The Contents of my Face: My Everyday Makeup Routine

I thought I would share with you from 'The Contents of my Face' series an everyday makeup look.  Very similar to a post here but a bit more updated with a few different products...

Primer...

First up, after my morning skincare routine, I apply a primer.  I'm currently using Laura Mercier's radiance primer (an apparent favourite of the new Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle & I can see why!).  It really gives you a glowy radiant base.  You could possibly wear it on it's own.
I always feel you need a primer if you want your makeup to last all day & with this one it definitely does.

Base...

Next up, I apply a bit of peach colour corrector under my eyes from the Revolution colour corrector palette with a small concealer brush & blend with a mini real techniques eraser sponge.
Then it's foundation time!  I'm currently using L'Oreal's True Match foundation in the shade Linen. (My shades tend to vary throughout the year)  I use a Real Technique's expert face brush to buff this in.
After this, I pop some concealer under my eyes, around my nose & anywhere that needs a bit of concealing!   I tend to use my favourite Maybelline eraser eye concealer in either 'light' or 'brightener'.  I then of course blend this all in with my Real Technique's blending sponge.
Once my concealer is done, I set it with my Rimmel Insta Fix & Matte powder with a small Real Techniques setting brush.

Adding a bit of colour...

Now my base is set, it's time to brighten up my face a bit more with some bronzer, blush & highlighter. 
My current bronzer to contour my face is by Bourjois which I apply with a bronzing blusher brush by, of course, Real Techniques.
For blusher & highlighter I use a variety but my current fave is from Sleek.  It's their Face Form Contouring & Blush palette in the shade Fair.  I use a Spectrum brush for my blusher & a small Real Techniques brush for my highlighter.
I pop my highlighter on the high points of my cheekbones, a little bit on my nose, chin & cupids bow.

Brows...

For my brows, I use my favourite Hi-Impact Brows brow powder & set them with any brow gel.  My current one is by Browcote.

For everyday I tend to not use eyeshadow.  Just some black eyeliner on my waterline (I really look odd without it!).  I really love the Smokey Eye pencil by Rodial.
Then a few coats of mascara.  A real fave is by Givenchy in the colour Black Taffeta (I also love Roller Lash by Benefit!).  It is brilliant for giving both volume & length.

Lips...

Finally, a bit of lippie!  So many to choose from, but a current newbie I've been reaching for is Half n' Half by MAC.  A lovely nude.


So, that's my everyday makeup routine.  What's yours?

Bee x 

New Concealer to try from Maybelline!

If you read my blog regularly, you will know my love for concealers (see a post here) & hiding my under eye circles!  Yes, I seem to mention them rather a lot! (Sorry!)

Anyway, I don't know where I heard about it first, but I noticed somewhere that Maybelline Eraser Eye, which I adore, had a few different colours out & of course, I had to try it!  

So, I purchased their 'brightener' shade.   And yes, it does what it says on the tin! 

Other colours are - 
Nude
Light (my regular shade)
Honey
Neutralizer (may try that next!)

I made the mistake of putting on far too much on my first attempt to use it!  It is a pinky shade & looked very bright.

However, having applied it properly since, the product does give really good coverage & makes you look rather refreshed.  It blends in really well with my blending sponge & feels smooth on your skin & not at all drying like some concealers can.  And because it is a 'brightener' shade, you can use it as a highlighter wherever you want to highlight! (Great on cheekbones & nose!)

Priced at £8.99, I feel this is a pretty competitive price for a quality concealer!

This 'eraser eye' does of course have a drawback like my regular shade does....you get through it way too quickly!!  It's just fab!


Bee x 



Side note: Currently on Boots website all Maybelline products are on 3 for 2. Go, go, go! 



   

My JULY Favourites!

We are into August, but here is my favourites from last month...

A Tattoo From Maybelline...

How could I not include Color Tattoos from Maybelline?  I reviewed them in my last blog post here & if you read it (I hope so!), you will know that I absolutely loved them!  They make your eyes look amazing with hardly any effort.  

Definite winner! 



Rimmel Lippie...

Now, I love a good nude lipstick, but I have to be careful, as if I go too pale with my colouring, I could look like what you would find on a mortuary slab!  So, its all about getting the right shade. 

I tend to stick to the pinky 'my lips but better' nudes but this time I went for a beige peachy '1960's' tone & I came across one from Rimmel in the Kate Moss collection.  And I must say Ms Moss picked very well with her range & number 43 seemed the perfect shade for me.  It's a really lovely colour, as I've already said & goes on very well & lasts quite a while.  A lovely creamy feeling & smells gorgeous - like sweets!  A great price point too at only £5.49 - whats not to love?


A Bit Of Sunshine From Olay...

