Everyone needs a little kit of products that are essential in emergencies or just a night out. This week I am sharing the products that are must-haves for me and my hand bag.

1. Scholl Gel Activ Insoles* $19.99
These come in a variety of styles to suit the shoe you wear daily or on a night out. I tend to wear high heels, with a very high heel since my boyfriend is so tall compared to me, so these are key to my feet's comfort. The gel offers support for your feet in all the right places and stick onto your shoes insole so they won't be slipping anywhere.

2. bohoBalm* $8.95 - $24.95
This product has been a favourite of mine for months and I'm almost out of it. I do have a full review on it here but you can use this product for anything and everything. It is the equivalent of PawPaw ointment however it contains coconut oil, honey, beeswax and olive oil. Every kit needs an all rounder product and this is the one you need!

3. Iluka Skincare Hydrating Toner Mist* $19.99 // Australis Makeup Finishing Spritz $15.95
A setting spray or toning mist is essential to keep your makeup looking fresh all day/night long or even to give your skin a mid-day pick me up. I find that both type of sprays help to soak up excess powder leaving your skin looking a lot less cakey.

4. Lipsticks!
Nothing in particular here, just any lipstick, liquid lipstick or lip balm you're loving. These always come in handy no matter what and I stock about 10 in my bag! I usually keep nudes as they are the most wearable and flattering but you can keep the one you will be wearing at that point in time or a few of your faves.

5. Hand Sanitiser
Another staple product that will always come in handy (pun intended)

6. Australis Fresh & Flawless Powder $12.95
If your skin is more on the oily side then keeping a powder (or blotting sheets) will be very helpful. This one is my personal favourite and comes with a sponge within it so its easy to reapply throughout the day/night.

7. Bandaids and Fashion Tape
If you are wearing new shoes trust me, you will need bandaids to prevent blisters. Or even if you injure yourself these are needed. Fashion tape is also important if your clothing rips or is stubborn and doesn't want to stay in place.

8. Mints
For fresh breath all day every day!

My fashion & beauty emergency kit is simple but still contains all the essentials. Leave your recommendations below in the comments :)

Disclaimer - Products marked with an * were sent out to me to trial however all opinions are 100% honest and based off my own experience. I only included products I actually recommend and use in this blogpost. For more information click here - disclaimer

Cruelty free makeup that is not only affordable but amazing quality? Yes please! NYX Cosmetics is one of my all time favourite brands and over the past years I have used and loved many products. This weeks post is dedicated to the best NYX products (in my opinion)!

My ultimate favourite and first ever product I owned is their Eyebrow Cake Powder. I've purchased this powder in numerous shades and I've even hit pan! This product beats pomades and pencils as it is easy to apply, lasts all day and helps me achieve a natural look for my sparse brows.

Next up is definitely their lip products. If I could only choose 3 (although I love them all) I'd recommend you try their Soft Matte Lip Creams, Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick and their Butter Glosses. The SMLC come in a variety of shades which are easy to apply and comfortable to wear throughout the day. They aren't drying like a liquid lipstick but do become more matte throughout the day. Their Butter Glosses and Liquid Suedes are both new favourites for me. I hate a sticky thick gloss but these offer the right amount of pigment while feeling "buttery" smooth on the lips. The liquid suede has more of a satin finish but if you blot it then its definitely more matte. It lasts through meals (as long as they aren't very oily) and never drying! I do wish they had more lighter nude shades in this formula.

I am blessed (not) with dark undereyes and redness on my face so NYX correctors come in handy. I've always wanted to try their colour correcting palettes however their Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer in yellow and Dark Circle Concealer work very well for me. The full coverage concealer is more of a thick and drying consistency whereas the dark circle concealer is a lot more creamier. Both subtly correct discolouration and can be built up. I always apply these under foundation/concealer when I want a more flawless complexion.

NYX have a large range of primers but my favourite is definitely their  Pore Filler primer. It has been said to be a dupe for Benefits Porefessional at a much lower price point. I find that this primer works really well at evening out texture or dry patches, I'd assume it works equally as well at filling pores however they are not an issue for me.

Last but not least is the HD blush. This is very pigmented so make sure you don't pack the product on your brush! In saying that it lasts all day without wearing off and is easy to blend. It is just as good as my Nars or Tarte blushes!! Definitely need more of these to start up a collection.

Comment your favourite products from NYX below!

