MAKE ME UP! KAT: TALL WITH FAIR SKIN

The first instalment of my collaboration series with Sunna from 'The New Noir' is finally here! After a gruelling day of outfit changes and makeup application, we can reveal our first model (victim). Meet Kat, an Oriental Studies graduate from London. She is tall with a fair skin tone.

Style-wise, Sunna expertly put together some outfits from Kat's wardrobe which suited her height (my 5ft1 self isn't jealous at all...). We may have made her bedroom look like the aftermath of a particularly vicious day at Primark (hands up if you've ever been to Primark after 4.30pm, looked at the mountains of disordered clothing, and turned straight back around again with a "nope"), but I think you'll agree that Kat looks absolutely stunning in Sunna's style choices! If you'd like to have a look at the final outfits, please head on over to Sunna's blog post.

Now, onto the beauty! Since Kat has just returned from a few months in Beijing, where she left all her makeup, it actually gave us the perfect excuse to go and buy a basic makeup kit. As Kat is a self-confessed beauty beginner, I tried to go for products I knew were both high quality and relatively cheap in price (basically I bought her a lot of the items I own myself). The total value of this kit came to around £50, which may not sound that cheap, but, believe me, it is crazily hard to produce an all-round, practical makeup bag for much less. It does make me seriously worry about the amount of money I've "invested" in my makeup kit over the years. Never try and work out how much cash you've accumulated in Boots and Superdrug points, ladies.

The Products

The items we settled on, and those essentials which I think would work well for a beginner with fair skin, are:

Rimmel Match Perfection foundation in 101 Classic Ivory- especially great for fair skin because the shade range is slightly broader than other drugstore foundations.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 001 Transparent- A great all-round powder. I used it to reduce shine as well as set the concealer where it has a tendency to crease (under the eyes, especially).

Rimmel Lip Crayon in 120 All You Need Is Pink- Brilliant alternative to a bright lipstick because it is much easier to apply and you can build up the coverage from fairly sheer to full-on glamour.

Maybelline The Falsies mascara in Black Drama- One of those mascaras that every beauty blogger knows and swears by. It's also cheap, which is a real find because highstreet mascaras are usually quite expensive.

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in 01 Black- Just as good as any top-range gel liner and you get a brush included!

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair 1- I won't bore you with more praise for this product. If you'd like to see a full review, have a look at this post.

MUA Eyeshadow Palette in Undressed- A £4 dupe for the Urban Decay naked palette with all the neutrals you could possible desire. Especially good for Kat's blue eyes with the pink/gold undertone shades. If you'd like to see a full review of this product, click here, or, alternatively, if you'd like to see what sort of other look you can create with it, check out this tutorial.

Sleek Face Form Kit in Fair- Especially good value for money because you get a great contour, highlight, and blush. The contour is light enough to look subtle and natural on fair skin (as you can probably assume from the colour name; way to state the obvious, Lydia).

Ecotools Bamboo 6 Piece Brush Set- The first brush set I ever owned was actually from Ecotools. I honestly believe that, as an introduction to the (pretty intimidating) world of brushes, you can't get much better for about £16. That's only just over £3 a brush (wow, accurate mental maths and its not even lunchtime yet) and you get a free case included. If you'd like to read some more about Ecotools brushes and see what my first ever set looked like, then here's a post for you.

Eyelash curler (Kat's own)

Flowers (courtesy of Kat's mum)

The Look

A cheeky before for you.

And the after. 

Here's a stock looking-down-so-you-can-see-the-shadow photo.

The look I settled on (or rather the look I ended up with after getting too carried away) is this smokey eye and bold lip combo. I always think a slightly smokey eye is a great going-out idea for beginners because it involves more smudging and less precision. I used the taupey-brown shade (bottom row, third from the right) all over the lid, lined the upper lashline roughly with the gel liner and smudged this in with a bit more of the taupe shade. I ran what was left on the brush of the shadow and gel liner through the crease to add a little extra definition and blended the liner up to meet it. Then, I smudged some more gel liner and the same shadow into the bottom lashline. For a highlight, I used the lightest shade sparingly in the inner corner and on the brow bone. 

