Krystal /

Daily Make-up Essentials

 

As a young woman, I own tons of make-up from lots of brands. It’s taken a good while to figure out exactly what I like and what works best for me, but these products are the winners right now:

1. Marc Jacobs Beauty Genius Super-Charged Foundation

I can honestly say it has taken me years to find a liquid foundation I’m happy with – particularly because I have such a pale skin tone. Before it was discontinued, I loved Bobbi Brown’s liquid foundation in Alabaster, but knowing I’d have to search for something new for a more permanent basis, I figured start with designers I already love (even if that is their clothing and perfumes). Long awaited, and still not available in the UK, The Marc Jacobs Beauty range is probably one of my favourites right now – as you’ll see by the many choices of his I’ve got in this selection.

This foundation glides on so easily and is a surprising true match to my skin tone – which effectively lets me wear the “no make-up make-up” look. I’ve never been a fan of caked on faces – partly because it’s never good to paste your skin with anything that’ll potentially harm or ruin it over time. What I do like is a natural, flawless look which can be dressed up and down according to the occasion – and this foundation is light enough it lets me do just that.

This foundation is really good value for money – you only need one squirt to get even coverage across your face and the bottle lasts approximately 6 months (which I can say with confidence, having just finished my first one which I started in September).

2. Marc Jacobs Beauty Perfection Powder with The Face II: Sculpting Foundation Brush No.2

Of course, knowing how I fell in love with the Marc Jacobs foundation in Chicago, I decided My next trip to the States I may as well try the powder which goes with it. Not only is it sealed in the most chic, classic black palette with a large inside mirror, the texture itself is so soft. When put on with the Sculpting Foundation Brush, I find it finishes off my look flawlessly before adding the details. It can even be used along instead of foundation if you so wish.

3. Creme de la Mer The Radiant Concealer

Every girl and woman needs a good concealer, and with my long, irregular shift patterns at work, this concealer is one of the best for hiding any potential showing tiredness. Team this with a Lucozade Original and I’m set to go.

4. Bobbi Brown Desert Rose Blush 324

A bit of blush goes a long way – and by little, I mean A LITTLE. The clowned-rag doll look is sooooo out. A little blush with a light colour such as this adds warmth to a pale skin tone like mine. For a little extra oomph in the evenings, lightly dust over a Bobbi Brown shimmer brick.

5. Shavata Brow Perfector

I’m a firm believer that eyebrows can make or break a face – in the same way a haircut can. Neat brows not only do wonders for confidence, but also frame your face perfectly with the angled arch.

This brow set is great for really defining the shape as well as darkening or lightening your brows.

6. Marc Jacobs Beauty Magic Marc-er Precision Pen

Anyone who’s read my blog previously will remember my search for the perfect black eye liner. I think I can confidently say I’ve finally found it. Simply put, this pen acts in the same way as a felt tip – and NEVER dries out. Press lightly for a thin line or drag heavily for a thicker one. If you need more “ink” just shake it. Absolutely no smudges and it’s waterproof.

7. Benefit They’re Real Mascara

This is probably one of the best mascaras I’ve tried so far. With a couple of coats my lashes look longer – and it saves heaps of time instead of trying to attach fake ones at 6am before work – which let’s face it, would probably end in a glued-eye disaster.

Krystal /

Having already introduced you to my morning regime, it was only right to do part two: my skin's nighttime needs.

Here are my go to products for your nighttime routine:

Skincare Routine: Nighttime necessities

Skincare Routine: Nighttime necessities by krystal-scanlon

 

Sometimes after a long day, you really just can't be bothered to go through the motions of completing a long skincare routine. However as tired as you are, if you want to have good skin with minimal problems, it's best not to do the lazy thing and sleep in your make-up. I've come up with a few options for this – even some for those lazy days. On a normal night I'd still continue to use a facial cleansing wash, such as the Elemis Pro-Radiance Cleanser above. I find it just gives you that really fresh feeling before bed. However, for those nights when that seems like too much effort, I opt for the Elemis Soothing Chamomile Cleanser cream. Just as you would with a moisturiser, you rub it all over your face, and then continue with your step two: toner. I use the same toners in the evening as I do every morning – as they provide me with a very refreshed clean feeling. For those nights when you head home in the early hours (or after a long night out), some Simple facial wipes are great to get rid of any amount of make-up with minimum effort.

