my travel makeup bag.

Today I'm off to Palermo for a long weekend with my lovely friends S. and Elena for some much needed time off. I'm always awfully curious about other people's makeup bags and travel choices so I thought you might like to have a nose around my picks. Even if working as a makeup artist has tought me a lot about packing smart and streamlining my makeup bag, the impulse to bring everything but the kitchen sink is still pretty strong, although I'm pretty satisfied with how everything came out - I'm taking the plane of course, so most of this stuff has been depotted or decanted obviously -.

For skincare I made sure to pack the Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado (£20), which is my current favourite eye cream. It makes such a difference with the way my concealer blends and lasts under the eyes and I can't really be without it. I also packed the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream (£9), a thick yet fast-absorbing moisturizer for sensitive and dry complexions that should keep my skin in check in spite of the dry airplane air with ease. A mini bottle of Garnier Micellar Water (£4.99) is perfect for a quick cleanse in the morning but I also brought with me a little bit of Oskia Renaissance Cleanser (£28) as it's fantastic both to melt off heavy makeup and clear out my skin, getting rid of grime and dead skin cells in a matter of seconds. Another product I can't leave without is the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concetrate (£36). This is one of the best night oils I've come across as it makes my skin feel lovely and taken care of, while helping to heal blemishes and soothe redness and sensitivity. Finally, I poured into a tiny spray bottle a wee bit of the gorgeous Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist (£18) , which is just lovely to prep the skin before makeup or even to add a touch of dewiness to the base. It's packed with hyaluronic acid, oat and vitamins to plump the skin and keep it hydrated during the day. I'm obsessed with this stuff!

As for makeup, I really just threw all my current favourites in the bag. I've recently spoke - here - of my love for the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (£22), which is just a great do-it-all concealer and I absolutely adore the luminous finish. For the base, I depotted a bit of Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation (£29.50) and some Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue (£26), as I like to have an option in the morning and a medium-full coverage base and a sheer hydrating alternative are just perfect for my needs.
Eyeshadow wise I new I wanted to carry a palette with me, as they are much more convenient than single shades, and in the end I settled for two Charlotte Tilbury offerings that are quite versatile and perfect for both day and evening looks. My picks are the Golden Goddess for a natural makeup and the Vintage Vamp (£38), which is just gorgeous and perfect for autumn. The Make Up For Ever Sculpting Blush #12 (£29) complements those colours perfectly and I'm just in love with the shade. It really suits my fair complexion and blends like a dream. To finish off the base I also slipped in my makeup bag a mini Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal (£30). I haven't dipped my paws in it yet but I'm sure it'll add a beautiful glow to my cheeks.
Finally, lip products are probably the hardest thing to cut down for me but I think I've done pretty well with just a nude option, a medium reddish pink for the day and a dark offering should I feel a little more daring - my picks are respectively Bitch Perfect (£23), Walk of Shame (£23) and Glastonberry (£23), all by Charlotte Tilbury, you know I love her lipstick range.

Lastly, I also packed a small bottle of Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne (£42), since these days I never leave the house with a spritz of perfume and this is one of my favourite scents of all time. It's warm and brisk like the wintry seaside, simply perfect for this time of the year.

Have you tried any of these products?

***

october favourites.

I'm not sure what happened to October, I feel like this year has completely flown by and I can't quite keep up. Am I the only one that feels like this? On one hand I wish time would slow down, but on the other hand I'm so excited for Christmas, the decorations, the gifts... Anyways, today I'm sharing my favourites round-up and I promise it's a good one. It's all about a flawless base and my signature glow.

We all know my love for Charlotte Tilbury and her lovely makeup range runs deep, and her Magic Foundation (£29.50) is just the most recent swoon-inducing addiction to my stash. It's medium coverage, although is quite easy to build in those problematic areas, it leaves a soft glow to the skin and stays put for so long, which is perfect for busy days. I'm super impressed with this formula and it's definitely one to look at if you're after a new base.

The Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue (£26) is always an amazing choice for easy days. It makes my skin look even and glowy but never sweaty, unlike other tinted moisturizers, and it doesn't feel heavy at all. It blends really easily too, so it's the perfect base if you're in a rush, and overall it feels like 8 glasses of water for your skin, so it's great for those who have dry skin and could use a little help during the colder months.

Recently I went back to using the classic NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (£22) and honestly I'm still trying to figure out why I stopped using this stuff, because is seriously uh-mazing. It's long lasting and luminous, covers redness, pigmentation and dark circles with ease and even if you happen to top up during the day it never goes cakey. I can't believe I forgot how lovely this concealer is.

For my eyes, I also went back to an old favourite, the NARS Alhambra Eyeshadow Duo (£25) which is easily my favourite combo for a brightening, doe-eye look. It's a pretty pale pink and golden champagne duo, buttery and silky soft, that makes my eyes pop and works well as a single wash of colour with a simple eyeliner flick or with a soft brown gently blended into the crease. It's so easy and simple but it's a lovely look nonetheless.

Another product I have a lot of love for is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in  Luminous Bronze (£42) - my favourite to add a hint of warmth to my complexion at the minute. I won't rant about the gorgeous formula as I've raved about it in at least 100 different blogging occasions, but this bronzer is incredibly soft and blendable, and absolutely dreamy to work with. The lightest touch of a brush is all you need to give the skin a beautiful airbrushed radiance and is pale enough for my fair skin. Me love.

Last but not least, the Smith & Cult Nail Polish in Bitter Buddist (£19) is one of the best polishes I've come across. It's a pretty muted jade, like a dusty sea foam shade, that's creamy, goes opaque in two thin coats and lasts over a week on my nails. It's quite an expensive nail polish and I'm trying so hard not to buy ten other shades, as I'm absolutely obsessed with both the lovely bottle and the formula.

What have you been loving recently?

***