Video - Current Skincare Essentials

Video - My Current Make-Up Essentials

Bobbi Brown Nude on Nude Eye Palette

If there's two things I love most when it comes to eye make-up, it's matte shades and a nude colour palette. Sure I like to experiment with colour every once in a while but as I'm more of a statement lip lover (way easier to perfect) for the eyes I prefer a simple colour and a precise eyeliner flick. So when this Bobbi Brown beauty dropped onto my desk I basically resembled the heart-eye emoji. 

The Nude on Nude Eye Palette, £36, hits shelves in March and is limited edition as a part of their Malibu Nudes Collection. The five shades come with a dual-ended brush so while it's on the higher end of the price scale you do get a range of shades and a quality brush to apply them with. 

All the lighter shades work well as a base and to even out the skin tone on the eyelid. The first shade is also great as a matte brow-bone highlight. However the darkest shade (Espresso) is my favourite, not only is it fab for a smokey eye, it's fab for filling in your brows too if you have dark brown hair like myself, which is great if you're travelling.

The formula of the shadows are pretty buttery soft with just the right amount of pigment.

Get yours at bobbibrown.co.uk from March 

Bobbi Bobbi Instant Detox Mask - Review

Huge fans of clay face mask rejoice, there is a new one to add to the mix and I'm telling you from the get go - it's a good'un.

Let me start by letting you know my skin type, which I don't think I've stated on here before. It's combination (oily congested t-zone normal, if a little sensitive, everywhere else) and I get hormonal outbreaks on my chin and temples. Sexy. This is why I'm such a fan of clay masks as their sole purpose is to draw out imperfections and deep cleanse the skin.

When I heard Bobbi Brown was launching three new masks the Instant Detox Mask was the one I was the most excited about as it's the type of mask I know I need for my skin type.

The packaging - It comes in a metal tube - enough said.

The formula - It's a lovely consistency, and is ease to apply, I applied mine with my Bobbi Brown foundation brush for accuracy and it's less messy but with your finger is fine too! The way it sets is great because it does dry down like all clay masks but not so hard that when you laugh and talk it's not like you've lost feeling in your face! I also LOVE the smell, it's not heavily-scented but gives of a subtle spa-like scent which is very calming and relaxing.

The result - After I removed the mask easily with a warm, wet flannel, my skin felt so baby soft and not stripped at all. I cannot recommend this mask enough especially for an oily t-zone. 

Now I just need to buy the other two...

The Bobbi Brown Masks are available now from bobbibrown.co.uk

The Friday Five #1

I thought that as an attempt to stay on top of blog content I would commit to a weekly post. I've been thinking for a while what this could be, what kind of topic etc because I didn't want it to be on one topic as I figured that would be something I'd struggle with as I just knew I wouldn't keep it up. So after a bit of umming and ahhing I decided on...

The Friday Five!

A post every Friday where I write a little bit about five things I've done/tried/loved/watched/read/thought about that week and that way I'm not limited to one topic (Lord knows I don't like to be restricted). So here goes!

Friend Christmas dinner

Ok, so this was last week but since this thing'll run from Friday to Friday it counts. Every year since we were tiny little 18 year olds me and my bestest buddies have had a Friend Christmas complete with roast dinner, games and presents. As a group we are basically family - we have all known each other since we were 11, been best friends since we were 14 and have experienced much of life together - make-ups break-ups, marriages... so literally they are my second family! It's always so nice to share the Christmas spirit with the ones you love!

The Dressmaker

On Tuesday I was invited to view The Dressmaker with the brand Charles Worthington, and while I didn't really know what to expect, I did know that I'd be getting to see a lot of Liam Hemsworth. The film was strange (I won't give away spoilers) and kind of like a dark comedy but with serious undertones and when I left the screening I was sure I hated it. But when I explained it to my co-worker, Sarah, the next day I went into ridiculous details and analysis so I guess it meant it moved me in some kinda way... check it out if you can but be prepared to go 'huh?'

