A GIRL AND HER MAKEUP BAG #3

Today, I delve into the makeup bag of Chloe, a 22 year old medical student from London.

Do you wear makeup on a day-to-day basis?
Yes but not very much.

At what age did you start wearing makeup properly?
I think I was around 17/18 when I started wearing makeup.

How long does it take you to apply your makeup?
My everyday makeup takes me about 5-10mins to complete. If I'm going out, I'd say it takes me no more than 20.

Where is your makeup bag from?
I have more than one makeup bag! They're from Paperchase, Clinique and Clarins.

What product could you not live without?
I couldn't live without my eyebrow pencil. I think that eyebrows are the most important part of a look because they frame your whole face. Mine are very sparse so I'll fill them in to give them more shape and structure.

What is your go-to makeup look?
To be honest, I just try and look presentable! I'm usually pretty conservative with my makeup application. The less I can get away with, the better.

What products did you use to create the makeup look you are wearing now?
Rimmel eyebrows, Clinique primer, Naked Palette, black eyeliner, Estee Lauder liquid eyeliner, Benefit Sugarbomb blusher, MAC Creme Sheen Fanfare lipstick, Clinique mascara and Lancome powder.

Are there any products in your makeup bag you are disappointed with?
Not really but I did have to repurchase the Rimmel eyebrow pencil because the first one I tried wasn't a great match.

Do you prefer your makeup bag to be full of new products or tried and tested ones?
My makeup bag is usually full of new makeup products because I tend to get a lot of it from my sister. I've only really repurchased the Lancome powder.

Which celebrity has your favourite makeup style?
(After much deliberation and Pinterest stalking) Natalie Portman (in the Dior adverts).

1. Lancome blush, 2. Benefit 'Sugarbomb' blush, 3. Stila blush, 4. Vaseline 'Rosy Lips', 5. Clinique mascara, 6. Shu Uemura false lashes, 7. MAC lipsticks in 'Fanfare' and 'Plumful', 8. Lancome powder, 9. nail buffer, 10. Clinique eye primer, 11. Rimmel eyebrow pencil in 'black brown', 12. eyeliner pencil, 13. Estee Lauder liquid eyeliner, 14. Ecotools angled brush, 15. Vaseline lip balm.

A GIRL AND HER MAKEUP BAG #2

Here is the second instalment of my makeup bag series! Today, I am interviewing Beth, who is a 22 year old graduate, currently living in Surrey. 

Do you wear makeup on a day to day basis?
Yes but only light make-up - mascara and eyeliner. I'd rather have an extra 10 minutes of sleep in the morning than waking up earlier to make an effort with my face!

At what age did you start wearing makeup properly? 
Probably only around 18. I was a bit late jumping on the make-up bandwagon.

How long does it take you to apply your makeup?
5 minutes. More like 20 if I'm going out.

Where is your makeup bag from?
Thailand!

Which product could you not live without?
Mascara or my Fudge hair powder for some volume.

What is your go-to makeup look?
Matte skin, flicked eyeliner and red lippy - I keep it pretty classic.

What products did you use to create the makeup look you are wearing now?
I'm a right drugstore girl! I love Barry M mascara, kohl pencil, lipsticks and nail polish. That's probably my staple brand and then I just pick and choose items from other brands like 2true and elf. My go-to going out look that is pictured is Maybelline dream matte mousse, Boots Natural Collection blush, Barry M mascara, kohl eyeliner and lipstick (It has great staying power!) and 2true liquid eyeliner.

Are there any products in your makeup bag that you are disappointed with?
I'm not too sure about the Boots Natural Collection blush; it doesn't apply very evenly or last that long.

Do you prefer your makeup bag to be full of new products or tried and tested ones?
Tried and tested - if it ain't broke! It takes some pretty good advertising to get me to buy different products.

Which celebrity has your favourite makeup style?
Eek, toughy! I'm going to say Nicki Minaj because her face is just flawless. Not that I'd copy the more crazy looks she's done!

1. Barry M 'Lash Modelling' mascara, 2. Maybelline 'Dream Matte Mousse' foundation, 3. Fudge Urban 'Powder Styler', 4. MUA eyeliner, 5. Une 'Cheery Lips Gloss', 6. Barry M kohl liner, 7. Natural Collection pressed powder, 8. 2true 'Effortless Eyeliner', 9. Benefit 'High Beam', 10. Barry M 'Lip Paint' in 156, Elf makeup brush.

A GIRL AND HER MAKEUP BAG #1

Hello all! This is the first post of a new series I will be doing where I take a look into people's makeup bags and ask them questions about their makeup preferences. Today I will be interviewing Emily, who I have know since school. She is a 23 year old graduate. Hope you enjoy!

Do you wear makeup on a day to day basis?

Yes, I won’t leave the house without makeup! 

At what age did you start wearing makeup properly? 

I started to wear a bit of makeup from about the age of 14, but I only really started to enjoy using makeup from 18 onwards. 

How long does it take you to apply your makeup?

I have my morning routine down to a fine art! It takes between 10-15 minutes to do my makeup in the morning. If I’m going out or putting in more of an effort it will take a bit longer, but definitely no more than half an hour. 

Where is your makeup bag from?

I have to admit that I don’t have a makeup bag at the minute… I’ve been using a box to store it all in on my desk. A good makeup bag is on my wishlist… 

Which product could you not live without?

