EVERY DAY MAKEUP ROUTINE

I am someone who likes to mix my makeup look up most days, this could be trying out different eye looks or a bold lip colour, but if I am in a rush and need a fast, makeup fix or if I’m after a basic style, there is a certain makeup look I will opt for.

I’d say this is my signature makeup look and one I will wear most often. I feel like for quite some time now this hasn’t really changed and I am happy with the products used so thought I would run through how I achieve this with you all today.

Of course, key to great makeup involves a solid skincare routine. I won’t go into this in too much detail because I do plan on writing a separate post on how I improved my skin but I start by cleansing, toning and moisturising my face. I also apply some lip balm to help moisturise my dry lips.

Next, I use Rimmel Fix & Perfect Primer all over my face which I find helps to minimise shine and keep my face looking matte throughout the day, as well as making my foundation apply like a dream. I then apply a small amount of Nivea Men Post Shave Balm on my face to help my makeup stay in place. I’m sure you’ve all heard about this product but if not, it has a sticky consistency which is perfect for keeping makeup in place.

I then apply some Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair over any pigmentation I have on my skin that I feel needs extra coverage, this tends to be around my nose and on my cheeks, and I blend this in with my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. 

Moving onto foundation, I will use L’Oreal Paris Infallible Matte Foundation on a daily basis. I mix the shades Porcelain and Vanilla to make the perfect colour for my skin tone. Again, I will blend this with my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge which gives me a flawless finish.

Concealing my under-eyes is something I still struggle with as I can never find a drugstore concealer that is pale enough for me but at the moment I use NYX HD Photogenic Concealer in the shade Porcelain as well as using some more Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer on any blemishes.

I then set all of this with my trusty Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent with any of my large powder brushes.

To bronze up my pale complexion, I sweep Rimmel Natural Bronzer all over the face with my Real Techniques Blush Brush and then contour my cheekbones, jawline and forehead with my Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit in Light/Medium with the Real Techniques Cheek Brush which is a slightly wider brush than I’d typically use allowing to create a contour that isn’t too defined which I find great for everyday.

Now onto my eyes. I mix up my eye look the most but I do have a standard look for when I am rushed for time. First, I prime my eyes with Urban Decay Primer Potion. I use the shade Eden which has some pigmentation in it to help conceal any darkness and veins on the eyelid, which I have a lot of.

Next using any blending brush to hand, I pack a barely there eyeshadow shade all over my eyelid and take a warm orange/brown shade to use as my transition colour and then work that into my crease. On a daily basis, this will be shades from my beloved Morphe 35OM palette.

Even on days where I am short on time, winged eyeliner is a step I will never miss out. I create mine with the Miss Sporty Studio Lash The Miaoww Eyeliner in Black. This eyeliner is so affordable at only £2.99 and has a fine tip making precision much easier.

I will curl my eyelashes quickly then proceed with coating my lashes in a few coats of Rimmel Supercurler Mascara in Extreme Black. I find this mascara is perfect for creating the voluminous look I am after.

No matter what the occasion, the eyebrow product I will use is Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade in Taupe. I have a few sparse patches in my brows so this product works wonders for filling in any gaps while allowing me to create a slick, clean shape. I apply this using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Synthetic Duo Brow Brush #12. I then set my brows in place using  Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Mascara in Medium Brown.

Now I add the glow! For my highlighter, I will use any small fluffy brush and apply The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer in my inner corners, down the bridge of my nose, brow bones and above my lip. Using a slightly larger fluffy brush, I then pack this onto my cheek bones for the most gorgeous golden glow.

To complete my ‘every day’ look I will apply a nude lipstick, such as Mac Velvet Teddy or NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm, and finish by spritzing some Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray all over my face to keep my makeup in place for longer.

So that is the routine I am now very happy with and have been using for some time now. If you would like a breakdown of how I do my makeup for a night out, be sure to let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading,

EXHIBITION (12)

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Tarte First Impressions

I have never owned any Tarte products before but I have always been keen to try some out. However, as most of you will know, it isn’t the most purse friendly brand. So when I was kindly gifted this set for Christmas from a neighbour, I was over the moon.

DSC_0160.JPGUnfortunately, I’m not sure what this set is called and after browsing online, I could not find the set anywhere so the prices that are seen are based on the products’ individual retail prices.

All of the products come in this handy purple make up bag. I particularly like this because of its shape. It is a long and rectangular in length and short in depth, a bit like a packed lunch box you used to take to school. Nothing makes me happier than being able to fit everything in neatly rather than just shoving everything in to a standard, pencil case shaped make up bag.

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DSC_0163.JPGTarte Poppy Picnic Amazonian Clay Eye and Cheek Palette – $38 (roughly £26). This palette comes with 6 eyeshadows in warm neutral shades and a coral pink blush.

