My Everyday Face

I feel like I need to start with a confession. This post is missing a vital ingredient, a picture of the products on my face. Things are dire at home at the moment, so faced with the choice of posting an incomplete piece or nothing at all, I went with the former and frankly writing about makeup is a welcome break from creating five point behaviour scales and reading social stories.

Although I was really worried about restricting my selection of products for a month, it's turned out to be very useful. Getting everyone ready and out to school is even more frantic than it was last year and fortuitously the products that I picked out for Operation Use it Up (plus a couple of additions) combine to make a quick and easy face.

I use a mix of Max Factor Second Skin and Bourjois Healthy Mix as a base and usually apply with a flat topped kabuki for speed. On the eyes I apply the Rouge Bunny Rouge Atlas Swallowtail cream eyeshadow from lashline to crease, line with BECCA automatic liner in Goa (sometimes taking it under the eye) and add a generous coat of mascara. The beauty of using Atlas Swallowtail is that it looks good on it's own but I can also add eyeshadow when I return home, if the mood takes me.

I use BECCA creme blush in Turkish Rose on my cheeks using my Hakuhodo G5552 brush. It has a slightly dewy finish so I can dispense with adding a separate highlighter if I haven't got time. Although I mostly favour Rouge Bunny Rouge Murmurings lipstick to complete this look, I have worn it with Chanel Bonheur, Hourglass Fresco and even Rouge Bunny Rouge Coy lipgloss.

I'm surprised how much I've enjoyed wearing the same thing pretty much everyday. It's quite nice to have a no-brainer look to reach for when I'm pushed for time and I fear it may have compounded my guilt at having so much makeup!

My Lip Liner Collection

I don't tend to wear lip liner very often these days. It's a speed thing but I certainly think they have their place and I have some particular favourites. Most of the ones I own are quite natural colours. Not beige nude but a colour similar to my natural lip shade. I find them useful for definition and also for using under lipgloss. When I do wear lip liner I tend to apply it all over the lip rather than just on the lip line.

From the top left of the image down: Left to right: NYX Mauve, Rimmel Exaggerate Addiction, Kevyn Aucoin Minimal, MAC Subculture, Bourjois Enjoleuse

Left to right: NYX Mauve, Rimmel Exaggerate Addiction, Kevyn Aucoin Minimal, MAC Subculture, Bourjois Enjoleuse

The liners shown above are NYX Mauve, Rimmel Exaggerate Addiction, Kevyn Aucoin Minimal, MAC Subculture and Bourjois Enjoleuse. NYX Mauve is a pinky mauve with a touch of brown. It's a bit darker than my natural lip colour. NYX is a cheaper brand but I find this stands up well to the other more expensive pencils. Rimmel Exaggerate in Addiction in one of the lighter colours that I own. It's a beige pink and it mutes my lip colour a little (though not as much as Subculture). I've had it a very long time and I find it a versatile colour. I've had success using this to make lighter pinks more wearable.

Kevyn Aucoin lip liner in Minimal is a touch darker than NYX Mauve. It's still only a bit darker than my lip colour and it's good for getting a nice shape. I like pairing it with my many 'my lips but better' and rosy lip colours. It has a nice creamy, easy to apply formula though not too slippy that it moves around. MAC Subculture is a good staple colour to own. Like Rimmel Addiction, this mutes my lip colour whilst providing a sharper lip line. It is the most beige of my 'natural' colours, I think it has the driest texture too. Bourjois Enjoleuse is rosy pink and is one of my older items of makeup. This was a favourite alongside Bourjois Cannelle rosée lipstick from my pre-makeup junkie days.