I know, I know, a bright lip can wash out pale skin even more, but, I think if it is applied properly and if you don't mind celebrating the fact that your skin might well be so pale that you glow in flash photos (speaking from experience, here) then it can help to create a really stand-out look. Kat likes to wear a red lip, but I thought a pink would be perfect for the spring and summer months. It's also a great way to modernise a really classic look. Plus, I've been loving a bright pink lip at the moment, so I'm a bit biased really. Keep the skin simple with a subtle contour and blush.

5 Tips for Beginners (with a fair skin spin)

1. Ask questions! If you're completely bewildered by the thought of facing those makeup counters, then chat with friends about their favourite products/what they use. Or, if you're going for some high-end makeup ask one of the assistants at the counter. They're there to help. If you have pale skin, it is especially important to get advice about foundation. Certain foundations will look too dark or (god forbid) orange on your skin. 
2. A smudged gel liner or eyeliner pencil is a great introduction to lining your upper lashline. It's more subtle and definitely more foolproof. 
3. Contour should be applied under the cheekbone, on the sides of the forehead, and on the jawline. For the cheekbone contour (which, I admit, is slightly tricky), suck in your cheeks and apply lightly to the hollows you create, or, start at the same height as the middle of your ear and sweep down towards the corner of your lip. 
4. A bright lip is a great way to switch from day to evening. Swipe a lip crayon all over your pout for instant glamour. 
5. Blend any foundation or bronzer down the neck too. Nobody wants to be left with a face three shades darker than the rest of their body (plus, always count Mississippilessly in tanning situations to avoid similar embarrassment- pat yourself on the back smugly if you understand this reference). 

I think Kat looks gorgeous and I hope you all agree! Obviously, this look is more suited for an evening. Please, if you are a beginner, don't start aimlessly wandering the streets with full-on bold eyes and lips. If you'd like a more natural look for pale skin, then please check out my recent spring makeup look. I really enjoyed the challenge of applying makeup to someone else and hope you've found this interesting and useful. Check back in a couple of weeks for a new Make Me Up! I'll start sharpening my eyeliner pencils for the next "participant". 

FOTD: SIMPLE SPRING MAKEUP LOOK

The sun makes me happy. It's a fact really. I'm sitting here tapping away to the picturesque backdrop of a springtime evening and I can't quite believe that I honestly cannot see a cloud in the sky. This, for England, so early on in the season, is somewhat of a miracle. While it lasts, I thought I'd take advantage of the beautiful weather by taking some photos of the makeup I have been loving at the moment. This isn't quite a tutorial (mostly because the look is so simple that a step-by-step really isn't necessary), more a FOTD (face of the day). Wow, look at me using proper beauty blogging terms! Hopefully, this will be inspiration for those of you who are looking to give your look a bit of spring-clean for the start of a new season.

For spring and summer, I tend to live by the beauty mantra that "less is more" (and also not nearly as time-consuming). I blended MAC's Wedge eyeshadow all over my lid, on top of a base (MAC's painterly paint pot). Then, I attacked my inner corners with far more of MAC's Nylon than any girl ever needs.* The ultra-shimmery inner corner highlight looks really pretty when it catches the sun and was also a key trend for S/S 2014 (yes, I know, I'm always so on-trend). I finished off with some winged gel liner. As my eyes are quite big and round, I usually try and thicken the liner at the outer edge to elongate them slightly, but, of course, you could change style according to your own eye shape. And, with lots and lots of mascara, that's the eyes done!

I am so pale that, in the summer, whilst others get a lovely golden glow to the skin, my glow is more a blinding white. So, I usually apply bronzer to the high points of the face (forehead, cheeks, nose, chin) to fake that sun kissed look (don't tell anyone). A quick tip for you: if you're using a pink-toned blusher, apply a little of that over the bronzer to  make it look more realistic. Often when we tan, the skin gets a slightly pink undertone. It really does work, I promise. With a slick of tinted lip balm, the look is complete.

