August Favourites!

I survived my second month of posting every single day, I picked up some new beauty products I never knew I needed and I said goodbye to some products which just weren't working for me. The following products found a new little place in my heart during August and I want to let you in on these little secrets!

Here are the products I tried, tested and fell in love with in August...

The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly is possibly the best concealer i've tried in a very long time. It passed the pale test with flying colours, doesn't cake and looks beautifully natural on. My new HG concealer!

The Bourjois Cream Blush in Healthy glow is a coral blush that applies like a cream and sets like a powder. It gives a beautiful accent colour on pale skin and when I'm creating a simple make up look, this is always my blusher of choice!

The Mac velvet Teddy Lipstick provides the ultimate 90's lip and is going to be a key trend this Autumn as the colder weather draws in. I've had so much fun experimenting with this shade and I'm looking forward to wearing it thoughout autumn with some cosy knitwear.

So that's it for this month's favourites post! Have you tried any of these products?  I'd love to hear what products you fell in love with in August and maybe I'll pick them up in September! Let me know in the comments...

Em xxx

My Top 5 Nude Lip Products For Pale Skin

The Nude Lip is a firm favourite of mine and as Autumn draws in, I feel it's a colour i'll be reaching for more often. I love how easy nude lips are to wear and how versatile they really are. I've shopped my make up stash, and after an afternoon of swatching, I've settled on My Top 5 pale skin friendly nude lip products.

1. Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick - Nude-ist* £8.99

So, pushing the boundaries of the word 'nude' the Bourjois Roude Edition velvet in Nude-ist is more so on the pink/rose end of the nude spectrum, but it's scraped into the top 5. I like to wear this shade with a basic eye as it finishes a look perfectly without washing you out too much with a nude on nude look. I'm a massive fan of the wet lipstick application, and I recommend building it up in light layers for an eve coverage.

2. Mac Matte Lipstick - Velvet Teddy £15.50

If you're hunting for that illusive Kylie Jenner lipstick, then look no further as this is the shade for you. Velvet Teddy is a gorgeous nude shade that is the lipstick of the moment and I've jumped on the bandwagon unashamedly. I'm just beginning to experiment with this shade and I love how it looks so far.

3. Soap & Glory Super-Colour Sexy Mother Pucker Lipgloss - Half Naked £9.00

The Sexy Mother Pucker Lipgloss 'plumping' lip gloss range are almost like the Marmite of the make up world. Some people love the tingling and plumping sensation, while others can't stand it. I quite like the tingles as you wear this product and the colour pay off is great. However, be prepared for lipgloss hair whilst wearing this product, as they are on the sticky side. 

4.Bourjois Shine Edition Lipstick - #26 Beige Demographic* £7.99

You may have previously seen this one in my Top 5 Everyday Lipsticks for Pale Skin. The Bourjois Shine Edition Nude lipstick is actually the perfect pale skin 'my lips but better' shade and to top it off this range has a great formula which is made up from 1/4 gloss! 

5. MUA Cosmetics Matte Lipstick - Totally Nude £1.00

I love nude lipsticks and I love a bargain, so the MUA Cosmetics Lipstick in Totally Nude went straight into my basket as soon as I saw it in Superdrug. What I love about this shade as it's a really easy grab and go lipstick by itself, however when paired with a darker nude lipstick such as Velvet Teddy, you can create a beautiful Ombre Nude lip. It's £1.00 well spent and a must have for nude lipstick fans.

So these are my top 5 nude lipsticks from my stash. I'd love to hear which is your favourite, let me know in the comments and I'll try and create a look based on the most popular!

Em xxx

Concealers For Pale Skin: Pale Test #9 - Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

I get asked on an almost daily basis which foundations and concealers are the best for pale skin tones, and this series is going to explore all different types of  products from varying brands and at all price levels which will hopefully help you to make a decision on which foundation and concealer is right for you! 

In universal skin tone terms.. I'm an NC15 in Mac. However, Mac isn't really doing it for me at the moment, so i'm on the hunt for a replacement that will be the perfect foundation for My Pale Skin. 

Product: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer - Chantilly

Price: £22.00

Packaging:  The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer comes in a sturdy plastic tube with a matte black twist lid. For application the product comes with a Doe Foot applicator.

Coverage: I'd say that the product gives a medium - full coverage.

Colour:  Shade Chantilly is the lightest of the range. It's a yellow under toned pale concealer and quite possibly the lightest base product I've come across in a very long time. I may have let out a little squeal when I swatched it for the first time.

Finish:  I found the Radiant Creamy Concealer gives an almost satin finish. It's not quite matte, and certainly not dewy, but simply the best of both worlds. Once blended it gives a beautiful natural finish that covers imperfections and dark circles.