From the top left down: Rimmel Exaggerate 005 Pure, Le Metier de Beaute Rose, MAC Cherry

Top to bottom: Rimmel Exaggerate 005 Pure, Le Metier de Beaute Rose, MAC Cherry

I use red lip liners as base under red lipstick particularly to avoid the 'ring of doom' as the colour fades. For those of you that are not confident wearing red lipstick, Caroline Barnes recommends using a lip liner instead to create a red lip. Apparently this is something she did herself to get used to the colour without the fear that the colour might be roaming! I think red lip liner can also help you draw in the shape you want before reaching for the lipstick. Red lipstick shows up a wonky line like no other colour. I speak from personal experience of course!

The reds I have are Le Métier de Beauté Rose and MAC Cherry. I think the colours are more different than they may appear in the swatches above. Le Métier de Beauté Rose is the lighter of the two and has some subtle shimmer. It appears more orange when compared to MAC Cherry which is quite a dark red.

The odd one out in this line up is the Rimmel Exaggerate Pencil in 005 Pure. It's a bright pink which I bought a long time ago. Again, it's a confidence booster if I want to go out on a special occasion wearing a bright pink as it lengthens the time between touch up. Whereas non-sharpening packaging for eye liners can have it's drawbacks, I like for a lip liner as it's something I'm more likely to need to re-apply when out and about.

Something that I don't currently own but have always wanted to try is a dark purpley shade like MAC Currant or Magenta. I have admired looks that other people have created with these but I'm not sure I'm brave enough to go so bold. Maybe it's time to take another trip out of my comfort zone.

Are you a lip liner devotee? Do you have a favourite trusty pencil?



Disclosure: These liners came from a mixture of sources. The Kevyn Aucoin, Le Metier de Beaute and MAC Cherry were all PR Samples. The rest were purchased by me, some are practically antique....

Current Favourites

I haven't done a favourites post in a long time. I think we're a bit too far into April to call it a March favourites post but these are definitely items I've been favouring over the last month or so.

Trilogy Cream Cleanser
I was keen to try more of the Triology range after trying and liking their Gentle Scrub. I was thrilled to discover that the cleanser has the same lovely scent which I really enjoy as part of my evening skin care routine. I use this in the same way I use all cream cleansers; I massage in to the skin with my hands and use a warm muslin or flannel to remove. This cleans well, leaves no residue and doesn't leave my skin dry which are the three essentials for me with a cleanser.

Elemental Herbology Facial Glow (Radiance Peel)
I can honestly say that I was impressed with every single sample of Elemental Herbology that I tried. This is a lovely skin care range, pricey but as everything works so well and feels so good it will be a worthwhile investment for me. Facial Glow feels like an exfoliant but you use it like a mask, leaving on cleansed skin for 4 minutes. My skin feels soft, smooth and glowing after I have used this. It contains Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid and Vitamins A, C & E amongst other things. This and Cell Food are definitely full size purchases for me, once I have saved up my pennies of course.

Haus of Gloi Something Hopeful Pumpkin Butter
I really like Haus of Gloi pumpkin butters but I'm a bit hit and miss when it comes to choosing scents. I really enjoy Samhain, I'm so, so about Hearth and I couldn't get on at all with Snow Wolf. However, I have loved and devoured my Something Hopeful pumpkin butter. It was released with the Valentine's collection so there's no replacing it but I'm reliably informed by my HoG enabler that Milkmaid could be a good alternative for me.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
I don't think I realised how much I like this until I forgot to put it on a couple of times. I've come to the conclusion that my eyelids are a little oily and this just provides a better surface for eyeshadows. Without this primer it isn't unusual for me to end up with creasing towards the end of the day. I only use a tiny amount but I find that's enough and doesn't leave my eyelids feeling dry.

Lancome Hypnose mascara and GOSH Truly Brown eyeliner
I won't say too much about these as I've mentioned them quite a lot already. They have become staples for me and there were a few occasions last month when this was all I wore for the school run in the morning.