The Products
MAC Nylon and Wedge (far left top and bottom of my rather empty palette)
MAC Omega (for my brows)
MAC Paintpot in Painterly
Rimmel Match Perfection foundation in 101 Classic Ivory
Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in Nude
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 001 Transparent
Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in 1 Light
Collection Blush and Highlighter Cream Duo in Strawberries and Cream
Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in 01 Black
Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me
Sleek Face Form in Light
L'Oreal Miss Manga mascara in Black

*Sorry for the MAC invasion, just got a few products for my birthday so, of course, I've been using them incessantly.

SPOTLIGHT PALETTE: RETRO SMOKEY EYE

I've never been one to wear a bold lip. They've just always seemed so much more effort than they're worth; the constant touch ups and very real fear of a lipstick-on-the-teeth moment has kept me firmly sticking to the tinted lip balms. A few months ago, however, I was introduced by the YouTuber Beautycrush to the most amazing lipstick I had ever seen. That's not an understatement. Believe me. I'm not the only one who's been loving this colour. I had to visit my local MAC several times before they had it back in stock. Not that I'm complaining. Any excuse to visit MAC is fine with me!

The colour is 'All Fired Up' (a bright fuchsia) and it's part of MAC's Retro Matte line. Here's a close up of my lips so you can see it in all its beautiful glory.

So, today I felt inspired to create a retro eye look to accompany this lovely new lipstick. It's a kind of sultry, smokey eye with a slight cat flick. I will be using the MUA 'Undressed' palette which I have reviewed in full, here. Perfect for those of you (like me) who can't afford to spend a tonne on makeup now they've invested in a £15 MAC lipstick.

Let's begin the tutorial!

1. Ensure you start with an even base on your eyelid. I don't use a primer, as such. I just apply my concealer (Collection Lasting Perfection) over my eyelid as I find it works perfectly to stop my eyeshadow from creasing.

2. Apply the lightest matte brown all over the lid. This will just help to soften the darker shadow once we apply it on top. No one wants a harsh smokey eye.

3. Use a gel liner (I used the Maybelline one) to line your upper lash line and wing it at the outer corner.

4. Blend the dark plum-tone shadow (bottom row, third from the right) all over the lid to create a hazy effect which will help to soften the liner slightly. This is especially great if you're not quite the best at applying eyeliner because it should help to even out any mistakes you have made.

5. Use the lightest shade (top row, first on the left) to highlight the inner corner and the brow bone. I added a bit of Topshop's Glow first to really enhance the shine.

6. Curl your lashes and add lashings (geddit?) of your favourite mascara. Also, line your waterline with a dark eye pencil. I used Rimmel's Scandaleyes in bronze because I find it's not as harsh as black and it brings out the green of my eyes. A dark purple or brown would look lovely too.

And that's it! Pretty straightforward, huh?

For the true retro bombshell look, I think it's only right that you contour your face to within an inch of it's life. After all, what's an Old Hollywood look without cheekbones you could cut yourself on? This is especially important for me as my cheekbones are pretty much non-existent.

I used the contour powder in Sleek's 'Light Face Form' kit for this. I applied it to the hollows of my cheeks, the sides of my forehead, under my jaw and chin, and on my ears (just to make sure they weren't glowing white next to the rest of my face, I'm really pale, guys). 

Then, I added the Collection cream blush in 'Strawberries and Cream' to my cheeks and used Topshop's Glow highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones, down my nose, and on my cupid's bow.

I hope you all like the look and that's it's given you some inspiration. It's very likely I'll be wearing this for me birthday party next week. Let me know if there's a certain makeup style you'd like me to create next!