So, I know I just said in my Rimmel lipstick review that I am a tad on the pale side, but I have been trying to get a bit of glow back in my face.  I know we're experiencing a bit of sun this summer in England but I haven't been on away on holiday yet, so I've had no time to 'full on' sunbathe, so I have to resort to the fake variety!  And this is where my next favourite comes in.  It's Everyday Sunshine by Olay.  It's an oldie but definitely a goodie!  I reach for it every summer without fail!

The shade I currently have is light (if I'm tanned I go for 'deep' to emphasize my tan) & it's great to give your skin a bit of a warm up & glow.

It contains SPF15 which is a plus too - its so important to protect your skin!  It glides on easy, feels wonderful on your skin & just smells of holiday!  

I will always love this!  More than just a moisturiser!

Forever Soft Lips...

I have reviewed this before (see here), so I won't go on but just to say it is still going strong & I love it! 

It's the Forever Aloe Lips with Jojoba which was gifted to me. 

With Aloe Vera, Beeswax & Jojoba, it keeps my lips super soft.  It's perfect & that is why it had to be included as a favourite this month - I just keep reaching for it!

And finally....

Brightening My Eyes With Origins

In a fairly recent beauty box, I received a little 5ml sample of Origins Ginzing eye cream.

I love beauty boxes - they are packed full of mini samples of beauty items you probably always wanted to try but don't want to fork out for the full size product incase you don't like it!   So this gives you a great opportunity to test them out.

So, back to the eye cream.  I'd always wanted to try the Origins Ginzing range but wondered if I wouldn't like it.  Well, this eye cream didn't really disappoint.

As it says on the packaging - it is refreshing on the skin.  It also promises to brighten & depuff.  The skin around my eyes isn't really puffy but is very dark & this cream did brighten it up a bit.  I do think that if I got the full size product & used it over a longer period of time, I would definitely notice a difference.

I will say though, that it does feel wonderful on my skin & really does wake up my eyes in the morning! 

A lovely product.


So, what did you love in July?  Have you tried any of these items before?  I'd love to know!

Bee x  

A Tattoo I Can Change Every 24 Hours! - Maybelline New York Color Tattoos

Why has it taken me so long to try out these?  I don't really know, but I'm glad I did! 

I can tell you straight away that the 24hr Color Tattoos by Maybelline are AMAZING!  

I try not to make life too difficult for myself (I don't always accomplish this, by the way!) & this includes makeup.  And these eyeshadows definitely do make it easy.  Would you like a wash of colour that looks stunning & takes zero effort?  I think so! 

They are so easy to apply as they are a gel-cream formula.  You can pop some on with your finger & blend or use your regular eyeshadow brush.  And believe me they do not budge! Hence the name Tattoo!  (It took me a while to remove the swatches off my hand for this blog post - they don't move!)

There are a mixture of matte & shimmer colours in the collection & I'm definitely partial to a bit of shimmer!  So, the colours I currently have are -
35 - On and On Bronze
65 - Pink Gold
15 - Endless Purple

The colour pay off is wonderful & once on the lid, the effect is stunning (you could use as a base for other colours too - they are very like MAC Paint Pots) - no one will ever know it only took you a few seconds to apply!  Definitely a good 'on the go' shadow!

The price point is not bad too, as the amount of product you get for your money will last you quite a while. 

So, have I convinced you yet to buy these?  I think so! 

On a side note, I'm late to the party yet again - I finally purchased Maybelline's Lash Sensational Mascara.  A lovely brush & easy to apply, but I'm still undecided if it is as amazing as everyone says.  It has been good but not sure if it is really outstanding....
Hmm...the jury is still out! 

So, that is it from me for now...till next time!

Bee x   

The Contents of my Face: My Daily Makeup Routine (Or 'Dash Out the Door' Look!)

So, you go to bed with good intentions; you will wake up early, so you can spend more time on your makeup, right?  And what happens?  You either oversleep or spend too much time checking the internet or eating breakfast!

I seem to do all of the above!  Therefore, I thought I would share my makeup routine if I'm dashing off to work.  I must say it varies slightly depending on what products I use, but I've managed to get it down to 11 minutes - & that is quick for me! 

So, here goes...

After my skincare, I apply my base.  Currently its a BB cream instead of foundation, as for day to day & for work I generally prefer a lighter base during these summer months.  So, at the moment I'm using Dead Sea Spa Magik Diamond Range Beauty Balm in Natural with an SPF of 15.  I apply this with my Real Techniques stippling brush & buff it in. 

Then, I apply & blend in my NYX dark circle concealer (sometimes I do this before my base) with my fingers under my eyes to hide my horrendous dark circles & scar by my left eye.  I sometimes also add & blend in some of my Maybelline Eraser Eye concealer too. 

I then run some mineral powder under my eyes to set my concealer in place.  My current fave is by Primark! (see why here)

Next, I mattify my face with good old Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder in 001 Transparent (have used this since forever!) with my Real Techniques powder brush.

