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,

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Make-up Haul

My make-up collection is starting to increase rapidly and I’m running out of places to store it all, but of course, I couldn’t say no to a shopping trip to purchase some more.

Here is what I bought:

Make Up Revolution Iconic Lights and Contour Palette, £8. This palette comes with 8 contour/highlight shades to create those chiselled faces we are all after. It reminds me a lot of my Anastasia Beverly Hills Original Contour Kit which retails at £39 so if you are after something more affordable but also with great pigmentation and quality, I would definitely recommend this palette.

Make Up Revolution Essential Mattes 2 Eyeshadow Palette, £4. For only £4, you get 12 matte neutral shades and a double ended applicator. I won’t be using the applicator as brushes work better but this little set would be great for a beginner. I lack matte eyeshadows in my collection so these will be great for transition shades and the choice of colours is perfect for everyday wear.

 Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation, Ivory, £7.99. I was originally going to pick up Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation as I wanted a foundation that was lighter and contained SPF, unlike my current, to bring with me on holiday. I noticed Wake Me Up had SPF 15 and that this foundation has SPF 20 so I opted for this instead. This is a blind purchase, I have no idea if it has good reviews but I’m trying out for the first time tomorrow so fingers crossed I like it.

Rimmel Supercurler Mascara, £6.99. I picked up another bottle of my favourite mascara. I find this mascara gives my lashes a real sense of length and volume. I have dead straight lashes so it maybe doesn’t keep them curled for 24 hours, or anywhere close, as mentioned but I don’t mind that too much.

Rimmel Natural Bronzer, £5.99. If you spent £9 or more on selected Rimmel products in Boots, you got this bronzer for free. I’ve tried this bronzer before and I used to use it daily so it will be good to see if I still like it after all this time. This bronzer also has SPF 8 in the formula which, correct me if I am wrong, is quite unusual for a drugstore bronzer.

Primark PS… Lip Liner Pencils, £1 each. I lack lip liners in my collection as I tend to find I only really get on with MAC lip liners and I just can’t justify buying too many at £12.50 a pop so when I saw these in Primark for £1 I thought I would give them a quick swatch. I wasn’t expecting much from these but they are surprisingly creamy and pigmented. They don’t drag your lips which is something I hate about some drugstore lip liners. I would say that the colours of the packaging don’t match the product colour exactly so try them out before you buy but I seriously suggest adding these into your collection.

Primark PS… Kohl Eyeliner Pencils, Ivory and Green, £1 each. Like the lip liners, these are surprisingly creamy and apply well. The ivory shade will be perfect for the waterline and the green was sort of a impulse buy. I am trying to buy shades a little out of my comfort zone so that I can play around with make-up more. They have a good range of shades in each collection.

MUA Lip Liner, Sloe Berry, £1. This is a dark purple lip liner which will be perfect for a lot of my darker lip shades. It doesn’t seem to be as creamy as the Primark liners but for £1, I’m okay with this.

MUA Luxe Metallic Liquid Lipstick, Lustre, currently half price for £2. So far, I haven’t got on as well as I would like with this lipstick. The colour, a silver/nude, is gorgeous but it does take a few coats to get it looking opaque on the lips.  I find this means that the formula doesn’t dry down and stays tacky on the lips which is why I prefer lipsticks over glosses. It also has a strong scent which is another factor of certain make-up items I do not get on with. I will play about with this more though because I think the metallic, futuristic look on the lips is fun and quirky and the colour is lovely.

MUA Lipstick, Raven, £1. This won’t be to everyone’s taste but I have wanted a black lipstick for the longest time. I have had a dark grey lipstick for a while now but wanted to go all the way with a true black lipstick and what better time to try it out now that it will be more ‘socially acceptable’ with the launch of the Kylie Jenner’s new lip kit in ‘Dead of Knight. I was on the hunt for a matte black but I wasn’t so lucky so I picked this up instead. Even if I don’t have the courage to wear this out, it will be great for Halloween.

And that is everything I purchased. I’d love to know how you got on with these products.