Final Verdict: It's official. I'm in love. The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer has PASSED the pale test with flying colours. I love everything about this concealer and let me just start by telling you about the colour. I never thought I'd see the day where I had to circle around a swatch of concealer because you can't tell where it's applied. Not only is the colour spot on, but it blends out beautifully and gives the most natural diffused appearance. I thought the collection Lasting perfection concealer was good until I tried this one, and I was simply blown away at how incredible this product is. Although it's fairly pricey at £22.00, It's so worth every penny and if you have pale skin like me - hunt it down and give it a swatch as It's an absolute game changer for me.

As Always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this concealer or what you'd like me to try next, let me know in the comments.
Em xxx

Mac Velvet Teddy Review

The Mac Velvet Teddy Matte Lipstick, may just be 'the' lipstick of the moment. With the dark nude Kylie Jenner lips trend currently in full swing I dived straight in and made sure I picked up this shade on my recent trip to Mac.

The funny thing about Velvet Teddy is how different it appears depending on your skin tone On my pale skin it appeared as more of a warm brown nude, but on others it can appear more of a peachy nude shade.

The downside with matte lipstick's is that they can sometimes dry out your lips, be difficult to apply and fade unevenly if you haven't freshly exfoliated your lips. However Mac seem to have the matte formula nailed. I found that by pairing this shade with Mac Whirl lip liner it matched perfectly and gave me a perfect outline and base.

The colour pay off on Velvet Teddy is amazing, and I'd expect no less from Mac. Just one swipe of the product gives an even smooth finish and the lasting power of this product is great. I wore this shade to the Bloggers Love Pre Party and throughout the night (4 hours) even with drinks, the colour did not budge!

Velvet Teddy is possibly my new favourite mac lipstick and I've a few looks featuring it i'll be sharing with you soon! 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this shade! Let me know in the comments.

Em xxx

Back to School Make Up For Pale Skin!

With September just around the corner and school soon back in full force, I've had a few emails asking me about make up products which are Pale Skin friendly but pass the 'teacher test'. Many schools either have a strict no make up policy, or 'discreet make up only' rule, which vastly differs from when I was in school and used to turn up with thick black eyeliner on everyday... *cringe*.

I wanted to keep the products in this post as affordable as possible, not every pre-teen or teenage girl can afford a make up bag full of high end products, (I know I couldn't) I've tried my best to take that into consideration with these products. The goal with these products are to go as undetected as possible, and look as natural as possible to avoid that hellish experience of being given a packet of face wipes and told to take your make up off.

Foundation - Mac Prep & Prime BB Cream, Extra Light £24.00
Foundation is the product that most of us can't live without, but the most likely area a teacher will catch you out. I'm guilty as hell of wearing slightly too orange foundation whilst I was in High School (Dream Matte Mousse anyone?) so for a base product I recommend a tinted moisturizer or BB Cream such as the Mac Prep & Prime BB Cream in Extra Light. Now, I know I said I wanted to keep these products affordable, but I've yet to find a really good drugstore BB Cream, So if you're going to invest in a product - try this one, At £24.00 it's the most expensive item on the list, but a little goes a long way.

Concealer - Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer £22.00 or Collection Lasting Perfection £4.19
An option for all price ranges. I think both are great products, with the collection lasting perfection concealer being a bloggers favourite 'dupe' of the pricier Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. Both offer a medium - full coverage which can be built upon, and by teaming a light foundation with a higher coverage concealer, you'll have full coverage on the areas that need it, meaning you'll have a lighter finish.

Powder - Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - Translucent  £3.99
Powder can be a girls best friend, or your worst enemy if you go overboard. I like to use the Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Translucent to set my concealer and my T Zone. It's a staple product to my make up bag and so super affordable.

Blusher - MUA Cosmetics, Blush Perfection Cream Blusher - Dolly £2.00
If you haven't tried any of the MUA Cosmetics blushers before, then do it! For only £2.00 this is a great natural blusher than when applied with either your ring finger or a stippling brush will give you a gorgeous natural hue to your cheeks, without looking over the top.

Brows - Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil - £2.99
To enhance your natural brows, I'd recommend the Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil. When It comes to passing the teacher test, less is more here. I wouldn't advise going in with a full power brow, but some soft strokes and brushing through your brows will give you a natural full finish.

Eyeshadow - Make Up Revolution Salvation Palette, What you waiting for? - £6.00

What I love about the Make Up Revolution Salvation Palette is that it's affordable, has great wear-ability and you get so many shades for you money. My advice on this palette, is to keep it simple and matte with a dab of shimmer in the centre of your lids blended out for a wide awake look. 

Mascara - Collection Colour Lash Mascara - Brown  £1.99
I've chosen a Brown Mascara for this product list and one which doesn't clump, or give too much volume. The Collection Colour Lash Mascara is a bargain at £1.99, and as it's a brown product, will not be overly harsh on pale skin to give the make up game away.

