November Favourites

So this month has probably been the biggest change in make-up for me this year.  I finally gave up clinging onto Summer and went full force into Christmas.

So the biggest change for me and my first November favourite has to be my foundation.  For a good year or two I've always used Clinique even better, but for this winter I wanted to try something else and picked up after numerous recommendations, Estee Lauder Double Wear £27.50. I was matched to the shade 2C1 Pure Beige.

How I ever lived without this I have absolutely no idea.  The coverage is amazing, it lasts all day, there is no sign of oil at the end of the day, it isn't at all cakey, it doesn't feel or look like I've got a full face of make up on. It's just perfect.

Next up is a primer.  I have always had bad relationships with primers, aside from Porefessional, which even then I ended up mixing with my foundation, I have never found anything that didn't end up doing something to my make up which I didn't want. Until now.
Smashbox Photofinish Primer Light £25.00  is an oil free primer and this one is ideal for oily, acne-prone skin. It helps to reduce the appearance of pores and it has oil absorbers for a smooth matte finish.  I think this works so well for me because its specifically for oily skin which is something I suffer with.  I apply a small pea sized amount of this first before anything else and my make-up lasts all day, and there are no signs of oil or shine. I could not recommend this product enough for anyone who has problems with oily skin or shine. Smashbox have a range of primers for all different skin types/needs and I really would recommend trying one out.  Boots now stock the travel sized versions if you didn't want to splash out on a full size product.

Now for eyes, and I have two favourites.  Benefit's eye bright, which I have already blogged about here so won't bore you again, and Soap and Glory's Supercat Eyeliner Pen in Carbon Black Extreme. I have always always struggled with perfecting the lash line eye liner look.  I hardly ever would attempt to wear it because it would either go completely wrong,  it would smudged all over my eye lid or it would wear off and after a few hours just look like a bad eye shadow job.  Occasionally on nights out I would use a gel eye liner which did work better for me but liquid eye-liner has always been a no go.

I bought this eye-liner after reading a couple of reviews and it is the easiest thing to use.  It looks like a felt tip pen and it draws on so easy and effortlessly, you don't have to worry about having too much product unlike other liquid and gel eye-liners. The best thing is that it stays put and it doesn't fade. I love it and have since been wearing it for work- something I'd never have the time to do first thing on a morning.

My last two favourites are kind of linked together.  Firstly I bought a new Mac Lipstick in Saint Germain £15.00.  It's a perfect pinky liliacy wintery bright shade and have been sporting this on my lips most days.  It just reminds me of snow and glitter and fluffy jumpers and I love it.  To accommodate this I've been looking for a matching blusher and this was quite of a hard task. After so many swatches I finally found a good match with Accessorize Merged Blush in Wowzer £4.95.  I've never really tried any of Accessorize's cosmetics but I was pleasantly surprised. The colour is lovely and it does last.  Its very pigmented and applies really easily with my Real Techniques blusher brush.  It does suit a paler skin tone, I learnt this the hard way after trying to use it when I still had a little bit of fake tan on my face and it just looked like I had a shimmery cheek - not a good look.  But with the right skin tone this really is a lovely bright pinky candy coloured blush and it has since been upgraded to my everyday make up drawers knocking my usual Mac blush out.

I genuinely do love each of these products.  Have you tried anything new this month that you're wondering how you ever lived without?