Purpose - Justin Bieber

Me and my friends have becomes such Beliebers since this new album dropped - well it began slowly since where are u and then gained pace after what do you mean and sorry and then reached peak after purpose. It's such a great album, seriously - my faves are Love Yourself , Sorry, Purpose and We Are.

Bobbi Brown + Clarins

I have a new favourite lip combo the Clarins Lip Definer in Nude Mocha all over the lips and the Bobbi Brown Art Stick in Brown Berry dabbed in the middle of the lip and then blended out. It's literally my nude lip combo from heaven. Alone, the Bobbi art stick is slightly too ashy but this liner makes it perfecto!

New sneaks

I really really really restrained myself when it came to the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales a couple of weeks back - in fact I only bought one thing and I have been wearing them to death this week - my new Nike Pegasus 83 trainers in lunar grey *insert heart eyed emoji* Eghh I just love them so much. They are suede so I refuse to wear them when it's raining, which sucks but I love them nonetheless.

Ride or Die Lipsticks

You know those lipsticks that are just there for you no matter what? You, know that no matter what the season you can turn to those lippies and count on them to complete your look/distract from any other facial imperfections/huge craters. Well these are mine and I can recommend each and every one of them...

MaxFactor Colour Intensifying Balm in Posh Poppy - £8.99

Why I love it - Just what it says on the tin an intense balm that's perfect for a delicate flush of colour.

M.A.C Lipstick in Capricious, £15.50

Why I love it - My go-to pinky nude, the first lipstick I've gotten this close to finishing (see above)

Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Colour in Cocoa, £21

Why I love it - Ever fancy a 90's brown lip All Saint style? This is the ultimate - it's super moisturising and the red-tone keeps it from looking too too '90s if you know what I mean. 

Bobbi Brown Art Stick, in Harlow Red, £20

Why I love it - When I'm looking for a ridiculously fab pop of colour I always reach for this. Amazing staying power and the fact it's a crayon makes it easy to apply.

Flori Roberts Lipstick in 12723, £11.95

Why I love it - This is the red I reach for to add something to a boring t-shirt and jeans kinda outfit. 

Conceal, don't feel, don't let it show...

So if you don't get the title reference you're lucky enough to not know Frozen inside out. As I mentioned in my favourites of 2014 video, I only really started using concealer daily when I began working full-time. When tired or strung-out I don't get puffy eyes or bags, nope, I get delightful dark circles, it really is a site to behold. And they won't budge for anything, it's like they've been tea-stained like primary school history work. So the only thing for it is to conceal. Since I began my time in the world of concealer I've developed a few favourites, and noticed one thing - the high street's concealer game for dark skin, is weak. The only one I tried and kind of liked was the L'Oreal True Match concealer, but it wasn't repurchasably good (yeah I made that word up). 


Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer, £19.50


This is amazing. Truly. It's one of the most highly pigmented product I've ever come across, you need a blob the size of a pin-head to camouflage both darkly circled eyes and it works well concealing spots too. The consistency is extremely creamy and a blendable dream. It has good staying power too - although after a particularly long day (I'm talking 6:30am til like 11pm) I'll notice it creases a bit, but how could it not? 


Bobbi Brown Corrector & Concealer, £19 each
When I went for my makeup lesson with Bobbi Brown the biggest thing I took out of it was that I had been applying my much-loved corrector incorrectly this whole time. Sophy, my makeup artist for my lesson, said that the corrector basically does most of the work for the concealer. It's there to correct the colour under the eyes then you pop the concealer on top to blend with the skin's colour. I'd previously been using the corrector to merely brighten the inner corners of my eyes. Duh. Using them properly has made all the difference and I use this combo when I've had a particularly late night as it really lifts the eye area - fake sleep galore. 


black|up Radiance Concealer, £23.50


This handy little pen is amazing for on the go touch ups and the like. While it's not my go to, it tends to be the one I'll throw in my makeup bag for holidays or on nights out. It conceals and brightening the under eye area but with a much lighter formula than the others mentioned previously. 