Lips - Carmex Lip Balm - £2.69, Body Shop Born Lippy Tinted Lip Balm - £3.00 Clinique Chubby Stick - Free with Glamour Magazine (July) Or £17.00
For lips, I've included 3 different products, you have a basic moisturising lip balm, such as the Carmex Lip Balm, what I like about this product as it can almost pass as a clear lip gloss, but is a balm if you're questioned on it. The Body shop born lippy tinted lip balm is a low key lip balm but offers a smidgen of colour to even out the tone of your lips and keep them conditioned and finally i've included the Clinque chubby stick if you're feeling spendy and also as a reminder to check the free gifts that often come with magazines! Sometime's you can get pretty lucky.

I hope this post was useful and thanks so much to those who requested it. I hope it helps you prepare to head back to school! Are there any products you'd recommend to those heading back to school? Let me know in the comments! 

Em xxx

#BLFW Bloggers Love Fashion Week - Pre Party Recap.

Bloggers Love Fashion Week is back! If you haven't seen the #BLFW hashtag floating around on twitter just yet, then brace yourself for the influx of posts, tweets and messages surrounding it. 

Bloggers Love Fashion Week is an event created by Danielle from Bloggers Love in which brands, bloggers and fashionistas can connect and meet in a trendy environment. This is the second BLFW event and I'm super excited to be a V.I.B this time! Bonded by the love of all things fashion and beauty related at Bloggers Love Fashion Week you can expect to make new friends, pick up new skills and check out new collections from known and up and coming brands alike. 

I headed to The Pre Party Monday night to meet some new faces and say hi to some familiar ones. There were some great stands at the event including a Photography booth run by the talented Emily Darcy Adams, a Blogger Speed dating booth organised by the beautiful Zaineb from Zeena Xena (founder of Blogging Gals) as well as a vlogging booth and blogging tips booth to gain some great advice!

There were some gorgeous collections on show from the likes of Ellie Air, Vania Couture, Syreeta Badu and Eleanor Linden and a fabulous selection of sweet treats on offer. I had a great time at the pre party and am so excited for what's in store next week at Day One and Two!

Are you attending Bloggers Love Fashion Week? Let me know in the comments and hopefully I'll see you there!

Em xxx

Save or Spurge #1: U.D Electric Palette Vs. MUA Poptastic Palette.

 

I've started a new series on My Pale Skin called 'Learning To Love Colour' and I'm hoping to break out of my 'boring make up' shell and experiment a little more with make up looks and be a little more daring. I recently picked up the Urban Decay Electric Palette, and had fun experimenting with it.  The Electric Palette is a thing of beauty, but if you're not sure if colour is right for you, then why not try out a dupe for a fraction of the price?

For today's Save or Splurge post, I'm seeing how the MUA Poptastic Palette measures up in comparison.

Splurge

Product: Urban Decay Electric Palette

Price: £38.00

Shadows: 10 

Save

Product: MUA Poptastic Palette

Price: £4.00

Shadows: 12 

Now the MUA Poptastic Palette isn't a like for like dupe of the Electric Palette as some shades differ, but it does offer a selection that are fairly close.

As you can see, the shades aren't perfect carbon copies but they do come fairly close... although with a downside. The MUA palette shades feel a lot different - the shades are much chalkier, have a coarser level of glitter throughout and do give a fair amount of fall out. I also found that they applied unevenly where as the Electric Palette shades apply so much more smoothly with barely any fall out.

One of the big differences I noticed between the two products is in the application and blending. The shades in the Electric Palette are more pigmented and blend out with minimal effort to create smooth transitions, where as with the Poptastic palette, you will have to work that little bit harder to get the colours to blend.

There's quite a big difference in price between the two palettes, with the Electric Palette coming in at almost 10x the price... which leaves me with the question - Is it 10x better?

Packaging - Yes. The Electric palette has the most satisfying magnetic 'click' when it closes, it feels a lot sturdier and well made. The Poptastic palette feels cheap and flimsy in comparison.

Colour - I'm not sure if I can say the colours are 10x better, but they are richer.

Application - As a colour newbie, I did find the Electric Palette much easier to apply. There was less fall out, and they blended more easily. However, does that justify a 10x price increase? I'd say that it depends on what look you're creating. If you're after a really smooth bright eye look, you'd find it a lot harder to get the same look using the Poptastic palette. If all you're after is a simple pop of colour, then I'd save and pick up the dupe.

Both of these Palettes have positive and negatives, and are both welcome additions to my collection. However, if you're really looking to add colour to your life and I had to recommend just one palette, in this instance I'd say to splurge and pick up the Electric Palette as it's worth every penny. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on these palettes! Have you tried either? let me know in the comments.

Em xxx

Why Life Is too short for matching socks... & other blogging musings.

