when its on the front page of a lot of papers), is the Kate Middleton/Princess Di connection. Palace lawyers are trying to protect Kate from the paps and the tabloids for fear of her encountering the same problems as her boyfriends mother who was infamously 'chased to her death' by the paps. However, Princess Di, although constantly pursued always came across wonderfully in the papers. Even during a scandal she kept her grace. Can Kate do the same?

I have to say I think its a bit of a shame that the lawyers have been bought in already. Yes, there are rumours of engagement but Princess Di (no matter what you think of her) was a special woman. A Queen of Hearts no less. However, when receiving a parking ticket in Chelsea last week we did not have the fuming 'do-you-know-who-I-am' royal girlfriend. Instead, Kate looked slightly miffed but then smiled sweetly and got on with it. I realise that at times the paps have got completely out of control, however, there has to be a certain amount of press involvement for any one getting involved with a royal, and I'm sure this would be the case even if Kate herself was of royal blood. It kind of comes with the territory.

I think a decision has to be made. To get on with it and accept that whatever you do will be of interest to the press but then they will lose interest if you don't do anything hugely exciting. Or get out while you can. It sounds harsh but I think when it comes to being involved with royalty, once you've made your bed you're pretty much going to have to lie in it. But if you are going to be photoed at every event, even the receiving of a parking ticket, how can you look your best for minimum effort, because lets face it, its not always necessary to slather it on when going down the shops for some milk.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Benefit's Lemon Aid is fabulous whether you have five hours to do your make-up or five minutes. You can either use it as a base or you can use it almost as a shadow - you can put your eyeliner straight on over the top. Although I love No 7's Opal eye shadow. For something extremely subtle the Body Shop's eyeshadow in Buttercup is barely there but gives a nice shimmer. No 7's Oyster is also really soft and goes perfectly with brown eyeliners. If you are going for the lighter eyeshadows (which will keep your eyes looking bright in case of a run in with a photographer) a brown eyeliner is best. It defines but isn't quite so 'look-at-me' as my old favourite the black liquid liner. Benefit's Eye Sketching Pencil in Sable is perfect for this and comes with a sponge tip for smudging and blending. Miss S who is queen of the subtle make-up recommends Clinque Cream Shaper for Eyes in Brown Sugar. It accentuates without being to OTT.

I always recommend Masterpiece mascara (and probably always will til someone tops it) but Pump Up the Volume by Bourjois which is fabulous. As I've said before it needs to be open for a little to settle but then it does exactly what it says on the packet. A good pair of eyelash curlers never go amiss either, Courtney Cox swears by them!

Depending on what your skin type is I am of the opinion that if you can get away without foundation then go for it. If you can get away with just a light tinted moisturiser instead that too is a bonus. However, how often have you looked at photos of yourself and wished you'd spent another hour with your make-up. The flash inevitably means that all the flaws are highlighted so a nice smooth foundation of light tinted moisturiser is definately the way forward. Again I'd recommend Rimmel's Cool Matte Foundation is great especially if you damp your sponge before application. Its really smooth and will not end up making you look like Jodie Marsh at an awards ceremony.

With or without foundation Benefit's Dandelion blusher is great. It gives a healty glow rather than a hot flush. As with all blushers, however, it is necessary to go lightly!

Benefit's High Beam is also great. Unlike other skin shimmers it is really sublte and can be worn during the day without fear of making you feel like a disco queen! I like to use it on the cheek bones and just under the arch of the eyebrows. This will (or should at least!) add to the healthy look.

Now lips are always a problem. I tend to try and obey by the rule 'dramatic eyes or dramatic lips' but as we're going for the all over fresh subtle look then you can't do much better than Clinique's Glosswear Lipgloss in Nude. It gives you a bit of shimmer and a bit of a plump but, as the colour implies, is a far cry from the Christina/Gwen post box red! But for those who can't stand the inevitable hair-in-gloss-and-then-on-face incident, Bourjois new Doctor Glamour lipstick comes in Rose retabli is great. Benefit's Benetint is also good but must be applied lightly (unless you are going for all out red lips in which case it is brilliant on its own or as a base) as it is a stain rather than a lipstick. It now comes in a handy 'pocketpal' format with the stain at one end and gloss at the other. I received this for Christmas thanks to Miss J, so I can now have the real thing in my handbag.

Good luck in front of those cameras ladies (and boys). Believe me I need all the help I can get!! xx