If you read my skin diaries #1 here you would know I was on the search of a new organic and/or natural base to wear daily. I decided to go with Physicians Formula Organic Wear CC Cream purchased from iHerb to save myself $.

Swatches & Consistency
Shade - Light
Unfortunately this CC cream only comes in two shades - light and light medium. I do feel like this CC cream dries to a slightly darker shade as shown below so it may not be suitable for you if you are very pale. I'm a NC20-30 in MAC and Nars Santa Fe for reference. This shade is perfect for me when I am at my lightest although I find that it has a slight grey undertone, nothing a little bronzer can't warm up.

As for consistency it is quite thick but blends easily. It provides sheer to light coverage depending on what you use to apply it with. Using your hands will sheer out the product allowing it to even out minor skin concerns however with a brush most redness and any other discolouration will be covered pretty well. With my acne scarring and redness I did layer a concealer on top of the areas that needed the extra coverage which was perfect for every day! My face was flawless without having to cake on the makeup on all areas, especially those that don't really need coverage. Plus it is pretty undetectable and very natural looking.

Claims/Benefits

My experience
With my dry skin-type this CC cream lasted an entire day - 7+ hours - with or without a primer. It didn't emphasise any dryness as long as I moisturised beforehand and it always dried to a natural finish. I never set this CC cream with powder (again due to my skin type) and any other products I applied on top was never patchy and blended easily. Also, I am very excited to announce that it did not settle into my smile lines!! First product ever to do this!

I will add that this CC cream only lasts a few months before it expires, I am guessing that is because it is made from 100% natural and 70% organic ingredients. For a daily makeup base, especially if your skin doesn't have too many blemishes or discolouration I think this is a perfect product although I truly believe those of us with uneven skin can still use it and love it. At this point in time I can't wear it alone but I am excited for that day to come!

This week I have another organic skincare company to share with you all - Stem Organics! They are an Australian made & cruelty free company that cut back on excess packaging so you are actually paying for the product and not just the pretty packaging (although their packaging is still pretty amazing yet practical!)

Here's a little more about them -

They include

• Age fighting antioxidants
• Natural anti-inflammatory and skin super nutrients
• Certified organic and natural ingredients
• Premium quality and organic essential oils
• Vital essential fatty acids with omegas
• Nourishing cold pressed and organic nut, seed and fruit oils
• Powerful anti-ageing ingredients
• Essential Vitamins and Minerals

While leaving out

• Petrochemicals
• GM (genetically modified) ingredients
• Parabens
• Sulphates
• Artificial colouring
• Artificial fragrances
• Nano ingredients
• Dioxins
• Propylene Glycol
• Pesticides
• Herbicides

Clearly this company is already a great brand to consider when purchasing new skincare since it will really benefit your skin naturally and cause you no damage. The two products I tested out are their Hydrating Face Fluid and Rejuvenating Face Oil.

Firstly I would like to talk about the Rejuvenating Face Oil. This oil is encased plastic packaging with a very easy to use dropper, allowing you to apply as much or as little product as you prefer. Unfortunately I had an allergic reaction to an ingredient within this product. I am yet to figure out what it was but every time I persisted and continued to use it my face broke out in a rash so I had to give up. I didn't want to exclude this product from my review so instead I made my brother test it out just so I could still share some thoughts and results with you all.

This vegan face oil claims to "rejuvenate, repair and replenish your skin with 14 precious organic and natural oils. Rejuvenating Face Oil is perfect for dehydrated, sun damaged, aged skin, scars, rough or uneven skin tones with its natural collagen building essential fatty acids and vitamins A, B, E."

I noticed with my brothers skin that this oil helped even out his skin tone (over time) and left his skin looking brighter and more supple. His skin is on the oiler side and this still worked well for him.

Next up is their Hydrating Face Fluid. This product comes with a pump making it very practical and hygienic to use. Thankfully my skin loved this stuff! It has a thin white consistency which absorbs quickly into the skin leaving it hydrated with no oily residue. When using this product I did notice that my dry patches were non-existent and my skin felt and looked less dehydrated, especially when I wore makeup. I also applied this gently - and only a little bit - around my eyes to aid in reducing fine lines and hydrating the area for concealer application. This product also left my skin feeling very soft and less textured which I love!!