Finally, to rehydrate my skin through the 6-8 hours sleep time I have, I use Decleor's Aroma Night with Gale Hayman's Lip Lift. These are filled with natural oils and vitamin E – perfect for giving your skin the lift it needs after a long day. Again,these products are great for sensitive skin types such as eczema.

Products pictured above (L-R):

Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser (with cotton mitt), £29

Elemis Soothing Chamomile Cleanser, £21

Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes, from £3.25

Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner, £21

Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner, £21

Decleor Aromessence Night Balm, from £32.50

Gale Hayman Lip Lift, from £22.50 for pack of 2

All products are available through reputable retailers and department stores. Visit the brand websites to order online or find your local stockists:

Elemis

Simple

Decleor

QVCUK (for Gale Hayman)

 

Krystal /

Having a regular, daily skincare routine is essential to prevent your skin from premature aging, and problems. Of course we all have our off days, seasonal and monthly times which also play a huge factor, but it's important to remember that the younger you start, the better your skin will be as you get older. My mother gave me the best advice while I was still in secondary school and started me on a basic skincare regime which got me into this good habit from a young age. As I've gotten older, I've found weather and stress are my main culprits for causing my skin huge problems – which is why I'm so conscious to take care of it.

Here's a guide to my go to products:

Skincare Routine: Morning must haves

Skincare Routine: Morning must haves by krystal-scanlon

 

It's always a good idea to have both a morning and night skincare routine. Morning – to allow your skin to waken and brighten up for the day ahead, and night time to clean your tired skin after a long day (most likely at work).

You'll notice a lot of the products I use are from Elemis – the reason being, I suffer with eczema from time to time – as mine is usually brought on by stress and gets worse during winter months. Elemis is a fantastic brand which caters for sensitive skin types, so I'd definitely recommend them to anyone! Philosophy's Exfoliating facial wash is currently my favourite out of the many I've tried and lasts forever. I tend to use this a few times per week at least, just for some added TLC. And need I say more about ultrasun? If you remember my post dedicated to the brand, the lip balm and moisturiser are fantastic protective products for daily use. However, sometimes I just prefer a normal moisuriser – particularly during the winter months, and that's when I use the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream.

Products pictured above (L-R):

Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser (with cotton mitt), £29

Philosophy the microdelivery daily exfoliating facial wash, £22

Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner, £21

Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner, £21

ultrasun SPF 15 ultralip balm, £6

ultrasun Face SPF 30 Anti-Aging Formula, £20

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, from £79

All products are available through reputable retailers and department stores. Visit the brand websites to order online or find your local stockists:

Elemis

Philosophy

ultrasun

 

Krystal /

Some of my fave perfumes

Some of my fave perfumes by krystal-scanlon

After going through the tons of cosmetics and beauty products I have, I came across some of these bottles of perfume I forgot how much I loved. Each one smells so fresh and different, yet still provided the best memories. In most cases I often opt for an Eau de Parfum over an Eau de Toilette. The reason being, Eau de Parfum lasts a lot longer due to its concentrated formula.

  1. Miss Dior Eau de Parfum by Dior
  2. Lola Eau de Parfum by Marc Jacobs
  3. Very Hollywood Eau de Parfum by Michael Kors
  4. Dot Eau de Parfum by Marc Jacobs
  5. Bobbi’s Party Eau de Parfum by Bobbi Brown
  6. Daisy Eau de Parfum by Marc Jacobs
All of these are available for various prices – depending the size of your ml bottle purchase – at a variety of reputable beauty branded stockists and department stores.
Krystal /

Top 10 Make-up Tips

These tips are what I rely on for a day-to-day/night look. Depending on the colours you use, or how much of each product use apply, it can alter your look to suit your event.

1.       Face: Primer

An absolute must! Never apply any make-up without a primer first. Using a primer sets the base of your palette – your face – to an even level after moisturising. It acts like a shield so that the make-up products you use won’t get into your pores and create spots! Any Primer is good; however with this product, a little goes a long way, as it’s usually in the form of a gel and spreads with ease.

2.       Face: Foundation

I always find that foundation is the best way to begin any make-up routine. Applying foundation is like applying an even background colour to a painting. In particular, I would recommend Bobbi Brown’s Skin Foundation SPF 15. It is a small glass bottle, absolutely perfect for home use. Again, with this product, a little goes a long way, and one squirt from the pump really does spread evenly across the entire of your face (it has been proven, if you only use one pump each time, your product will last for approximately 6 months). For any foundation, I think it is best to use a foundation brush, as this allows for an even spread of the product without wasting it, which is what can happen with a sponge.