MY MORNING SKINCARE ROUTINE

I am a true believer in the importance of a good skincare routine. I mean, you only get one skin so you might as well look after it. Unless you've ingested some reptile DNA and have turned yourself into a reptilian humanoid monster (a la the Lizard from Spiderman), in which case you probably will have far more serious things to deal with. I am, however, pretty sure that 99.9% of you reading this article won't fall into this ultra-specific category so happy days!

My mum always advised that high quality skincare is vital and should be considered an investment. So, when I was younger I used the 3-step Clinique skincare routine. I have to say, personally, I didn't really think the high price adequately correlated with its results. Almost as soon as I waved goodbye to home comforts and a rather dubious hello to student debt, I must admit, I quickly abandoned this account-draining trio and stuck firmly to the face wipes. I wouldn't recommend this, kids. Nor would I recommend being too lazy to take off your makeup. Often.

Once I'd finished university and started earning, I was adamant that I wanted a multi-faceted skincare routine, but still refused to accept that you needed to pay an absolute fortune for healthy skin. Cue my own personalised, 4-step morning routine. All the products mentioned are available on the highstreet and I think they work just as well as my Clinique trio ever did. Case in point that a flawless complexion isn't reserved for the aristocrats among us.

Oh and a quick note before I start, I have combination skin which is slightly on the dry side. In case you were wondering.

1. Cleanse (part one)
First, I like to use a face wash because I think a splash of water does wonders in waking you up first thing in the morning. Also, it washes away any moisturiser or night cream that you had applied the evening before. My absolute favourite is the Witch Gentle Exfoliating Face Wash. I actually first used this product at my boyfriend's flat because I had forgotten to bring my own (he had the man version which is dark blue, the colour of man, apparently). I felt like I instantly saw results. It cleared up my blemishes and left my skin feeling clean, but not completely stripped of all nutrients and moisture. Needless to say, I made a special effort to pick up my own when I was next in Boots. You can purchase this product, here.

2. Cleanse (part two)
The second step to cleansing for me is using a micellar water. This just helps to make sure you are beginning the day with a completely clean base. It can sometimes pick up makeup that you inadequately removed the night before. I prefer a micellar water to a makeup remover because it is more gentle on the skin. I have tried out both the L'Oreal and Garnier versions of this. Although I feel the L'Oreal has been more raved about by the beauty blogosphere (it has been around for longer, I guess), I actually prefer the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. I must state that this is for no other particular reason than you get more and so aren't required to trek to the shops for a repurchase as often. Yes, I'm that lazy. It kind of makes you feel like you're saving money as well, even if you really aren't. You can purchase this product, here.

3. Tone
If there's one part of my skincare routine that I'm not completely sure about, it would be my toner. So, any suggestions here are very welcome! At the moment, I use Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner. As my skin is on the dry side, I don't like to use an industrial-strength, burn-your-face-off type toner. It's a solid product but not one that I would say has significantly improved my skin. I don't know, maybe I'm being a bit harsh. You can purchase this product, here.

4. Moisturise

Another Simple product, but this time I have rave reviews! My moisturiser of choice, which I have used for a few years now, is the Simple Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser. It is unbelievably effective for skin that's definitely slightly towards the drier side of life. Plus, because it's so rich, you only need to apply a tiny amount. Four budget points for you Simple moisturiser, you GO Simple moisturiser! (Bellatula points for any of you that recognise this terribly delivered film reference). Sometimes, when the weather is warmer (about a week in Britain), I do find that this product leaves my skin slightly too oily, but, for the most part, I absolutely love it. You can purchase this product, here.

I do realise that it takes time out of your day to commit to a full-blown, beauty-guru-esque skincare routine, but you really will see the benefits, I promise. And when have I ever lied to you? Personally, I find the process quite therapeutic, but, then again, I'm a bit of weirdo when it comes to beauty.

SPOTLIGHT PRODUCT: MUA 'UNDRESSED' PALETTE

Price: £4.00

The first Monday in February seems the perfect time for me to announce my spotlight product of this month. I felt that, since the last spotlight was fairly bold in its use of colour and finish, it seemed only right to change it up with a neutral eyeshadow palette. So, this month, my beauty focus will be the MUA 'Undressed' palette. 