I couldn’t live without concealer. I have quite dark circles under my eyes and somebody will always tell me I look tired or ill when I’m not wearing any! I’ve started using Benefit’s ‘Boing’ concealer, which I love. It’s quite pricey, but it definitely does the trick. 

Oh...and eyeliner. I’ve always got to have a bit of that on.  

What is your go-to makeup look?

It’s quite a natural look. I stick to subtle colours, particularly for eyeshadow. I tend to wear the same makeup whatever the occasion. 

What products did you use to create the makeup look you are wearing now?

Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation - I would recommend this to anyone, it’s fab! Estee lauder do a free colour match service at any of their stands so you can pick the right colour for you and take away a sample to try. It’s on the more expensive side, but you only need a tiny amount to get a good level of coverage. 

Benefit’s ‘Hello Flawless’ powder - A light brush of this on top of foundation finishes it off nicely and leaves skin looking ‘flawless’. 

Benefit’s ‘Sugarbomb’ blusher - Another great product from Benefit. 

Benefit’s ‘Boing’ concealer - As described, I love this. It can cover up anything! 

Estee Lauder eyeshadow - A mix of natural tones. This was a gift - I’m not sure whether I’d pay this much myself for it, as I’m sure you could get a cheaper version elsewhere. 

Benefit’s ‘They’re real’ mascara - You know a mascara is good when it doesn’t even need to be photoshopped in it’s adverts. Did I mention that I love Benefit??  

Maybelline’s ‘Lasting drama’ gel eyeliner - I love gel eyeliner for using on the top lid (even if I rarely get it straight..) The only problem is that you have to keep cleaning the brush or the gel will make it go solid. But if you have the patience for it, it’s great! 

Plus eyeliner and brow pencil 

Are there any products in your makeup bag that you are disappointed with?

I wouldn’t say that I’ve been disappointed with any. Unfortunately I seem to have developed a taste for more expensive makeup recently, so I think I’d end up being disappointed with the cheaper brands now. However, some products like foundation are worth splashing out on! 

Do you prefer your makeup bag to be full of new products or tried and tested ones?

I’m not fussed on having new products. I’d rather use makeup that has been recommended by a friend so that you know it’s good rather than relying on photoshopped advertising to make a judgement. 

Which celebrity has your favourite makeup style? 

Someone like Natalie Portman who always has quite a natural style.

Products include: 2 Estee Lauder eye shadow palettes, Estee Lauder 'Double Wear' foundation, Benefit 'They're Real' mascara, Benefit 'Sugarbomb' blusher, Benefit 'Boing' concealer, Ecotools foundation brush, Maybelline 'Lasting Drama' gel eyeliner, Seventeen brow kit, Benefit 'Hello Flawless' powder. 

INVESTMENT BUYS: ECOTOOLS BAMBO SIX PIECE EYE BRUSH SET

Price: £14.99
Included: Travel carry case with mirror and 5 brushes (blend, crease, highlight, shade, smudge)

I have to admit, before a few years ago, the only brushes I owned were the ones you find in eyeshadow palettes. You know the type, sponge applicators that are too small for any human hand to hold. Once I was introduced to the cyber makeup community, I realised that I could create very few makeup looks without proper tools. Besides, I was losing hope for my latest sponge applicator (there are only so many times you can hold that tiny handle without getting cramp in your hand). I took myself down to Boots and these were the brushes I came back with and, my, aren’t I glad I chose them.

My overall verdict? I LOVE these brushes. They have lasted me so well. I must’ve had them for three or four years now and they still work perfectly well and, believe me, I was not always the best when it came to taking care of them. They are also such good value for money. Five brushes for just under fifteen pounds. Only three pounds a brush, and that’s not even including the handy, little case with mirror. If you need another pro to get you out that front door and running towards your local high street, they are made of sustainable bamboo and the bristles are 100% cruelty free.

The brushes are perfect for anyone but I found them especially useful as a beginner. It can be quite frightening when you’re faced with a battle line of different brushes, each with seemingly mysterious purposes (217 or 239? Can these all seriously be for my eyes?!) Each of the brushes in the set are labelled with their individual uses and the five together make up a good, all-round starter pack.

In this next section, I thought I’d describe my impressions of each individual brush, just because I’m cool like that.

BLEND- relatively big, fluffy brush. It’s stiff enough to give you good control, but still soft. I find it blends really well and fits perfectly in the crease. However, for those with less lid space it may be a little too large. It does also make a really good highlighter brush. For more precision blending I use the ‘smudge’ brush.

CREASE- brilliant shape, really designed to fit into the contour of the crease with minimum effort. However, if you don’t want too dramatic a look, be sure to use a light hand because it’s fairly large surface area means it picks up a lot of product.

HIGHLIGHT- tapered so it can fit well into small areas and gives a very light dusting of product. I also find this shape lends it to blending out any excess dark shadow when I’m applying a brow highlight. This could definitely double as a softer blending brush if you find the ‘blend’ too harsh/too large.

SHADOW- perhaps the most versatile brush in the collection. I use it for everything from eyebrows to shadow on the lids. Quite small, so if you’re looking for quicker application to a large area this is not ideal. I prefer that it’s small because I feel that it allows me to be more precise.

SMUDGE- pretty much just a pencil brush. Great for blending along the lash line. Used with a dark shadow it can give the eye a smokey and sultry look.

I hope this review has been useful and I hope that any of you with these brushes have got as much use out of them as I have!

X