3.       Face: Powder

Powder is always a personal opinion. Some people prefer less make-up and just use the foundation. Others sometimes just use powder (however in this instance it usually doesn’t give a smooth finish as it becomes patchy throughout the day). Personally I think a light coat of a powder that is close enough to your skin colour finishes the face palette off like a gloss finishes a paint job. It just adds that finishing touch to it, giving it a very smooth natural appearance. I personally prefer compact powders, as they are useful for travel, and a lot easier to apply rather than loose powder (which I have found out can go everywhere, if not careful). Just apply a very light coat either by dusting across the face with a brush, or lightly with a sponge for a very natural finish. I personally use Bobbi Brown’s Sheer Finish Pressed Powder, as it complements the foundation very well.

4.       Cheeks: Blusher

The one thing to remember with using a blusher: you do NOT want to end up looking like a clown or your childhood toy, the rag doll. While blushers are pink, a small amount really does go a long way (and very red). When applying the blusher, tap the brush a few times in the air before making contact with the skin. This rids the blusher brush of excess powder. Look in the mirror with a smile expression, and follow the cheek bone upwards. This will give the best coverage. I usually use a quite pinky-red colour for my own blusher, and I am currently using one created by Smashbox, which is compact enough to be taken in your handbag.

5.       Eyes: Concealer

Now this may seem like a very unusual idea, but it is quite useful and effective for a number of reasons. If you have dark circles under your eyes, concealer is a temporary quick fix so it’s easier to apply make-up and appear fresh. Also, it is a good base for any eye make-up you have, and also helps the product to stick to the eyes rather than end up around the rest of your face. I always find it best to apply this just after the foundation. Any concealer which is similar to your skin tone with a yellow base is good.

6.       Eyebrows: brow shaping

The latest fashion accessory most women are carrying around with them happens to be on their face: eyebrows! Surprisingly it is the new greatest trend to have slightly darker eyebrows than your hair colour (or at least so they match it). I recommend a brow shaping kit, any which have the shade closest to your hair colour, SLIGHTLY darker if possible, and then use the brush accompanying it to apply the shadow to the eyebrows. This technique not only helps to make the eyebrows frame the face clearly, but allows you to define the arch of the brow easier. Plus, it’s a quick fix if you’re worried about plucking! I particularly like to use brow products by Shavata, THE brow specialist (brow God in my eyes!)

7.       Eyes: Eye liner

I always believe that eye liner defines the eyes so much more than people realise. It’s like the icing on the cake, the finishing touch to your eyes. I always prefer black, but other similar darker colours work just as well depending on the look you are aiming for. Perhaps for a sultrier look, a deep purple or a dark brown/blue would be more appropriate. I am going to recommend the Benefit BADgal waterproof pencil. It’s a black liner but as the name suggests, will not smudge even for those tears!

8.       Eyes: Mascara

Eye liner is a must. It completes the look and opens the eyes up so they don’t just appear “half done” and tired. I always prefer a dark colour such as black to do this, and it helps if you can use some eye lash curlers just before to get them in the right shape for colouring. A couple of layers also make the eyes stand out more. I have recently become attached to Benefit’s BADgal Lash mascara.

9.       Lips: lip balm

It’s impossible to apply any sort of lipstick or lip gloss with cut or chapped or dried lips. Lip balm is like the primer to your face: it smoothes out the lips for easy application! It’s a MUST! Any lip balm is good. 

10.   Lips: lip gloss

Everyone likes the finishing touch to their make-up. Lip-gloss is always the way to do it. For a more dominant, defined look a bold colour adds a statement to your make-up. However if you prefer to keep it natural, a clear lip gloss does the trick. I recommend Bare Escentuals Buxom ‘Krystal’ clear gloss. I particularly find this to be my personal favourite, because it not only creates fuller lips with a tingly feel, but it’s one of VERY few things in this world with the same name as me (Krystal, obviously) AND it’s spelt the way my name is!

Now, as I bring this blog entry to a close, I would like to state something. I understand that some of the products I have mentioned may appear a bit too over priced for what some can manage. These, however are just my own personal favourites. Whilst they are slightly more than the average high street prices, these products are of such good quality that they are designed to last for up to 6 months depending on the product purchased. In which case, it is safe to say that you really do get your money’s worth!