Thanks for reading,

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Birthday Night Out | Make Up

As promised, I thought I’d give you a look into how I get ready for a night out. This time it was for my friend Holly‘s birthday. So let’s just get straight into it.

PREP:

• I start by moisturising my face and applying a tiny amount of Boots Simply Sensitive Hydrating Eye Cream under my eyes.
• Next I prime my face with less than a pea size amount of Rimmel Match Perfection Fix & Perfect Primer

 

BASE:

• I conceal beneath my eyes and any red pigmentation in the skin, which is a lot in my case, with my trusty Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair.
• Next I use my Real Techniques Buffing brush (which you can find in the Real Techniques Core Collection),to apply my L’Oreal Infallible 24H Foundation foundation in the shade Vanilla.
• My skin becomes very patchy after showering, so once again I will conceal any red areas that have appeared through my foundation with my concealer.
• Then I will use my Real Techniques Blush Brush to apply a thin layer of Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder all over my face. I use Transparent. 

CONTOUR:

• To give a sunkissed glow to my pale skin, I will use my Real Technique Blush Brush to sweep Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder in Medium/Dark all over my face.
• Using a finger, I will then use my Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Contour Kit to contour and highlight my face and use the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge to blend.
• I will then use Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Contour Kit to define my contour further by using the Real Techniques Contour Brush, which is also in the Real Techniques Core Collection. If you want to know how I contour and which colours I use where, check out my blog on the Anastasia Contour Kits.
• I then set this using Rimmel Stay Matte powder. 

EYES:

• I prime my eyes with the Urban Decay Original Primer Potion. Right now, I’m using the free samples that came with my Naked 2 Palette, but I will definitely be making the purchase after I’ve used them up. You can find them here.
• I then use a mixture of colours from Morphe 35T Palette to create a brown smokey eye look. I will be doing a full review on this palette and my 35T very soon!
• Next, I draw on my winged eyeliner with Collection Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner.
• Then I apply some Eylure Volume Lashes, which is an essential for me because I find my eyelashes don’t stay curled and voluptuous for very long with just mascara.
• Using Rimmel Supercurler 24H Mascara, I blend my eyelashes and the falsies together to create a more natural look.

EYEBROWS:

• I start by brushing through my brows with the spoolie on the Anastasia Beverly Hills Sable Duo Brow Brush
• Using the opposite end of the same brush, I take a small amount of Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Taupe to define and fill in my brows. If you want a review on this, let me know. I will show you a before and after of my brows.
• I then set this with Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Mascara in Deep Blonde to keep everything in place.

FINISHING TOUCHES:

• I sweep a little Bourjois Little Round Pot Blusher in Rose D’Or over the apple of my cheeks.
• Using the lovely BECCA Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop, I highlight under my eyebrows, down my nose and cupid’s bow.
• Then after a brush of the teeth, I will use  NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Vintage on my lips.
• Finally, I set the whole look with Urban Decay All Nigher Setting Spray.

And that’s it! That is how I create my night out look. It isn’t too much different from my every day make up, but if this is something you would also like to see, then just leave a comment.

Thanks for reading,

SimplyKirsty

 

Liebster Award

Crazy to think I’ve only been blogging properly for under a week yet I’ve been nominated twice. Huge thanks to LivsLifeStyle and ShyBeautyBlogger for the nominations! You should go check out there blogs, you’ll really enjoy them. I know I certainly do.

This award is for those who put in a great deal of time and effort into their blog and deserve to be noticed.

So, I’ll answer both sets of questions I was asked then I’ll set my own 11 questions for 5 bloggers that I think deserve this award.

1. Why did you start blogging?

I alway read fashion/beauty blogs and watch countless channels on Youtube and so I decided I wanted to give it a go myself. For years I’ve put it off through lack of confidence in the content I could deliver but finally this week I decided it was time to throw myself into it

2. Whats your favourite post?

My favourite post so far would probably be my Anastasia Contour review. I think these palettes are great and I was thrilled with the response it got.