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, £26.50

Ok, so this one took me a bit of time to love. Firstly, the formula is super thick and high-pigmented and secondly, the colours are a bit WTF. The two colours are supposed to be blended as you need to create the perfect shade - one matches your skins depth of colour and the other matches the undertone. I have the shade SC-8 and although separately the colours look dodgy, they blend really well to create my shade. This bad boy is made for use over foundation and I tend to reach for it if I'm having a ridiculously bad skin day.




Let me know if you have any concealer recs!

Love Keeks xo  

Bobbi Brown - The Studio - The Ultimate Make-Up Lesson

I'm so not a fan of having my make up done; I normally find it a bit of a faff and at the end you don’t really look like yourself. So you can imagine my surprise when I emerged from my Bobbi Brown make up lesson informed and looking like myself only better. I loved it so much that I vowed to take my mum to get her made up for her birthday.

The Bobbi Brown make up lessons are complimentary and range from five minutes to an hour long, so I opted for my mum to get the ultimate make-up lesson for her to experience the full shebang! Firstly, the artists wield their brushes with the Bobbi Brown philosophy, which is that make-up should allow a woman to look and feel like herself, only prettier and more confident. Louise, my mum’s make-up artist for the lesson, decided to show her how apply everyday make up and by the end of the lesson my mum was feeling confident in her ability to do a subtle smoky eye. Success.

Being unattached from a hectic department store means the service is second to none. The Studio is nestled next to the Royal Opera House in the infinitely busy Covent Garden, but as you step inside the space, it’s as if you have stepped into a Manhattan make-up studio (with quintessentially British touches). There are no hoards of crowds, but a waiting area with iPads and lemon-infused water.

If you’re looking for a fuss-free make-up lesson that avoids the hoards of people in the centre of town I would so recommend Bobbi Brown – The Studio.

Book your lesson on 0370 192 5873.

Bobbi Brown – The Studio

4 East Piazza

Royal Opera House Colonnade

 Covent Garden, London

WC2E 8HD

Love Keeks xo

Bobbi Brown CC Cream - Review

Bobbi Brown CC Cream in Rich Nude

When the whole BB and CC cream train came along I stayed with my feet firmly on the platform of the station, for two reasons. One, I didn’t really believe the whole one-billion-benefits-in-one-product shbang and two (mainly) I couldn’t find a bloody colour to match my skin tone. Seriously, maybe I didn’t look hard enough, I don’t know, but it seemed that every single one I swatched on the back of my hand dried with a slight ashy tinge. No bueno.

Enter Bobbi Brown. When I heard they were bringing out a new dark colour in their CC Cream, I was finally swayed to trying the whole alphabet cream phenomena out. Rich nude is a deep cocoa – I’d probably say slightly darker than my skin tone but a small blob blended out properly works well colour-wise. And overall, I have to say I’m impressed. It definitely has quite full coverage for a cream/non-foundation and does well in blurring imperfections as well as having the added benefit of UVA/UVB protection at a SPF of 35. While this level of protection seems a bit futile now – I mean, my little toes are close to frostbite – I literally know this is going to be the first thing I pack in my makeup bag for my summer holiday (come soon please?).

The Bobbi Brown CC Cream is £29 and available from bobbibrown.co.uk

Love Keeks xo

Six Shades of Lipstick

I’m not going to lie, I own far far too many lipsticks - so much so that I have a special lip product draw and in this lip product draw I have special sections for each group of colours; reds, nudes and pinks (then balms, gloss and crayons…) In Autumn I tend to veer away from pinks and embrace darker and duskier nudes and reds with the odd berry thrown in for good measure. These beauties are my favourites…

(Clockwise from top right)

Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in 108 Determinee, £26

M.A.C Lipstick in Capricious, £15

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope lipstick in Entourage, £35

Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Scotch On The Rocks Lipstick in Bordeaux, £22

Flori Roberts Lipstick in 12609, £11.95

Burberry Lipstick in Bright Plum no.15,  £23

Picking a favourite from these beauties is like picking a favourite child.

Love Keeks xo

The Autumn Face - Lips and Eyes?

