Gone are the days of stripey skin and that un-buffed finish. Thanks to what seemed to be the start of a new revolution in flawless faces assisted by the launch of the Real Techniques multi-purpose Expert face brush followed by Sigma's Sigmax precision brushes promising perfectly dewy, second skin airbrushed beauty, we left our flat fellas in the dark, collecting dust while they neighbour our newly beloved faves.

The flat foundation brush was the first real makeup brush I had ever purchased. I bought it along with Rimmel's matte finish liquid foundation at the tender and inexperienced age of 15. It was a remarkable and poignant time in my life, not only because it guaranteed more coverage then my nubby little fingers could muster, but because I had properly garnered the clean professional disposition of "wannabe makeup artist".

After a few more years of literally NO complaints, YouTube had taken off like never before and 'Pixiwoo' lit a flame from within. Two extremely talented English roses melting what looked like a dream into their creamy white faces, leaving not a trace of imperfection. No strange brush marks below the eyes, no paint like residue around the neck, just perfect clean covered skin. So there I was like the rest of us, ditching the flat brush for a more soft luxuriously buffed finish. It felt like magic. However as time passed, and the novelty wore off, I found myself longing for my old flat mate. and it was then where I rediscovered the lost beauty of the flat foundation brush and the multiple things it can do for me.

One of my 2015 New Year's Resolutions was to get that clear skin I have always dreamed of. I've experimented with hundreds of things in the past, but I decided to look for a more consistent routine that's easy to follow and maintain. I've discovered various natural and pharmaceutical products that I have been loving this past month and am hoping to continue using for the rest of the year as the results have been pleasantly positive. Keep reading to find out what skincare favourites made the list for this January. 

Thanks to a good friend of mine, I finally got my hands on the coveted Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette, which completes my Naked eyeshadow palette collection (for now at least)!

I thought it would be a great idea to compare this piece with it's palette sisters and share my thoughts about the newest edition. The first thing I noticed about this palette which led me to obsess over it before it was finally in my possession is the array of soft to deep nutty pinks and rose gold shimmers, straight through to the plum shades on the end. What this palette can achieve is incredibly soft yet smouldering eyes, suitable for day and night. The best thing about working with nuetral shades is it's pretty much mistake-proof, and blending is an absolute breeze, which is essential for a makeup beginner. As far as colours go, I couldn't be more impressed, as it was in fact it's biggest selling point when first introduced to me. I can't pick one favouite shade, rather I have chosen three; the sweet and dainty "Limit", the bold yet feminine "Nooner" and the sparkly "Trick" which is reminiscent of December lights.

Quick Review:

 

Overall Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Normal to Oily Combination skin, Acne, Anti-aging
Claims: Non-irritating, 100% Fragrance Free, No added dyes, No animal testing. 
PROS: No harsh burning, redness or inflammation. Incredibly smooth skin. No more painful and unexpected breakouts. Bumps reduced within days. No more flaking.
CONS: Pricey, lot's of steps - consistency is hard to maintain, did nothing for scarring.