Healthspan Nurture - Illuminating Touch Concealer
My obsession with covering up my dark circles is becoming quite legendary and I was sent this illuminating concealer to try a little while ago. It's made by Healthspan who you may already know of for their vitamins and supplements. I will do a review post soon but this has happily joined my rotation of concealers. At £9.95 it's a cheaper alternative to other illuminating concealers and any faults with the packaging are made up for by the formula.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation
Unfortunately you can't see because of the angle but I have used up more than half of this bottle. I wear this pretty much everyday and I really like the finish. The colour is an ok match for me, it's not perfect but I find it really easy to blend in. My only gripe is that is it seems to disappears during the day. I don't powder over it, then again I don't think the finish requires it.

Becca Creme Blush in Turkish Rose
I don't think you can beat cream blusher for giving life to the face when you're feeling less than perky. This is a perfect natural colour for me and the cream finish fakes a subtle glow. I took this on my weekend away as it's so compact and I don't have the same worries about it smashing in transit that I do with powders.

Illamasqua Bacterium Nail Varnish
I fell in love with this colour after the Illamasqua event. I must try and get a good photo of it on my nails as I don't think the photo below shows off it's true beauty. I have a bit of a thing for murky colours with complexity and this is a great example, the varnish formula is excellent too.

Essie Smokin' Hot and Luxedo
Both of these colours came out with Essie's Winter 2010 collection. Luxedo has become my new favourite pedicure colour. It's a really dark plum colour, not black with a hint of colour but very dark and vampy. Smokin' Hot is a grey with a hint of purple, similar in feel to Metro Chic. If you're not in to gruples this won't be for you but I love it and I'm pretty sure it isn't a dupe for any others that I already own. Having found so many gorgeous nail varnishes recently, I only wish my nails were stronger so I could wear them more often.

I'm Making Trax..

Sorry for the title, I just can't help myself! I was inspired to pull out the plums and purples after watching a Pixiwoo video using the Elizabeth Arden Velvet Plumtone palette. I'm so tempted by the colours in this quad but as I already have loads of similar colours and of course I'm on a spending ban, it was good to remind myself what I already own!

On my eyes I used:
MAC Brule all over the eye to prime
MAC Mink Pink on the mobile lid
MAC Trax in the crease
MAC Phloof! brow highlight and inner corner
Rouge Bunny Rouge Delilah eye kohl on lower lash line
Rouge Bunny Rouge Raven Gaze lacquer liner
MAC Zoomlash mascara

Lips:
MAC Patisserie lipstick (my giveaway win from the gorgeous Zara at Just a Bowl of Mouldy Fruit).

Face:
Bourjois Health Mix Foundation in Vanille
Benefit Erase Paste in Fair
Brow powder from HD Brows palette (which I will review soon)
MAC Northern Lights MSF as a blusher

I was reluctant to show the full face shot as I wasn't 100% happy with how it turned out. It's probably just as useful to share though to see how it all works (or doesn't work) together. I think I need a coloured primer to get the more out of the eyeshadows. I also think a stronger lipcolour or blusher shade would have brought this look together a little better. The colours are all too samey on the face and I think a bit of contrast would have worked. I may well experiment later.

I am still very pleased with the lacquer liner. I really like lining my eyes with this pen. I was also pleasantly surprised by the Zoomlash. I was given this at the MAC event. I've never used a MAC mascara before and had heard quite mixed reviews. Whilst it does smudge more than my favourite Hourglass mascara, it does give more dramatic lashes which makes a nice change.

The spending ban is still going well. Well, apart from the fact that I'm thinking about getting the Louise Young LY38 crease brush. I've been interested in this one for a while, it's not make up though really is it......

Teal Eye Look

I decided to have a go at a smoky teal eye after seeing Make up by Katy's post yesterday. It's not a patch on Katy's work but her look with green eyeshadows inspired me. I used to do this look quite a lot but you know what it's like when you buy new things, you forget about old favourites.

