I'm not sure about their claims to help with premature ageing and fine lines in the under eyes area as that's not an issue I have just yet. The puffiness around my eyes was reduced and my skin felt brighter, like I'd had a full 8 hours sleep.

My name is Kate and I'm a base addict. Especially bases of the BB/tinted moisturiser variety it would seem. This is the newest edition to my face base stash.

These are my beauty underdogs. The real hardworkers in my beauty arsenal that do all the work but more often than not don't receive any credit. These are my basics, my essentials, the little things than can be found most often at my bedside, in my handbag or on my person.
They are beauty saviors and without them I'd be lost - so here's to you the often overlooked beauty basics!


Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector 06
Perfect on it's own or as a base for your regular lipstick. Highly moisturising like no other balm or gloss I've tried before. I love to wear it on lazy days to provide a sheer 'my lips but better' tone to my pout, but it looks equally good with a deep smoky eye. Smells of vanilla ice-cream too, always a plus.

Loreal Superliner Ultra Precision
My number one everyday liquid liner, it's available in a variety of shades and finishes to suit different eye colours but I tend to stick with Black. It's not often I'm seen without my black cat eye 'flicks'. Infact, I've been applying my eyeliner pretty much the same way since I was 15. Precision application is provided via the built in liner brush and the deeply pigmented formula perfects my peepers daily.

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
These usually last me about a year, which at cost per wear make them a real bargain in my eyes. My skin type is normal to combination and it's quite common for me to get a bit of a shiny T-zone throughout the day. I use the shade 'Light Plus' to keep any sign of oil at bay, my skin looks natural and radiant with no 'cake' in sight.

Seche Vite topcoat
This stuff is uhhh-mazing! To the point where I actually don't know how I used to paint my nails without it. This miracle working topcoat provides a wonderfully glossy finish and boosts my drying time to under a minute - a real game changer in my opinion.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat Moisturiser
My favourite daytime moisturiser and the perfect base for makeup. Although I'm not so fond of the smell, it reminds me of Fairy washing up liquid... go figure?! This moisturiser has seen me through many a long day with minimal shine. It leaves a soft velvety feel to my skin, my pores look minimized and my make-up just seems to  sit better when I've used it.

Noticed that I've gained a few followers on Bloglovin, Hello! What would make it into your top 5?

So, the addition of Hydraluron is probably of no surprise to any of you beauty readers in the know. Ever since it was mentioned by the fabulous skincare guru Caroline Hirons, Hydraluron has been a firm favourite of every Beauty Blogger and their dog (well maybe that's too far, but you get the picture) - and with good reason. The wonder product from Indeed Labs claims to 'increase skin hydration from below the surface with an ultra=high-quality hyaluronic acid that holds up to 1,000 times it's weight in water. Impressive stuff, no? I'm currently on my third tube of the stuff and can hand on heart say that my skin has never felt so soft and plump.

Korres 24 hour Moisturising and Brightening Cream is my favourite day time moisturiser by far. It's moisturising, softening and has the perfect amount of beautiful rose scent to make the product feel luxurious without being overpowering. I have the normal/dry skin option, as I do tend to suffer with dryness over the colder months but they do make an oily/combination formula which I'm tempted to purchase ready for the warmer weather. I like applying this little gem of a moisturiser in the morning, it's lightweight and easily absorbed providing a perfectly primed base to apply my make-up for the day.

Ahhhhhh, Dr Andrew Weil for Origins - Mega Bright. This inconspicuous little green pot, houses an eye cream of magical properties. I've honestly never used an eye cream that has made such a rapid difference to my horrendous dark circles - they're blue-toned FYI. I've been patting this on in my under eye region, day and night for the past week and have noticed my dark circles have lightened slightly as well as the skin in that area just looking healthier and more radiant. I've not needed to wear as much concealer and feel as if my face looks fresher and somehow more awake than normal. I cannot recommend this enough.
So, that was my 'Day' skincare instalment, stay tuned for the 'Night' addition. How do your skin care products change from day to night?

Have you tried any of these products before? If so, what did you think? Especially interested to hear about the Mac foundation as I've been a Nars Sheer Glow girl for the past year!
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