I decided to put my results first with this one but here are the claims - "Hydrating Face Fluid is a rich, yet rapidly absorbed face fluid that is full of essential fatty acids, emollients, vitamins and minerals. Fantastic for skin feeling dry, taut or affected by the extremes of weather, particularly the cold. Feel revived and nurture your skin by using this nutrient rich moisture fluid to deeply moisturize, soften, soothe and protect. Helps lock in moisture."

I'll definitely be looking into their other products because I would love to try out more organic skincare! I highly recommend Stem Organics, not only because they're Australian made, vegan and cruelty free but because they actually use ingredients that are 100% safe for our skin. I strongly believe that people need to switch to natural skincare, especially if acne is a problem, because the major brands generally include ingredients that actually are damaging our skin rather than helping it. For more information on what ingredients to avoid when it comes to skincare you can do a google search and read all about it - or just make the switch and know what you are putting on your face matters!

Disclaimer - This product was sent to me for the purpose of this review however all opinions are 100% honest and based off my own experience. For more information click here - disclaimer

I love my full coverage foundations. But lately I've noticed they usually enhances my fine lines and cake up after 6 hours of wear, so I have been searching for a sheer yet buildable foundation to use instead. On a daily basis and for work I don't need a full face, I prefer something that lets my natural skin peak through but still evens out my redness enough that I feel confident leaving the house. Is the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation the one for this? Read on and find out my thoughts!

When I want to try out a new foundation that I have no idea how it will react with my skin I always get samples. They help you save your money if they turn out not to be as great as you expected so that is what I did with this foundation. I was colour matched to the shades 2.0 and 2.5. Any numbers ending with .0 has a yellow undertone and .5 has pink undertones. Both of these shades are fair. For the purpose of this review I used the shade 2.5 as it was the only sample I ended up taking home with me although I think 2.0 will be a better match for my skin tone.

Claims

"Enriched with peptides to restore elasticity and sodium hyaluronates to hydrate deeply, this revolutionary liquid foundation uses light-diffusing technology to create a radiant, flawless-looking complexion.
The light-as-air formula melts into the skin to visibly blur the appearance of fine lines and imperfections for an undetectable finish. 
Coverage can be customised, built and concentrated on different parts of the face as desired for a medium to full coverage finish. 
The foundation comes packaged in a sleek, no-mess, no-waste pump bottle and is available in 18 meticulously calibrated shades."

My opinion

This foundation comes with multiple claims which is music to my ears when I read them. It is exactly what I am searching for in a foundation so I thought it was time to pick up a sample and put it to the test. As I mentioned above I brought home the shade 2.5 which is described as fair with subtle pink undertones.

The first time I applied this foundation I used no primer and since this is a first impressions I will be basing it off that experience. I also did not add any concealer, bronzer, blush, powder or anything to really see how it looked and wore throughout the night. I did use a moisturiser as I have a few dry patches.

The initial layer of this foundation was undetectable yet evened out my redness pretty well. The one layer didn't cling to any dryness, did not settle into any fine lines and dried to a satin finish. I then went ahead and built up the coverage only on my cheeks which covered all redness almost completely. I noticed that when I added an extra layer it settled into one side of my smile lines but every foundation, powder or concealer does this no matter how little I apply - you even notice the laugh line without makeup (I laugh too much)! The foundation was still undetectable and didn't look powdery on my dry skin type at all.

The foundation slightly creased under my eyes however it is a very liquidy formula and it wasn't set with any powder so its understandable. Being on the liquidy and light-weight side allows this foundation to easily be built up to the coverage you desire or you can also sheer it out and make it look extremely natural.

After a few hours of wear the foundation still looked the same as it did when I first applied it. It didn't go patchy or fade anywhere (unless you blow your nose continuously and rub it off with the tissue!) and I was very impressed. The foundation lasted perfectly for 5 hours of wear and I'm sure it would last well beyond that time, I just wanted to go to bed so I had to remove it. It honestly felt like I had nothing on my face the entire time I wore this foundation. The consistency, finish and how it feels on the skin is comparable to the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet at a much lower price and has the added bonus of being cruelty free!

I will definitely be purchasing the full size after my birthday because it looked and felt amazing on my skin. This foundation is exactly what I have been wanting for a daily basis! I feel as though the satin finish can work with both oily and dry skin types. If you are on the oily side I would just powder the foundation and for those of us on the dryer side we don't need to set it at all. If you have tried this foundation before leave your thoughts below :)