I really like how the teal colour works when layered over a darker base. Having looked at the pictures I think it need something else to finish it off. Feel free to make suggestions! I applied Smut eyeshadow by MAC on to the mobile lid stopping at the crease. I then pressed a teal colour by Bourjois over the top of Smut and slightly over the edge of it at the crease. I lined with MAC Mystery, which is a blackened teal colour with a light sparkle. I love this colour but often struggle to know what to pair it with. It's nice to have occasion to use it. The rest of the products I used are listed below.

Face
Korres Watermelon light tinted moisturiser in Light Sand
RMK Basic liquid concealer
Benefit Erase Paste
MAC NC20 Studio Finish concealer
MAC Cubic blush
MAC Warm Soul

Eyes
MAC Painterly paint pot
MAC Smut
Bourjois 24 Turquoise Ensoleillé eyeshadow
MAC Brule (used to blend out at crease and applied up to brow)
MAC Mystery Kohl Power liner
Bourjois Kohl in Vert Inspire on lower lash and waterline
L'Oreal Voluminous mascara

Lips
MAC Cosmo

I also noticed when I was going through the pictures that I need to get on and buy a new foundation. My skin seems to need a little extra help at the moment, I have a feeling the Eve Lom moisturiser I've been using doesn't agree with my skin. Again feel free to make a suggestion to tempt me!

Lipstick comparisons

After my error with Rosy Nude, it prompted me to do a little photo comparison of my lipsticks. I thought it might be useful for anyone interested in any of these particular shades.

In all three pictures from left to right: Illamasqua Test, Bourjois Cannelle Rosée, Rouge Bunny Rouge Irreverence, Laura Mercier Pink Cocoa, MAC Cosmo, Revlon Colorburst Rosy Nude, MAC Hug Me.

With the exception of Illamasqua Test, which is a matte, all of these lipsticks are a satin type finish. I say 'type' as Hug Me is a Lustre and Cosmo an amplified cream but by satin I mean that they are impart a sheen without any frost . MAC Hug Me is the most sheer with Revlon Colorburst in Rosy Nude and RBR Irreverence following behind.

They are all brownie pinks but range from the beige toned to an almost reddy brown. It's interesting to see them lined up like this as although I consider some of them dupes on my lips, on my arm I can appreciate the subtle differences (keep telling yourself that Jane!).

I would group the three darkest colours together and certainly on my lips they are extremely similar. The Laura Mercier leans more red whereas Cosmo is definitely a dark pink. Rosy Nude is most similar to Cosmo though is it more sheer.

I do love all of these colours and, with the exception of Rosy Nude, I know they will always get plenty of wear. I'm going to exchange Rosy Nude with a friend as it is so close to Cosmo (and I already have two of them) but I do think this is a lovely colour and can recommend giving it a try.

I hope this was helpful.
Jane x

Old Favourites

I spend a lot of time talking about new favourties and what I'd like to get next. So, I thought it was high time I gave a mention to some of my old favourites. I apologise in advance as not all of these colours are still available but I thought it would be interesting to share with you anyhow.

Eyeshadows
The first eyeshadows I wanted to mention are from the only quad I've ever purchased from MAC. It's the Smoking Quad from the Smoke Signals collection, released September 2007. I remember going to buy this extremely well as I was overdue with William and waddled in to MAC having contractions! The colours that I love from this palette are Next to Nothing and Satin Taupe. Next to Nothing is a flesh coloured beige with champagne shimmer. It's limited edition but I believe it has been re-released a few times. Satin Taupe is a bit of a ubiquitous MAC colour but I love it all the same. After years of trying colours that were too warm for me this was a revelation. I have worn it both as a lid colour and crease colour and feel it works well either way.

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Left; Next to Nothing, Right; Satin Taupe


Left; Satin Taupe, Right ; Next to Nothing

My other favourite eyeshadow colours are Brule and Omega (both MAC again). I bought Brule after watching Nic from Pixiwoo do her corner lashes look. It's a nude beige and is close to skin colour for me as you can probably tell from the swatch below. I'll often use this all over the eye to even out any discolouration. I also use it a lot to help blend out crease colours, both above the crease and at the outer edge of my eye if I've taken colour out too far.

