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 

The Contents of my Face: My Summer Look

I've recently come back from a lovely holiday on the Greek island of Rhodes & I'm loving having a bit of a tan.  So, I thought I'd share with you how I changed up my makeup on holiday & how I've kept up this look while I still have my tan! 

Having a more sunkissed look means you need to change your base & make the most of that 'glow'.  So, I went for a gorgeous radiant primer by Studio 10 called 'Glow2Go'.  

It says it's a 'youth lift glow-plexion', which gives such a boost to your skin.  It can be worn on it's own or as a highlighter, but it can also be mixed with your foundation.  It has such a lovely light bronzy colour - not at all glittery - & the texture is creamy & feels really comfortable on your skin.  It contains anti-aging properties (that's always great!), hyaluronic acid & vitamins C & E.  It is a really great product. I definitely recommend you try it!

Now, as I say, 'Glow2Go' can be mixed with a foundation & as it's summer, I wanted a lighter base, so I used Rimmel's 'Instaflawless'. 

 I used this product last summer too & find it great to even out my skintone.  It isn't too heavy either, so no chance of covering up your tan.  Rather, it adds to it, giving you a natural glow - yes, I'm all about that 'glow'!!

'Instaflawless' contains SPF 15, provides 24hr moisturisation & really brightens your skin.  I played it safe & chose the shade light-medium & at only £6.99, it really is a bargain! (And a little goes a long way too!) 

Finally, to give my summer face a really bronzed look, I went for another product by Rimmel.  It's their 'Radiance Brick'. 

 As you can probably tell by the photos, this bronzing powder is getting a lot of love right now! 

It's a multi-tone powder graduating from a light highlighter shade down to a deep bronze.  It is so easy to use, without going overboard.  The colours are so lovely that you definitely don't look orange, just gorgeously tanned! 

It comes in 2 shades, but as I'm quite fair naturally, I went again for 001 light.  That way, once my tan has faded, I will still be able to use it without looking 'false'.  Perfect! 

How do you change up your makeup for the summer? 

Right, anyone fancy taking me on holiday?  My tan is fading!

Bee x 

For more 'Contents of my Face', see here & here   

Fresher Skin with Rimmel

I always love trying out foundations and so I thought I would give you my thoughts on my latest one! 

When I was a teenager I didn't have the greatest skin and the faint scars that I still have all these years later are a reminder of those days when I would try any product that, a) I could use to hide those horrid spots & b) could afford!  And one brand that was always guaranteed to be the most affordable at the time was...Rimmel!

And here we have come full circle.  Again, I am trying a foundation by Rimmel.  It's called 'Fresher Skin' & I must admit, while it brings back memories of when I first got into makeup, at least I don't need quite as much coverage! 

I have seen a review on this foundation on YouTube saying it gives patchy results but I personally think that the lady had very dry skin, so maybe it wasn't the best for her.  However, I have combination skin, so was interested to see if it would make a difference on me.  I will get into that in a moment, but firstly here's the lowdown on this foundation....

It apparently comes in six shades (I think there was only about four in my local store), it contains aloe vera, chamomile and sea algae and also has an SPF of 15.  The size of the product is 25ml and comes in a little cute glass pot, which is very different for Rimmel as they normally have their foundations in tubes.  It says on the front that this foundation is breathable, with a natural finish, shine free and doesn't clog pores.  It also comes in at a reasonable price of £7.49. (current offer is 2 selected Rimmel products for £10 at Boots)

Now, here's what I think!

On first opening it smells very fresh and clean which must be from the natural ingredients.  I've never had that sort of smell from a foundation before (it's more like skincare) and it really is lovely! 

After applying the product on the skin it feels as fresh as it smells, it's very lightweight but also buildable if you want a bit more coverage.

It does seem to wear well (it didn't go patchy on me) but if I want it to be extra perfect and not move at all in any natural lines then I just apply a primer underneath.

Rimmel says that it leaves you shine free; well, I never think any foundations are totally perfect.  However, I will say I didn't look totally shiny by the end of the day, just maybe a tiny bit on my nose - but nothing that a bit of powder won't fix!