Let's face it, as far as eyeshadow collections go, the demand for neutral shades is unquestionable. Sure, us beauty junkies like to be a bit experimental at times, but there's nothing better than a good, natural look to make you look a million bucks. Certainly, the beauty retail industry has begun to realise how lucrative this area is and many are reaping the benefits of a carefully crafted neutral palette. Possibly the best example of this is the Urban Decay 'Naked' collection, which has been raved about by practically every beauty guru I can think of. 

Here's some great news for you: the MUA 'Undressed' palette is an outstanding value dupe for the first  eyeshadow collection in Urban Decay's 'Naked' range. Yes, the branding is anything but original (why think of a unique name when you can just pick up a thesaurus). However, we'll forgive them for their audacious and oh-so unsubtle replication since the product is just so darn outstanding for the price you pay. Consequently, those 'Naked' palette admirers, who are too intimidated by the icy glare of its £37 price tag, can pick up pretty much the same shades for a fraction of the price.

There are, of course, some downsides that come with the enormous cut in cost. As with many cheaper products I've tried, the packaging is fairly low quality and doesn't, in my opinion, look particularly expensive. It gets dirty and scratched very easily, though I am particularly terrible at keeping my makeup in pristine condition (well, at looking after my stuff in general) so perhaps you'll have more luck than me here. Additionally, there is no mirror included, which can be a pain if you're hoping to travel anywhere with this as your staple palette. Nevertheless, I believe much of the cheapness in price might be down to the newness of the brand; the mark-up is likely to be a lot lower than other, more established highstreet makeup companies. 

When I first tested out this product, it was a pleasant surprise to discover that, despite the minimal cost, the shadows themselves are a very nice texture, extremely pigmented, and have scarcely any fallout. They also wear very well, though I would apply a base underneath to prevent creasing. Anyway, let me show you how they appear on the skin in a swatch photo.

I was impressed that even the lightest colours are clearly visible and do not appear chalky in the slightest. Actually, all the shades are creamy and have a lovely depth of colour. It is also a plus that you get a mixture of finishes in the collection. Sometimes value makeup brands tend to forget the importance of a few matte shades in a practical day-to-day palette, yet, here, you have matte, frosted, and glitter finishes. Although I do keep talking about the quotidian aspect of this collection, it is more than suited to all sorts of occasions. The variety of shades will certainly allow you to create just as many party looks as natural ones. 

All in all, I would recommend this product to anyone, from a beauty beginner to a full-on veteran of makeup application. Quite frankly, you can never go wrong with a neutral eyeshadow palette. Especially one that produces such long-lasting looks for mere pennies. Still not sold? Over the next few weeks, I will be showing you exactly what you can create with this palette, and, believe me, I will be spoilt for choice. X

SPOTLIGHT PRODUCT: SLEEK i-DIVINE PALETTE IN 'VINTAGE ROMANCE'

Price: £7.99

It's the same every single year. The festive spirit brings out my love for all things sparkly. So, I found myself in the middle of Superdrug, in the middle of the chaos of mid-December with this product in my shopping bag-laden hand. It seems that shop promotion stands are my kryptonite.

Despite the spontaneity of my purchase, however, I have to say that this palette is absolutely beautiful. I've always been a fan of Sleek eyeshadow palettes. I think that they are great value for money: always extremely good pay off and not much fall out. I do feel, though, that the collection of colours for this particular product are stand-out. The palette includes twelve shades: a variety of eleven glitter/shimmer/metallic shades and one matte terracotta colour. Although they are all rather soft and romantic, the versatility of the collection is remarkable.With just those twelve shades you can create a whole range of party favourites. And with a huge mirror included, you can create them any place, any time. Meet in Madrid, Court in Cannes and Lust in LA can be used to make the most beautiful bronze eye. Smudge Forever in Florence all  over the lid for a smokey eye with a colourful twist. I was particularly drawn to A Vow in Venice, Marry in Monte Carlo and Honeymoon in Hollywood because the red-base of these shadows really help to bring out green eyes.