3. What piece of makeup/clothing can you not live without?

I could not live without my Collection Lasting Perfection concealer. My skin becomes patchy and irritated after showering so this really helps me get rid of the redness on my face.

4. Who’s your favourite actor?

My favourite actor would probably be Leonardo DiCaprio. He can throw himself into any role and excel.

5. Why do you love blogging?

I enjoy blogging because I can escape from the real world for a few hours. My work is an incredibly stressful place so it’s nice to just sit back with a cuppa and write/read things I am passionate about to help forget about the stress for a while.

6. Where would you love to visit?

I have a Bucket list of places I want to visit – I might do a blog on this if you would be interested – but up there at the top would be South Africa.

7. If you could be doing anything right now what would it be?

I would be abroad, maybe South Africa, learning about their culture, trying new food and delving into the beauty of the landscapes.

8. Whats your favourite drink?

Diet Coke, without a question. (I’m trying to cut down, but it’s just too good)

9. Whats your favourite thing about yourself?

My favourite thing about myself is my abs. Even though they may not always be as defined as I like after one too many McDonald’s, I seem to have built a good base there that I can bounce back fairly quick.

10. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself travelling. I’ll have finished university by then and I want to take a year out before I settle down.

11. Whats your favourite restaurant?

My favourite restaurant is Nawaabs. A local Indian in Aberdeen, Scotland. If you like Indian, I’d definitely recommend.

 

And onto the next set…

1. What is your favourite drug store brand?

My favourite drug store brand would probably be Rimmel. I use a lot of Rimmel products on a daily basis and I have never had any issues.

2. If you could only use 3 makeup products ever what would they be?

I would choose the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in Fair, I’ve used this for probably nearly 6/7 years now and I couldn’t imagine using anything else. Also, MAC Velvet Teddy – it’s a staple nude matte lipstick I think everyone should own and my trusty Collection Extreme 24 Hour Tip Eyeliner – this is another product that I’ve used for 6/7 years and I’ve never found another I enjoy as much. (Maybe my favourite drug store brand in Collection…)

3.Do you prefer matte foundation or dewy?

Up until recently, I’d have said matte 100% but I’ve been enjoying a dewy finish day-to-day and I leave matte for going out when I don’t want to appear shiny in photographs.

4. Holy Grail eye-shadow palette?

I’m going to say Urban Decay Naked 2. It’s got all the perfect, ‘naked’ shades for someone like me who isn’t allowed to where too much make up to work but it also has some darker shades to cover my evening looks.

5. Do you have any siblings?

Yes, I have a younger sister called Hannah.

6. What is your favourite perfume?

I love anything by Marc Jacobs, I’m not fussy.

7. What is the animal of your choice?

Either tigers or elephants. I’ll get to see elephants up close when I go to Thailand in June, I cannot wait. Oh, or penguins!

8. What is your favourite genre of movie?

I really enjoy psychological thrillers – anything to do with the mind and how someone thinks/behaves is incredibly interesting to me.

9. Do you like painting your nails?

My job doesn’t allow painted nails, however I enjoy them being painted; not painting them.

10. Who is your favourite celebrity?

Tom Fletcher (McFly). He’s a great role model for anyone. Chased his dreams, successful, amazing husband and father and just seems like such a genuine guy.

11. Are the Kardashians overrated?

Oh definitely, but that doesn’t stop me liking them.

There we go! Now I get to nominate 5 bloggers:

1. DaSilvax
2. Clares Beauty Blog
3. RhiannonClarke
4. Style Cloud
5. Saturday on Wednesday

The questions I would like you to answer are:

1. Why did you decide to start blogging?
2. Who are your inspirations and why?
3. If you could only pick one fashion/beauty related item for the rest of your life, what would it be?
4. What would you name your autobiography?
5. Where is your dream holiday destination?
6. What is your dream job?
7. What is your spirit animal?
8. What is your favourite film?
9. What is your favourite fashion brand?
10. What is your favourite food?
11. What is one thing you love about yourself?

Thanks again to Liv and Kaylin!