Handbag Handys

Soap & Glory Hand Food // Soap & Glory Hand Maid 

These two little gems are part of my most vital handbag essentials.

As a makeup artist it is so important that I keep my hands clean and germ free at all times. I always have a hand sanitiser in my handbag but this soap and glory one is my new favorite. Its the perfect size to put in your bag/car/pocket and it smells loooovely! Beautiful floral fruity smell that lasts for ages! What more could you want, clean AND good smelling hands. 

My hands do tend to get a little dry and I always like to have a little tube of this stuff handy (no pun intended) This is also Soap & Glory and has the same gorgeous fruity floral scent. Its non-greasy which is perfect for me cause I hate the feeling of sticky slippery hands. I'm butter fingers enough with out any added help thank you very much. It absorbs quickly in to the skin, eliminates any dryness and leaves hands feeling smooth, moisturised and smelling beautiful. 

More handbag essentials coming soon!

5 Day Makeup Challenge

Last week I took part in MAC 5 Day Makeup Challenge on Instagram (Take a look at my Instagram here)
Basically what you had to do was take a photo of your makeup for 5 days stating what the focus was, what products you used and how long it took you to create. You can search the hash tag #5DayMakeupChallenge on Instagram and see what other artists have come up with for their daily looks!
I thought I'd share with you guys in a bit more detail my makeup looks from last week 

So here goes. 

(Please excuse the awkward self photos, I hate taking photos of myself, but it was for a good cause so I made an exception haha)

Day 1

Focus: Bold Lip

Time to do: 15 mins

Products used: 

Skin: Studio Sculpt Foundation in NW20

Mineralize skinfinish powder in Medium Plus

Warm soul Blusher

Eyes: Paintpot in Painterly

Liquid liner in Blacktrack

Lips: Lasting sensation Lipliner

Lady Danger Lipstick

This is the look I usually go for when I am a little pushed for time, a classic flicked liner and a bold lip. Only takes 15 mins to do and looks like you have made an effort!

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Day 2

 Focus: Soft brown smokey eye
Time to do: 15mins
Products used:
Skin: Studio Fix Fluid in NW20
Translucent finishing powder
Bronzer in Matte Bronze
Eyes: 'Quite Natural' paintpot
Espresso and Mystery Eyeshadows
Dipdown Liquid Eyeliner
Number 3 False Lashes
Lips: Ample pink Plushglass lipgloss with Saint Germain Lipglass over the top.

This is a really quick way to create a soft smokey eye. Use The paint pot in quite natural to create a base over your eyelid, this is a darker colour so does a lot of the work for you. Then I blended it out with a little espresso eyeshadow and created depth with Mystery eyeshadow which is slightly darker. All these colours are matte so creates a nice every day smokey eye. 
I used ample pink plush glass on my lips as my lips a fairly small and the plushglass gives them a little extra boost. I added Saint germain over the top to add a more pinky colour! 

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Day 3

 Focus: Viva Glam Friday!
Time to do: 20mins
Products used:
Skin: Studio Fix fluid in NW20
Mineralize skinfinish in Medium plus
Eyes: Vintage selection Paintpot
Blacktrack liquid liner
superslick nocturnelle liquid liner
Fascinating eye kohl
Lips: In Anticipation Pro long lip liner
Viva glam Nicki Minaj 1 & 2 together. 

Fridays at MAC are dedicated to Viva Glam! Viva glam is the charity that MAC supports and all money from out Viva Glam lipsticks goes to help those with HIV and AIDS. Read more about the charity here.

For this look I created a double flick liner using blacktrack fluid line and used silver superslick liner in between to make it stand out a little more. I put fascinating eye kohl in my water line which is a white kohl pencil (this is a good tip for making your eyes look bigger)
On my lips I combined the 2 Viva Glam Nicki lipsticks to make a soft pink. 

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Day 4

Focus: Saturday Theme day

Time to do: 20mins

Products used: 

Skin: Studio Sculpt foundation in NW20

Mineralize skinfinish in Medium plus

Bronzer in Give me sun!

Eyes: Groundwork Paintpot

Club and Brown down eyeshadows

Blacktrack liquid liner

Lips: Stripdown Lip liner and Viva Glam Nicki 2 Lipstick

Saturdays at MAC are theme days! All of us on the counter wear the same look and its usually based around a theme. This week was on the Trend Puri-Tan which you can read about here.

I used an eyeshadow called club on my eyelid and blended it out with Brown down eyeshadow which gives it a nice smokey look. On my lips I used a neutral lipliner and Nicki 2 Lipstick over the top!