Omega is a really naturally crease colour for me and I picked it up when I was unable to get Wedge. I quite often use Brule over the eye, with Omega in the crease and a gel eyeliner to give a simple defined eye. I also use Omega as a brow powder, it's great for that as it has no red tones. Though after purchasing the Shu Seal Brown pencil it's been a bit negleted for my brows!


Left; Brule, Right; Omega


Left; Omega, Right; Brule

Eyeliners
I was astonished when I was pulling out items for this post, just how many eyeliners I have. I'm obviously a big fan! I wear glasses so I do find my eyes disappear if I don't line them. I also think I mentioned to someone the other day, if I don't use a liner you can see all my mascara blob marks more easily. Ooops! Maybe I should start putting mascara on first then cleaning up? Anyway, I digress.



The first eyeliner I want to mention is MAC fluidline in Macroviolet (pictured above). I purchased this a long time ago and it really need replacing now. I know MAC fluidlines aren't for everyone but I absolutely adore this colour. It's a slightly metallic violet and is dark enough to add definition but not so much that you can't see the colour. I've often worn it with Brule as an all over and MAC Mink Pink as a crease colour to make a bit of a change from the usual brown or taupe.



Top to Bottom; MAC Teddy, TBS Rich Brown, Rimmel Hurricane Grey


Top to Bottom; TBS Rich Brown, Rimmel Hurricane Grey, MAC Teddy

I've had and loved these eye pencils for a long time. They're all really easy to wear for me so they're great for when I'm in a rush. The brown is from the The Body Shop and is their Rich Brown eye definer. It looks quite dark in the swatch but somehow seems more chocolately on my eyes. I didn't realise until recently that it works well for me because it doesn't have much red in it. The grey is Rimmel's eye pencil in 164 Hurricane Grey which as the name describes it's a stormy grey. I find I can't wear greys generally but this one somehow works. MAC Teddy eye kohl is real favourite and I will definitely re-purchase when it runs out. It's a bronzey brown colour and works well as a just a line or smudged out. This is one of the few things recommended for my eye colour that does look good on me (if I do say so myself!). I know this one is still available as it's part of MAC's permanent line, whereas as I'm not sure if the other two have been discontinued.

Lips


Bourjois lipstick and lip liner


Top to Bottom; Bourjois Cannelle rosée, Bourjois Enjôleuse lip liner, Rimmel Temptress lipstick

I'm extremely fond of this Bourjois lipstick as it's the colour I wore on my wedding day. The colour is Cannelle rosée (no.45) and whilst investigating last night this was the only shade they no longer had! It's a rosy pink and is very similar to my Rouge Bunny Rouge Irreverence, though with a slightly more orange hue to it. The Bourjois lip liner is in the shade Enjôleuse (no.11). This again is a rosy pink, though a bit darker than the lipstick. It's quite similar to my lip colour so it is really handy. I have been known to wear this smudged all over my lips with a bit of gloss.

The last lipstick I wanted to mention is Rimmel Temptress. It is a Sheer Temptation lipstick which again I think is discontinued. The shade is quite a a dark metallic plum. I'm not entirely sure what made me pick this up as it isn't a usually choice for me but I'm very glad I did. It's a lovely colour, the formula is easy to wear and with of slick I instantly feel 'done'.


Blusher



I've mentioned this before in my blush collection post. I've had MAC Northern Lights MSF for years now. I think it might have been amongst my first MAC purchases. I'd been recommended this to use as a blush for my colouring. I don't wear it as much these days but I can't bring myself to part with it despite the glitter. It gives a lovely sheen to the cheeks and looks nice on it's own or over a matte blusher.

Do you have old favourites lurking in your make up bag?
Jane x