To brighten up my face a bit, I use various bronzers, but my current favourite is Bourjois bronzing powder in 51.  Perfect for contouring my cheeks & giving me a general glow.  I use, of course, (you guessed!) a fabulous Real Techniques brush to apply this.

For adding a bit of colour to my cheeks I apply a lovely blusher with (currently!) a different brush other than the wonderful Real Techniques - a very pretty brush by Spectrum!  My favourite blush (& now of all time!) & the one I tend to use more often than not is by NARS.  I received it in a beauty box & absolutely loved it, so I will definitely be purchasing a full size version.  I honestly think I won't ever need another blush....ever!!   And I'm sure you have guessed which one!!   

For highlight, I tend to use Golden Lights by Makeup Revolution, which I pop on the top of my cheekbones & under my brow bone. (see my review of this product here)  

Now, as I say, this is a 'dash out the door' look, so I don't spend much time on my eyes, but to make them look alive (other than concealer!), I firstly apply my Hi-Impact Brows brow powder to my eyebrows (I use the lighter shade), then set them with my clear Rimmel Brow This Way brow gel (which is looking truly disgusting right now!).

After that, I skip eyeshadow (no time!) & apply black eyeliner to my inner waterline & smudge.  I usually use Barry M's kohl liner.  My eyeliner I guess, is my signature look & my security blanket - I'm not 'me' if I'm not wearing it!

In the inner corner of my eyes I apply a little white eyeliner by Rimmel.  This is a trick I learnt years ago (you can use nude if you prefer) - it makes you look wide awake! And it definitely does! 

I then add a quick sweep of mascara.  At the moment I'm using a sample of Givenchy's  Noir Couture Volume Mascara in Black Taffeta (it's lovely by the way!).

Last, but by no means least, I grab a tinted lip balm or lipstick.  It could be anything!  Today, it was 'Modesty' by MAC.

And that's it!   

It may sound a lot, but it honestly takes me just a few minutes.

What do you use to make yourself look presentable if you only have minutes to spare?  I'd love to know! 

Bee x 

Let the battle of the concealers commence....YSL, Maybelline, Collection & NYX

So, I thought I'd share with you my concealer collection! 

I suffer from very dark circles under my eyes & I also have a scar on the side of my left eye which I have due to a traumatic birth.  I have noticed that, unfortunately, my scar is becoming more pronounced as I get older & I will do anything to hide it! 

I do sometimes use 'correctors' as well, which make the concealing task more effective, however, here is the low down of what I think of the concealers I have at the moment when used on their own....

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Radiant Touch...

I have purchased this on & off for years.  I mainly buy it at duty free as it's cheaper!

I always thought Touche Eclat would be a bit of a let down even though there was so much hype around the product, but I took the plunge anyway & I've always been really pleased! 

I really think it 'wakes up' my under eye area & it's great for touch ups too.  It's the perfect colour for me & yep, I will be purchasing again! 

Maybelline The Eraser Eye...

Now, this product I love!  (I saw the youtuber Kaushal Beauty recommend this & she was right!) 

The first time I used this I really found that this was doing something for my skin.  It contains goji berries & Haloxyl & felt really tingly.  I've not noticed it tingling as much the more I wear it, so not sure if the ingredients are wearing off, but in any case, I find that the coverage is good & I have the shade light, which I don't think is too pale for me.  I find for me, this is more for concealing & not for highlighting.  I'm sure it would be perfect for highlighting if you have a darker skin tone.

The only drawback though, is you do seem to go through the product very quickly.  It does produce good results so it's definitely worth it.

Collection Lasting Perfection...

Everyone on Youtube & in the blogging world seemed to rave about this, so of course, I gave into the hype & purchased it.

Yes, it's really good for highlighting & brightening (I have the shade Fair 1) but for directly under the eyes I find this a bit drying & it does tend to crease after a long day, so it makes me look as though I have more fine lines than I had to begin with! 

It's not the worst concealer in the world - I can understand why so many people like it & at about £4.00 it's great value for money, but I doubt I will be buying it again.

NYX HD Concealer...

This is a recent purchase.  In fact, I only bought this about 3 weeks ago.

I was on a day out in Bath, when I popped into their local (& big!) Boots & was stunned to see that they were finally stocking NYX!  I've heard so much about this brand, so I had to buy a few bits.

Anyway, I picked up this concealer & so far I can say that I'm very impressed.  I have the shade CW01 Porcelain.  It's high definition, photogenic, mineral enriched & free of talc & parabens.

It feels lovely on the skin & not drying at all.  It's light enough for highlighting & great for concealing.  A really good coverage.

It will be interesting to see how long this product lasts before I have to repurchase (& I'm sure I will!).


So, that's my round up on my current collection of concealers & I hope it has helped you if you fancy purchasing any of these.

What's your favourite concealer?  Is there one I need to try?  Let me know! 

Bee x