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Day 5

Focus:  Metalic Smokey Eye 

Time to do: 20 mins

Products used: 

Skin: Studio Fix Fluid NW20
Mineralize Powder Medium Plus
Matte Bronze Bronzer 
Dainty Blusher

Eyes: Amber lights and Smut Eyeshadow
Feline and Blacktrack Eyeliner

Lips: Betty Bright Limited Edition Lipstick

To create this eye I used a metalic gold shade called Amber lights and pressed the colour in to the center of my eyelid. I then used a darker matte grey/brown colour called smut and added this to the inner and outer corners of the eye and blended slightly in to the crease. I lined my top lash line with gel eyeliner and used a kohl pencil for the inner waterline. The lipstick was a limited edition shade from the collection 'Archies Girls' which is a lovely pink/coral colour!

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Check out my looks on my Instagram @Makeup_bykerry I try to post on there as much as I can and put a lot of my work up on there!

Send me your Instagram links too!

Spring Fever Glossybox

I received Aprils Glossybox a few days ago and thought I'd do a quick post to share with you all what goodies I got this month! I was pretty impressed with this one, there was a few products in there that I have been meaning to try for a while but just haven't got around to buying! How convenient that they got sent straight to my door ;) 

This month Glossybox collaborated with fashion and textiles designer Pearl Lowe. I love the  pattern on the box, this will come in handy as a new way to store some of my beauty products!

So here what was inside:

Essie Nail Polish in Cute as a Button - Full Size (Full Size RRP £7.99)

I was so pleased to see this little gem laying the the bottom of the box as I have been meaning to try out some Essie nail polishes for a little while. It is the perfect spring colour, a lovely pink/coral which would brighten up any outfit. I cant wait to try out some more nail polishes from this brand. The quality is great, I have had it on now for 3 days and not a single chip and the colour hasn't faded at all. It also has a slightly bigger brush which makes painting your nails doubly quick!

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Lipcote Lipstick Sealer - Full Size (Full Size RRP £3.99)


Now this seems like such a fantastic idea! I have never tried it before but have heard a lot about it! I love a bright lipstick but hate when it wears off and fades throughout the day! Especially when I am at work I don't always have time to keep looking in the mirror checking my lipstick is still intact and not smudged all over my face. I haven't had a proper chance to try this out yet but I will be sure to wright a little review on it when I do! 
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Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant - Sample Size (Full Size RRP: £40.30)







I am so excited to try this product. I'm a bit of a sucker for skin care and will try anything that claims it will give me the perfect skin. This is a rice based exfoliating powder which turns in to a creamy paste when water is added to it. I have only used this product once and so far so good. It instantly made my skin feel soft and smooth. I can't wait to try it a few more times to see the full effects! 

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Nip + Fab Body butter in Coconut Latte - Sample Size (Full Size RRP £9.95)










This smells gorgeous! Its a lovely creamy moisturiser that absorbs quickly in the skin and banishes any dryness. it makes your skin feel lovely and soft after use. I really like this product so far, I think I may even purchase the full sized version once I've used this one up! 

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So Elixir Purple by Yves Rocher - Sample Size  (Full Size RRP £44 for 50ml)








This is a lovely floral scent. Its not my usual type of perfume but its pleasant all the same. This is a pretty decent sample size too, I think I could definitely get a good few wears out of it which is great because I like to wear a perfume a couple of times before I purchase it just to make sure I actually like it! 





Thanks for reading lovelys

Skincare lovin'

I recently had a little re-vamp of my skincare products. 

I was getting a little tired of my old ones and felt they weren't really working for me as well as they could and thought it was time for a change. I have been testing these products for a couple of weeks and I am so happy with the results!

so here goes

First up Take the Day off Cleansing Balm by Clinique - £20.50

If I'm honest I have never been a huge fan of Clinque skincare. The few products I have tried haven't really done what I wanted them too, but I thought I would give it another try in the form of this cleansing balm.

When I first got it I thought it looked a bit weird and wasn't sure how I was meant to apply it. It the pot it is a solid balm. I scooped a little out and massaged it straight on to dry skin. When you add water in then turns milky rather than lathering up which I love. I have never been too keen on facial cleansers that foam up too much as it hurts my eyes! 

I am slowly starting to love this product. It makes my skin feel so soft and clean after use and since using it I have seen great improvements in my skins texture and tone. Plus I haven't had any break outs (which are a regular occurrence for me unfortunately) so that's gotta be a bonus!! 

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Darphin Toner & Cleansing Milk

When it comes to cleansers and toners I have always used cheaper brands like Simple. I've never been really fussed about them but I thought I would give Darphin a try as I have heard nothing but good things.

I have been using these right before I moisturize and I am seeing some great results. 