If we were playing word association and someone was to say ‘autumn’, most people would say ‘cold’ or ‘fallen leaves’ or something to that effect, but me, well I’d probably go for ‘new coat’ or ‘berry lips’ – I mean, they are my favourite things about this season (what can I say I'm a clothes and beauty addict)

I’m always for the rule 'eyes or lips' just like 'boobs or legs', it’s just nicer to accentuate one. However, I think I make an exception in the autumn, teaming rich brown eyeshadow with a berry lip. I love the M.A.C Paint Pot in Constructivist - for darker skin it gives a nice wash of colour without looking too heavy or borderline smoky, then finish the eyes with the Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in Caviar Ink.

Having dry skin is the bane of my life and this just gets worse around this time of year. My lips don’t escape this, so a good balm is vital and I like to use moisturising lipsticks during the colder months because cracked lips aren’t an option. I think as long as one feature is still more accentuated, it's fun to experiment with richer tones -just don't go OTT homies.

Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Deep 4

Smashbox Liquid Halo Foundation in Shade 9

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC-8

M.A.C Paint Pot in Constructivist

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in Caviar Ink

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry

M.A.C Lipliner in Currant

Bourjois Beauty’Full Volume Dark Khol Mascara

Love Keeks xo 

What's in my Handbag: Hand Luggage Edition.

Bag - Zara

I love a good ‘what’s in my handbag’ youtube video or blogpost and so I’m back this time with the hand luggage edition. Last September while I was interning I did an ‘Intern Edition’ that you can find here.

This is the hand luggage I’ve packed to take on holiday with me! It’s a long-haul flight hence the copious amount of stuff and the only two things I haven’t photographed are my pair of socks and my knickers, because really who needs to see those?

Passport, Travel Docs, Purse and Travel Money  – Booooring. These really should be the first things you pack, right?

Notebook and Pen(it’s in the bag)  – In case I have to make lists, I’m a compulsive list maker, or if a wave of inspiration hits me. Whichever.

Magazine, Book, Glasses – You can never have too much reading material for the airport and flight. Well I can’t anyway.

Digital Camera – I’m usually the resident picture taker on holidays.

Ipad – I will get to at least level 100 on Candy Crush on arrival.

Deo and Face Wipes – To freshen up after a long arse flight.

Nail Polish – For touch ups.

Nurofen Express – On long flights I always seem to get tension headaches, which I’m guessing is due to dehydration, so painkillers are a must.

Lotion, 8 hour Cream, Bobbi Brown lip and cheek tint – to counteract the effects of the drying plane atmosphere and make me look semi-presentable on landing.

Comb, Hair bands and Hairpins – To put my hair up when it’s annoying the crap out of me.

And there you have it, my hand luggage, I know, it’s riveting stuff.  While I’m away I’m going to try and post outfits of the days so stay tuned to the ol’ blog!

Love Keeks xo

Brand Love - Bobbi Brown

- Clockwise from the left - 

Sheer Finish Pressed Powder in Basic Brown

SPF 25 Tinted Moisturising Balm in Dark Tint 

Pot Rouge for lips and cheeks in Chocolate Cherry

Corrector in Deep Peach

Pot Rouge for lips and cheeks in Calypso Coral

Hello Lovelies!

So I thought I'd do a bit of brand loving on the blog today. These beauties are amongst the most loved in my make up draw so I thought I'd share my opinions on each...

Sheer Finish Pressed Powder in Basic Brown - This is the powder I take on every long day and every night out. I never really put on powder as a part of my initial make up routine but it is my face saver when I become an oily mess after a long or sweaty day. 

SPF 25 Tinted Moisturising Balm in Dark Tint - Warning, this balm is very... balmy. I love this for a super glowy and moisturising face tint. It does give a bit of coverage but the primary use for this balm is to moisturise dry skin so I use this in place of moisturiser on good skin days in colder months.