On first glance, they seem to be colours that I will get good use out of on a daily basis for work. The only colour I have tried so far is the lightest shade in the top right hand corner of the palette as an inner eye colour and it worked well. I look forward to experimenting with these and testing out their longevity.

This product isn’t available anymore but Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette is very similar, costing £31.50.

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Tarte Airbuki Bamboo Powder Foundation Brush – £21. I’ve never used a brush like this before but that’s probably because I’ve never tried powder foundation. This brush is very soft but when brushed against the face, feels sturdy and not as soft as I expected due to the short, dense brittles. It doesn’t seem like the sort of brush I would enjoy to use but I won’t write it off until I try it.

Tarte Coconut Oil Lipstick – in Primrose. This is a deep-red lipstick infused with coconut oil. It is silky smooth when swatched and gives off a great deal of colour and due to the coconut oil in the formula, I imagine it is very hydrating on the lips. Unfortunately, red is not a colour that I reach for regularly, unless it is an oxblood shade, so this might not get as much use as I would like. Maybe I will gift it to a friend instead.

If you like reds like this, you can purchase this lipstick with the Tartiest Lip Liner here for £19.20.

DSC_0166.JPGTarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation – £25, shade Light-Medium neutral. I was very excited about this foundation. This is meant to be a 12 hour, full coverage foundation that feels weightless. I tried a little of this product on my hand and unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be the correct shade for me which I am gutted about. I am hoping that with a summer tan I will be able to utilise this because I would love to see how this product works, never having tried a powder foundation before.

Tarte Rule Bender Double Ended Eyeshadow Brush – £21. I like the idea of this brush. One end of the brush is angled so that you can get into the contours of your eye easier and apply your eyeshadow more precisely. It is incredibly soft and so far I have only used it to blend out eyeshadow but I think it’s great.

DSC_0169.JPGTarte Silk Amazonian Clay Eyeliner – in Black Brown. This is a double ended product. At one end you have the thin pencil eyeliner that is highly pigmented and applies precisely. It is also incredibly creamy and soft. It is in twist up packaging and has a lid (not pictured) to keep the eyeliner from breaking and the other end provides a smudge pad that can be used to blend out and soften the line if this is the look you are after. I’m a winged liner fan so without liner my face doesn’t look complete. So, I personally use this on days where I want to wear minimal eye make up but still want a little darkness to to my eyes so I look and feel more like myself. This colour also reminds me of something Mila Kunis would wear to create her signature look so that makes me like this even more.

Again, this product is no longer available. However, Tarte now have a similar waterproof version for £17 which you can find here.

And finally:

Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara – £17. The name of this mascara just screams drama and volume which is exactly what I look for in a mascara. I’m yet to try this as I’m still using up my supply of Rimmel Supercurler Mascara, but I expect great things! And just how cute is that packaging. It is described as a 4 in 1 mascara that lengthens, curls, volumises and conditions your eyelashes. It conditions with infused olive esters in the formula that is meant to treat and protect. It sounds like a win win really.

So, that’s the first impressions of this lovely set I’m incredibly grateful for. I think out of everything, I am most excited to try the eye palette and the mascara.

If anyone has tried these products, please let me know how you got on!

Thanks for reading,

SimplyKirsty

High-Light Up My Life

I was late to the party when it came to highlighters. I only started using them properly at the end of last year. Since then, I’ve tried several and I’ve whittled it down to my favourite two.

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Left: BECCA Champagne Pop, Right: MAC Lightscapade

BECCA Highlighter Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfecter in Champagne Pop. £32

DSC_0069.JPGDSC_0070.JPGThis is a gorgeous gold/peach highlight that was made in collaboration with Youtuber Jaclyn Hill. It is highly pigmented and is almost creamy in consistency. It feels like no other highlighter and gives you that sun kissed glow. You barely need to touch it to get a great amount of product that will blend effortlessly. It comes with 8g of product and with how little you need to use, it will last forever.

The BECCA Highlighters also come in a range of 5 other colours that are priced at £30.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish  in Lightscapade. £24

DSC_0067.JPGDSC_0071.JPGAs you can see, this isn’t your average highlighter. It is a blend of yellows, blues, pinks etc which surprisingly creates a very light, almost white highlight. I use this as my everyday highlight as it gives you the shimmer you need without being over the top. It’s gentle yet gorgeous. It’s perfect for pale/medium skin or when you are wearing minimal make up. You get 10g of product. This was the first highlighter I purchased and I use it basically everyday and I’ve barely made a dent. Definitely worth the money.

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Do you have a highlighter that you cannot live without? Let me know!