All in all, I think this foundation is really good and good value for money.  I think the shade I chose (I went for 103 True Ivory) is pretty close to what I would currently use.  And if I did need to adjust I could mix it with another in the range.  So, yep, well done Rimmel!  A really good product and if I could bottle the fragrance that's in the foundation I would!  It definitely does what it says on the 'tin' - it gives you 'Fresher Skin'!

Have you got a foundation that I should try?  Let me know! 

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 

MAY FAVOURITES!

After a bit of a break, I'm back to blogging & even though we are well into June, I thought I'd share last month's favourites with you all!

So first up...

Soft skin in seconds...

I've used this product for ages now, but since the weather has been turning a bit warmer & I've been getting my legs out a bit more, I've needed my skin to look healthy & moisturised & not drier than the sahara desert! So, I've been reaching for this - Spray & Go body moisturiser by Vaseline.  I have it in the scent Cocoa Radiant.  I absolutely love the smell as it reminds me of chocolate! 

It's super light & not greasy at all. You literally spray it on, give it a quick rub & you are good to go! (Great for people like me, who haven't got the time to spend rubbing thick lotions into our limbs!)

What's not to love?!



Makeup that's cheap as chips!...

Now, I love a good bargain in Primark, but I've never been one for their makeup....until now.

I'm always a bit obsessed with hiding the shadows under my eyes & use various concealers (see my concealer post here) & powders.  So, when I came across a small pot of powder in my local Primark, I thought I'd give it a try.  It's the mineral loose face powder in the shade light.

I must say, I was really impressed.  Its a nice light tone (not orange like some cheap products can be!) & it sets perfectly under my eyes when applied with a small brush.  There is only 8g of product but I'm sure, as I don't use that much, will last for ages & its at the bargain price of £2! Wow!

I may just have to venture into their makeup department a bit more now! 

And while we are on the subject of makeup...

Hiding the shadows...

As I've mentioned, my under aye area is a problem! So, I've recently discovered NYX (see a recent post) & one product I love is their dark circle concealer correcteur.  A lot of beauty manufacturers seem to be cottoning on to the idea of colour correctors & they do work a treat, provided you know how to use them of course!

This corrector by NYX is a lovely peachy tone. Ideal for lightening up & hiding those pesky shadows under your eyes.  You only need to apply a little (or sometimes a lot!!) with your finger in small patting motions & instantly you can fake that perfect night sleep & hide the fact that you are no longer in your 20's!! 

It's another bargain too, so it's definitely one to repurchase!



Keeping your brows in place!...

You know when you have filled in your eyebrows with that perfectly complimentary colour & they look so neat & tidy? Then, at some point in the day, you might get a bit hot, scratch your forehead or flick that overgrown fringe out of the way, & then, yep, your once neat eyebrows, aren't so neat any more!

Well, this won't always be a problem if you buy this stuff - Brow This Way by Rimmel.  I always purchase this in the colour clear, hence why mine looks slightly mucky & beige now from brow product!

This gel sets your brows perfectly, doesn't budge & you don't end up with brow powder all over your forehead!

A great product & one to never go without!

A yummy treat for people like me!...

As you probably know if you regularly read my blog, I'm one of those.  One of those 'awkward people' with food intolerances!

Well, I'm so glad I've discovered these - a sweet treat that I can have without fear of at least one of the ingredients hating me!

It's the range of 'Perkier bars' & they are heaven in a bar!
The flavours are (& I think this is the whole range - correct me if I'm wrong)-
Cacao & Cashew (the BEST flavour in my opinion! Divine!)
Cashew, Chia & Pumpkin Seed
Cranberry & Cashew
Goji & Cranberry 

They are all high in fibre, protein, vitamin & minerals & are gluten, wheat & dairy free - perfect for me!

The bars seem to always be on offer in my local Morrisons too (I must stock up!!), so its a win win for me!
I love them! 

So, thats my May favourites done & I'm off to have another Perkier bar....

What did you love last month?

Bee x