Refreshing Cleansing Milk £19

The cleansing milk really does lifts off any makeup that has been left behind as well as any soap residue or impurities in the skin. It makes your skin feel soft and refreshed.

Refreshing Toner £19

When reading about this product I saw on the website that it contains Fig and Banana extract which revitalize and tone the look of the skin. 

This toner smells lovely and makes you skin feel tingly and clean. 

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Studio Moisture Cream by M.A.C - £23.50

I have tried many moisurisers in the last few years from Creme de la Mer to Nivea. I know how important it is to moisturise your skin regularly to keep skin looking healthy and glowing.

What actually got me interested in this product was the little paragraph of information next to this moisturiser on the MAC website. It says:

"A super-rich creamy moisturiser boosted with skin-nourishing extracts including passion fruit, spinach leaf, green tea, algae, wheat germ and coconut. Moistens, feeds, firms and protects the skin. Promotes a healthy radiance. diminishes the appearance of fine lines. Good for day and night."

Now, if you're a bit of an ingredients geek like me, that may interest you as much as it did me. Some of the ingredients listed I know are amazing for your skin, so I just had to give it a try. 

I love the fact that you can use and as both your day and night cream. I have never believed in having separate ones. 

It's also great that it firms the skin and reduces appearance of fine lines. I am not quite old enough to worry about fine lines yet but hopefully this will prolong a youthful skin!

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Hydrating eye cream by Bobbi Brown - £29

I have never used an eye cream before. I never really felt the need. But in recent months I have found my under eyes looking a little dehydrated, especially when I put foundation/concealer on it made me skin look a little dry and it's not a good look!

So I decided to invest in this Bobbi Brown eye cream. I have never used any of Bobbi Browns skincare before this, so I was intrigued to find out what it was like. 

I like the feel of this eye cream, its not sticky or greasy and absorbs straight in to the skin. I made the mistake of applying it too close to my eye the first time I used it and this did make my eyes sting a little but if you just dab a little around the socket bone with out going too close to your actual eye you should be fine. 

It contains Aloe Vera and Witch Hazel which soothe and comfort the skin as well as Jojoba seed, Avocado Oil and Squaland which condition and revive the skin. 

Overall I am pretty pleased with this product, it has stopped any dryness completely and brightens my eye area.  It also helps my concealer to go on a little more effortlessly and look more even. 

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Primed to Perfection

Before becoming a makeup artist I never really realized the importance or priming your skin before foundation. I have found that a lot of people miss out this step when applying their makeup.

If you use a decent primer it will keep your foundation on a lot longer, it gives a smoother base to put your fondation on to and can reduce how much foundation you actually need to use.

My all time favorite primer is Prep + Prime skin base by MAC. It is the one I have used for the past few years and it does the job for me. I find this primer really soothes my skin and reduces any red blotchy patches. My skin can get a little oily sometimes and this product really helps to blot away any excess oil, without drying my skin out. One or two pumps of this normally is enough to cover my whole face which means one bottle lasts for a good few months! Well worth its £19.50 price tag.

I have been hearing a lot of hype about the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. It has won awards and got some great reviews so I thought I'd give it a try! It's good to try other products and brands as you never know, there might be something better out there for you!

I tried out this primer for a week under my foundation. My first thoughts were that when it goes on it has a slightly oily texture but once rubbed in it makes your skin feel silky soft. It did make the application of my foundation a little easier and for the first couple of days I was really happy with it.

But after the couple of days I found my skin was becoming increasing dry and flaky. I have combination skin but have never experienced this from previous primers! I hadn't changed anything in my skincare or makeup routine except for the switch of primers. So I knew it must have been this product drying my skin out. After this I converted back my old primer and my skin went back to normal. 

This smashbox primer is £25 which I think is a little pricey for a little tube.

I won't be re-buying this particular primer but would be interested to try the more hydrating version by Smashbox and see if that's any better.

I would love to hear if any of you have used this Smashbox primer and had the same outcome? I wonder if this primer would work better on a really oily skin tone? I'd love to hear your views!

Is it all about the price tag?

I'd like to share with you a quick little review on a couple of exfoliators I have been testing out recently.  I have very awkward skin, I find it really difficult to find skincare products that will suit me, I always have to test a few out before I find one I love! I decided to try out two different exfoliators from different company's at opposite ends of the price scale. 

I wanted to see if paying more for skincare products was really worth it or are you just paying for the name?

So the first one I tried was

Clearskin Professional Deep Pore Cleansing Scrub from AVON.

Now I'm not the biggest fan of Avon, I have had bad experiences with their makeup in the past. I have bought a few eyeshadows and lipstick off them years ago and found the colour pay off was pretty poor. So as a result I have avoided the brand ever since. Up until now.  I was recommended this product by a friend (who knows her stuff in the beauty world might I add) and I trusted her judgement.

