Daily Make-Up /// My Make-Up Bag.

Hello : )

I thought I'd write a post about the make-up that I paint my face with every day.

I usually start by using a toner all over my face to get rid of any oil that came out in the night, and to get rid of any remaining eye make-up that makes me look like I've been punched. At the moment, I'm using The Body Shops 'Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner'. I'm not completely sold on this one. It smells absolutely lovely, but I think it's just a bit too harsh for my skin, and it makes my eyes really sting. Once it is finished I'll have a hunt around for a new toner to try.

After the toner has dried, I SOMETIMES moisturise (which nine times out of ten makes me mega greasy and yuck), or SOMETIMES use Loreals 'Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer' (really big pores across my nose and cheeks!). More often than not though, I'll just go straight on to the foundation. 

At the moment I am about half way through a bottle of No7 'Beautifully Matte' foundation in the shade 'Cool Vanilla'. Now, for donkeys years I have been hopping from one liquid foundation to the other, trying to find one with great coverage to hide my break-outs, and one that won't melt off of my face due to the bucket-fulls of oil that my face seems set on producing. And I hadn't had much luck at all until I tried this foundation! When I'm at work (I work in a rediculously over heated environment), it usually lasts on my face for about 5-7 hours before beginning to slide around; and when at home it will last a couple of yours longer. But to me, that is BRILLIANT. No other foundation that I've used before could stand up to this one. And I can safely say that when this bottle is finished, I will be going straight to Boots to buy another!!

After foundation comes concealer. I'm on a tube of Maybellines 'Fit Me' concealer in shade #15. Mixed reviews for this one. I find it to be too thin to really cover any blemishes or red spots, but it's fine to use under my eyes. My all-time favourite concealer is most definitely Collection 2000s 'Lasting Perfection' concealer. Fantastically high coverage from that one!

Next, I use pressed powder to give a completely matte look. I'm currently using No7 'Perfect Light' pressed powder in the shade 'Translucent'. To be honest, I personally won't be buying this again. It is absolutely fine at what it does. It performs pretty well, and comes in a very nice little compact with a mirror inside. But I think I would rather buy something like Rimmels 'Stay Matte' pressed powder. It works exactly the same, but for a lower price. It all comes down to the pennies! 

Sometimes I'll sweep a bit of bronzer over my face just now, depending on how the mood takes me...

On to the cheeks. At the moment I'm chopping and changing between 3 blushers, namely 'Expert Wear Blush' in the shades 'Peach' or 'Rosewood', which is from Maybelline, or for a more full-on look I have 17s 'Blush & Glow' in the shade 'In Bloom'. My favourite is the peach.

Eyes next. I start with a miracle product, Urban Decays 'Eyeshadow Primer Potion' in the original shade. I bought this for the first time about a year ago, and I'm still on the same tube despite using it every day! This stuff really is brilliant. For me, it lasts literally all day (or at least for the 16 out of 24 hours that I'm usually wearing it!). My problem before using this was that eyeshadow would all gather in a big fat greasy line in the crease of my eye, which looked really gross. But this product really worked wonders and fixed that problem completely. It is getting towards the expensive side for a cheap-skate like me, but I think it is well worth it, considering how long it lasts and how well it works. I will certainly be buying another one of these when I'm finished with this tube.

^Most of the items in my daily make-up routine^

After that I put on eye shadow. This can be any colour really. I typically go for darker colours like deep purples or greys and blacks, but recently I have been using more natural colours like browns and light greens. I don't really have a favourite eye shadow, but I like anything with a bit of sparkle to it.

For eye liner I LOVE Bobbi Browns 'Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner' in 'Black Ink'. I'm a big fan of a heavily lined eye, and this does the job extremely well. I apply it with a thin brush along my top lash line, and usually have a little flick or wing at the outside corner of my eye. The first time I came across this product was when I was about 15. My mum bought it duty-free on the plane back from holiday, but decided black was much too dark for her, so she let me have it. Back then, I used to put it on with a thin paint brush!! Haha, silly me. Worked though. I think I lost that pot, because I don't remember it running out and I don't remember throuwing it away. But anyway, I recently splurged on a new pot of it, and it really is a great product. It seems to be lasting for ever, and it isn't drying up at all like I worried it would. It goes on easily and lasts a long time. Yes, it is a very small pot for the price, but it really is worth it. I also occasionally use Loreals 'Infallible' eyeliner in 'Night-Day Black'. When I use this, I use it along the waterline at the bottom of my eye. I used to use it on my top lid as well, and it did a pretty good job, but not as good as Bobbi Brown, so it got replaced. What I like about this eyeliner is that you don't have to sharpen it. I always have rubbish luck with sharpening eyeliners, I end up ruining them. But this eyeliner is a twist-up twist-down kind of dealy. Sharpening problem solved! 

For mascara I'm addicted to Maybellines 'Falsies Volum Express' in 'Waterproof Black. It's an old favourite, nuff said. I always come back to this one after trying other products, but for me, none others match up to it. It suits me well. 

For lips, I used to use just vaseline or similar, but I'm beginning to branch out into the deep realms of lip glosses and sticks. I'm currently test-driving Maybellines 'Superstay 24hr Lip Colour And Balm' in 'Creme Caramel'. I said a short piece on this in my previous blog post. Smells nice, goes on well, balm is nice and soft. I've marked it down slightly though, because it left residue on my coffee mug earlier on. Still quite a good colour, though. 

And that is my regular, run-of-the-mill, every day make-up routine!!

^The bag in question^

Alsooo, I just thought I'd show you my make-up bag. Because I can... : ) 

This bag was a present last christmas from the Boyfriends mum. It is a really cut bag, in my opinion. I really love it. It's made by retreat. It only has one compartment, but it is rather roomy inside, all my every day make-up plus an eyeshadow pallette. a kabuki brush, a blusher brush, eyelash curlers, and a few odds and ends can fit inside. There is a zip fastening along the top. The motif on the front is three little hearts that have been sewn on, with some very cute little buttons. The main colour is a kind of sandy beigey colour, and the panels at either end are green with white polka dots, which matches two of the heart on the front. The seams are covered with red piping, which is quite eye-catching. 

My lovely little make-up bag does the job. : )