Running a daily blog, numerous social media channels, being a girlfriend, friend and working a full time job all at the same time means something has to give at some point. For me that thing is matching socks, ironing and making my bed. Granted the previous sentence makes me sound like one hell of a slob, but I can safely say I'm only part slob.

Since I switched to posting daily on My Pale Skin, I've had to make some adjustments to my life, daily routine and schedule. When you work around 50 hours a week and then spend a further 30+ blogging, you learn (or attempt to learn) how best to manage your time and how to make time work for you rather than make yourself race against it.

Essentially, the decisions I'm in control of, in life, boil down to a few questions...

1. Will it make my life easier?
2. What could I be doing instead?
3. Will I get longer in bed?

Now, i'm not saying these three questions will change the world, boost your blog readership or make you queen blogger... but what they can do, is help you to reevaluate how you spend your time to make life easier and more productive. So as an example, let's try out those 3 questions - against the question and scenario of "Should I pair my socks?"

1. Will pairing my socks make my life easier?
In theory, if you like to show of your little sockles, pairing them will make your life easier. However, if like me, you constantly live in jeans and biker boots or ankle boots and can't remember the last time another human being (minus your bf/gf/roommate) even saw your socks, then why waste that time pairing them all up when you can be doing something else instead...

2. What Could I be doing instead of Pairing my Socks?
Writing a blog post, scheduling tweets, editing photos, taking your make up off... the list goes on...

3. Will I get longer in bed?
If you put your laundry away before you go to bed, then the answer is yes. The earlier you get your chores done, the earlier you get to bed. If i'm super tired and putting laundry away at midnight, and i have the decision of pairing a mountain of socks or getting to sleep earlier... sleep wins every time.

Now, i'm not saying you should judge every decision you make in life by these questions but instead to use them in situations where they could be applicable. If you're a long time reader of My Pale Skin, then you'll know that I often struggle to "get out more" and i'm doing my best to learn 'how to friend' as an adult. Sometimes you need to go against short term goals to reach the long term goals and if that means sacrificing a lie in on a Saturday to go to a blogger meet up, or going out for a few drinks after work instead of participating in the blogger chat that night, or vice versa, then don't worry about what the 'norm' is and do what works for you!

One of the things I often forget is that in order to truly write about and appreciate life, you have to live it for yourself and not just read about it. I've been trying my hardest to make the most out of life, and organize around it instead of making my life work against my organization. So far, this seems to be working, I haven't missed a day since I begain blogging daily and these 3 little questions have helped me.

So embrace the random things that life throws at you, go against what the 'norm' is and do what works for you. If that means an extra ten minutes in bed and socks that don't match? Do it. If that means staying in to talk to online friends rather than 'real life friends' do that too! 

If you had an extra 20 minutes each week to do something, what would you drop, and what would do with that time? Let me know in the comments as i'd love to hear!

Em xxx

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet - Grand Cru Review

If you're looking for a deep matte lipstick, then the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet* Lipstick in Grand Cru might just be the product for you! 

I have to say that I love how easy these lipsticks are the apply. They go on like a gloss and dry to a beautiful matte shade which isn't drying, but actually does feel like velvet on your lips. However, I would recommend the use of a lip liner to be worn with this shade to make sure you get a sharp edge around your lips as I did find it hard to get a clean line as the product is so dark against my pale skin.

The Grand Cru is a new addition to the Rouge Velvet Line, and it's deep tones make for a perfect date night lipstick. I think this shade would look gorgeous with a sleek ponytail and a little black dress. 

I look forward to experimenting with it and seeing what looks I can create with it!

Where would you wear this shade? Let me know in the comments.

Em xxx

Learning to Love Colour #3

As a 'Pale Kid' there's nothing that frightens me more than colour. If you've seen my previous posts Learning to Love Colour & A Bold & Gold Make Up Look then you may have seen the start of my little exploration into embracing pale skin and bright make up and my feeble attempts to not wear a 'boring' nude lipstick and a black wing every day...

I recently picked up the Urban Decay Electric Palette and after just staring at it for what seemed like ages, I finally picked up the courage to give it a shot. I admit, as soon as I put the first colour on my eyes, I thought 'what have I done?' However, I stuck with it and created this look. I don't think I've ever worn such bright colours before, and I certainly don't have the courage just yet to wear it outside on a daily basis... but i'm learning, experimenting and trying new things. That's all that matters... I hope.

Here's the Product list of what I'm wearing

Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow - Siberia 

Concealer: Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

Contour: NYX Taupe Blusher

Eyebrows: Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade - Taupe & Medium Brown

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Electric Palette

Eyeliner: Bourjois Contour Clubbing Waterproof Eyeliner Ultra Black*

Mascara: Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde  Mascara*

Eyelashes: Eylure Texture 154

Lips: Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick - Pink Pong*

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this look! Let me know what you think in the comments!

Em xxx