Here are Avons key claims about this product which are advertised on their website:

"Cools and exfoliates to reveal fresher and brighter skin, dissolving and controlling pore-clogging dirt and oil for a shine-free look. With Salicylic Acid to remove dirt and oil and Glycolic Acid to exfoliate and reveal new skin."

Overall, I do actually really like this product, it is available for just £5.50 for 125ml bottle.

I like the texture of it, you can really feel it working it to your skin but it isn't too abrasive. There is nothing worse than your skin feeling sore after a sandblasting from a harsh exfoliator. It makes the skin feel fresh and clean and slightly tingly.

Although I do like this product, I haven't found that it has make a remarkable difference to my skin. I find quite often my skin texture is a little uneven and this product didn't help with this at all. I had read some reviews on this product before I bought it and it seems this product is fantastic for acne prone skin. If you suffer from acne this may be a great and affordable product for you to try! 

My second choice was

 The Refining Facial from Créme de la Mer

I have been hearing so many things about the brand 'Créme de la Mer'. I have tried the moisturizer in the past and didn't really see great enough effects for the £100 price tag!

Anyway I was told about this miracle facial scrub called 'The Refining Facial' by them so thought it may be worth a try.

Here is what the company claim about the product:

"This exfoliating treatment's fermented sea muds and pure diamond powder instantly polish skin and stimulate circulation to reveal a fresh, translucent complexion. With the nutrient-rich Miracle Broth™, the heart of Crème de la Mer's profound powers of transformation, skin looks rejuvenated, smoothed and radiant."

After reading this little paragraph I was instantly intrigued. What girl doesn't want a bit of diamond dust as part of their skincare routine?

This product really is amazing! After one use I could see a visible difference in my skins texture. My skin felt so much smoother and softer. Any dry patchy skin disappeared and I felt glowing and healthy. Plus it smells great! It is quite a thick 'mud' like consistency. I apply it straight on to skin and gently massage in. Then rinse off with water.

The only downside to this product is the affordability. It retails at £65 which is a hell of a lot of money for an exfoliator! Although if you have problems with your skin, it could be a great investment for a happier you! 

Here is how I rated these products: 

Clear skin Professional Deep Pore Cleansing Scrub from AVON.

Performance 4/5

Texture 4/5

Smell 2/5

Affordability 5/5

Overall 3.5/5

The Refining Facial from Créme de la Mer

Performance 5/5

Texture 5/5

Smell 4/5

Affordability 1/5

Overall 4/5

Thanks for reading, I would love to hear about your favorite exfoliating products or if you have tried these, how did you rate them?

Storage Solution

I have been searching for ages to find a stylish and practical way to store my personal makeup. I keep most of my makeup kit in clear makeup bags nicely organised and in my travel suitcase so I can easily transport it for jobs.  But my own everyday makeup somehow got neglected and ended up in a (very messy) drawer. I wanted to display it some how so it would be more organised and wouldn't get damaged.

I had seen on YouTube a few different people showing their makeup collection, and these clear acrylic draws had popped up a lot. I did a little research and found out where I could get my hands on some! I found my answer at MUJI!

I firstly bought a couple of the 2 drawer ones just to see what they were like. I loved them! They look great on my dressing table and they keep my makeup organised. 

I got one that has a flip top lid which is great to stand products that's are too big to fit in the drawers like foundations, moisturizers etc. The only thing I was a little disappointed with was is although the draw looks fairly deep, you can only fit one layer of blushes/eyeshadows etc. The eyeshadows only fit in laying down flat as apposed to having them on their side which would mean you could fit so many more in





I have 4 of the 2 draw boxes stacked up. The top one has a flip lid so I can fit some other bits neatly in there. I mostly keep my powders in these drawers, I also have some of my loose blushers and eyeshadows in the bottom drawers as well as my paintpots and fluidlines. 



I decided to try the 5 drawer one too. I like this one even more! It has slimmer draws which I think looks a lot neater. 



It fits mostly everything I want in to it, but as the drawers are narrower so some of my products don't fit in these drawers (like the paintpots). 

I mostly keep lip glosses and eyeliners in these draws. They fit perfectly and are nicely displayed so I don't have to rummage through trying to find one to wear. I also keep some of my unused products, tester pots and eyeshadow/lip palettes in these drawers too.

I also got a smaller holder which I keep my lip/eye pencils and lipsticks in.

You can buy these and many other storage boxes from Muji. I definitely recommend these to anyone who is looking for a new way to store their makeup. They are reasonably priced and are great quality!

Happy Shopping