Pot Rouge for lips and cheeks in Chocolate Cherry and Calypso Coral - I love these cream blushed for flushed dewy cheeks. Calypso Coral is great for a peachy glow it works well for my skin colour too which is something that I struggle to find in powdery formula coral blushes, they often appear too light/stark on my cheeks. However, I can't wear this colour on my lips, unlike chocolate cherry which can be worn either way. It's a great A/W cheek stain and looks good dabbed into the lips for a slightly darker lip.

Corrector in Deep Peach - This is the my most recent Bobbi Brown buys/borrows as the stress of third year hand-ins had taken it's toll on my under eyes and for the first time I noticed dark circles. Thankfully since the stress has lifted they aren't nearly as prominent before, I still use this corrector to slightly neutralise and lift under eye area. 

Have you got any Bobbi Brown recommendations?

Love Keeks xo

A Few New Additions.

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Deep Peach // Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in Cappuccino 

NARS Bronzing Powder in Casino // MAC Lipstick in Capricious

Hi Guys!

So I've made a few minor additions to my collection and I love them all so I thought I'd let you know about them.

Bobbi Brown Corrector - for the past couple of months I've been getting some real bad boy dark circles under my eyes. They have definitely eased slightly since I handed in my dissertation (phew), but I really wanted something to help cover them up for future times when more sleep is not an option. I was matched on a Bobbi Brown counter and it's a perfect shade for counteracting my dark circles. I use it before my foundation and without the concealer - I'm yet to purchased the creamy concealer, but it's next on my hit-list (ssshhh, don't tell my debit card).

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation - I've had this foundation for around 2 months and I definitely think it's going to be the base I mix with my moisturiser for the summer months. I've heard this be compared to a lighter coverage NARS Sheer Glow which I've always been intrigued about because of all the hype around it. Nearly Naked has a lovely finish, not dewy but not matte, it sits somewhere in the middle, I blend it in with my fingers and then buff it out with a buffing brush. I love the fact that it's a high street make up brand and a good colour match for me, which is something that's quite hard to find.

NARS Bronzing Powder - I featured this in my everyday make up post because as soon as I purchased this beauty I haven't looked back. It's love. Before this I had never used a bronzer, and nowadays, even if its a light sweep of whatever is leftover on my brush from the day before, I don't do my make up without it.

MAC Lipstick in Capricious - My new favourite nude. Don't get me wrong, I love love love my Chanel lipstick, but it's just so precious to me that I don't ever want it to run out. This lipstick is ridiculously wearable and the lustre finish means it's quite moisturising on the lips. 

I'm seriously in love with all of these products, have you got any new additions that you've been loving?

Love Keeks xo 

The Everyday Make Up.

Hello My Lovelies!

So I wrote this post and was about to publish it and everything, with the whole post dedicated to the poignancy of it being my 100th post -  when I realised I had a draft post lurking around and it's actually my 99th. Fail. Oh well, this my almost 100th - 1. 

I was having a look back at my previous blog posts and realised I've never done a post about my everyday make up! Of course this does vary from time to time but this winter I've rarely deviated from these products and brushes for my daytime make up.

Firstly I obviously cleanse and moisture, (I'm thinking about doing a separate skincare routine post?) then I pop on some of the Ginzing eye cream on. Now I know that this is technically an eye cream but I thought for all the shimmer in it, it could be seen as a brightener of some sorts, which is how I see it. I then apply lip balm, otherwise my lips are super dry and lip products won't apply smoothly.

Base - I then go in with my foundation. This winter I've been loving the Le Teint Touche Eclat but as it  moves into spring (hard to believe, I know) and summer I switch to my Bareminerals matte powder. I dot the foundation on my face then buff it into my skin, sometimes I just use my fingers. Next I dot some concealer on my blemishes and down the centre of my nose buffing it out with the Real Techniques deluxe crease brush. I don't use this concealer under my eyes as when I have in the past I've found that it tends to gather in creases - not what you want from a concealer really, so I'm on the hunt for another.

Brows - I brush through them then use my brow kit; the wax sparsely, then the powder, applying with my Real Techniques brow brush. I then brush through them again removing excess.

Eyes - Day to day I normally just do subtle winged eyeliner. I first apply the Rimmel kohl liner in a thin line then to make it really dark then use the Soap & Glory liner to make the line smooth. I just find that using the Rimmel makes the line a lot darker. Followed by lashings of mascara.

Cheeks - I then apply some NARS bronzer with my contour brush, dusting along the top of the hollows of my cheeks, forehead and chin. Bronzer is a new step for me I only got it at the end of December but I love including it now! Next up is blush! I got my Gino McCray blusher in Thailand last time I was there and it's like it's never ending, which is good because it's my favourite. I first use my Mac 168 dabbing it on my cheeks and sweeping it up on my cheekbones, I then use the Mac 187 to blend the colour out a bit more to make it natural.

Lips - I normally keep it simple with a nude lipstick; my current favourite is my Chanel lipstick in Determinee.

Throughout the day if get a bit oily I use the Bobbi Brown pressed powder and my powder brush down the centre of my face. 

And there you have it, a rather long post about my everyday make up! What are some of your everyday products? 

Love Keeks xo 

Mac Studio Fix Fluid.

Mac Studio Fix Fluid - £19.50

I got a new foundation, well I got it about a month ago but I wanted to road test it for a while before I wrote about it.

The foundation in question is indeed Mac’s Studio fix fluid. The website says that it offers a medium-buildable coverage and a natural matte finish, I’d definitely agree with both. I love this foundation. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my bareminerals powder foundation, but I really wanted a good liquid foundation, so I had they option for either. I have a Bobbi Brown foundation stick, but I’m not a fan, the formula is too thick and heavy, I don’t love it at all.

I chose studio fix fluid over any of the other Mac foundations because it seemed to provide the finish I look for in a foundation, matte but not rigid and false looking, just easy-wearing.

The colour I was matched to is NW45, and is pretty perfect, it’s ever so slightly darker than my natural skin colour, but it’s more of a glowy kind of darker instead of an unnatural dark, so it kind of enhances my skin. Good times.

I don’t like full coverage, I like my coverage pretty light from day to day, ranging to medium if I’m going out or for occasions, so I know this foundation is going to last me a while because I don’t even use a full pump to achieve the look I want. I pump it on to the back of my hand, dot it around my face, and then buff it in with my Real Techniques buffing brush. Simples.

It doesn’t melt throughout the day either. I do use my Prime Time primer underneath it, to set it, and make sure my skin feels even, but I’m guessing that the fact that the foundation is oil-free, helps.

Overall, I’m really pleased with this foundation and look forward to mixing it with my face cream, as a tinted moisturiser as it gets warmer.

Have a lovely evening, 

Love Keeks xo

Floral&Lace Transformer

Kimono - New Look// Vest and Skirt - H&M

Ring - Topshop // Watch - Michael Kors

I love the intricacy of the lace trim and the delicate flower print of this Kimono/cardigan. I got it last year from the Limited Edition section of New Look, a place I don’t shop often, but I fell in love with the pretty delicacy of it.

With the short bat-wing-esque sleeves, I find I can’t really wear it out as much as I like because it doesn’t wear well under jackets, but it’s a great key piece (or as I like to call it, a transformer) to have in your wardrobe especially looking forward to Spring, as it can really change a boring outfit, such as the plain black vest and jersey skirt I’m wearing underneath. Having a few transformers in your wardrobe is handy if you have to economise your wardrobe as they’re great to mix&match and layer with the basics.

As a sidenote, recently I’ve been doing my make-up super simple, even leaving out the eyeliner on occasion and tried to just go for the ‘healthy glow’ look, and I’ve found that returning to my Bobbi Brown Port Rouge for Lips and Cheeks has achieved the best result. The one I’m wearing in the last picture is Cabo Coral 21 and I’ve definitely fallen back in love with it.

Hope you guys have a lovely evening! (It’s Friday tomorrow wahoooo!)

Love Keeks xo

*P.S I’ve become a student ambassador for Motel Rocks, which I’m so excited about and will update my blog with links and posts regarding anything I do as an ambassador!*