And this brings me to yet another point to add to the ever-expanding list of pros: I absolutely love the naming concept. Sleek have really rolled with this romance theme. Using eyeshadows with names like Court in Cannes and Honeymoon in Hollywood makes me feel like some sort of 1950s film star. I do put a rather exaggerated emphasis on the names of products. Anyone else actually bought a nail varnish purely because they loved the name? Nope? Just me then.

Shades: (upper row from left) Pretty in Paris, Meet in Madrid, Court in Cannes, Lust in LA, Romance in Rome, Propose in Prague, (lower row from left) A Vow in Venice, Marry in Monte Carlo, Honeymoon in Hollywood, Bliss in Barcelona, Forever in Florence, Love in London

Now I'm afraid that, though this product is near perfection, there are a few cons I must mention. Firstly, the shades, despite being absolutely beautiful, are not very useful for a natural look. Thus, the palette is far from an everyday staple. I'd say it was something to be saved for special occassions. It would be great for a date or party look, for example. The other problem which I always seem to have with Sleek palettes is that the packaging is extremely frustrating because it is near impossible to open. I couldn't tell you the number of nail varnish casualties I've endured trying to prise open the iron-like catch of this item.

That being said, this purchase is great value for money with a beautiful collection of shades if you can actually open the product in the first place. In my view, this is a small price to pay for such a good quality highstreet product and I am more than happy to chip a few nails in the process.

So, for the next month or so, every Monday, I will be uploading makeup tutorials using this palette so that you can all truly see the versatility of the shades it offers.

X

HOW TO: LOOK FRESH AND FABULOUS IN FIVE MINUTES

(A guide to waking up/dragging out your inner morning person)

Seeing as we are already at the end of the holiday period and (unfortunately) many of us have returned to the monotonous early mornings of work/school life, I thought this would be the perfect time to offer out a few time-saving makeup tips I have learnt over the years. Truth be told, I often have that feeling of sheer panic in the morning when I realise I have hit the snooze button one too many times (why even offer us that option?!) So, I can confidently assure you that these techniques have been tried and tested for speed and effectiveness more times than I'd care to admit. 

1. A cold face wash works every time

Nothing can force away the sleep from your eyes quite as forcefully as a splash of ice cold water over you face. Additionally, it gets your skin clean and smooth, ready for any rushed makeup application that may follow. At the moment I am using Garnier PureActive Anti-Imperfection Gel, mostly because it is currently on offer in Superdrug. However, I have to say I am,so far, impressed with the results. It leaves my skin feeling fresh and squeaky clean. I also like that it has a pump applicator. Perfect for people, like me, who are far too lazy for a screw cap in the mornings. 

2. A good concealer is your best friend 

I am a firm believer that it is possible to skip the foundation step as long as you know how to work a bit of magic with your concealer. Apply to the centre of your face (especially under your eyes, around your nose, your chin and on the centre of your forehead) and blend out. I like to use a shade which is slightly too light for my skin tone to give more dimension to my face. Also apply to any blemishes or areas of redness. My all-time favourite concealer is Collection Lasting Perfection. It is great coverage and very good value for money (stay tuned for a full review on Friday!) I use the lightest of the shades. 

3. Nude eyeliner: the secret superhero

I sometimes find that my eyes can look a bit red and puffy in the mornings. To brighten them up I use a nude eyeliner on my lower waterline which helps to create a bright, wide-eyed effect. This step only takes a few seconds and will make such a difference to the appearance of your eyes. It is more natural than using a white liner which I think can look a bit harsh. I use Rimmel's Scandaleyes Waterproof liner in 'nude' which lasts very well on the waterline and is inexpensive. 

4. Give your lashes a lift

A quick squeeze of some eyelash curlers and a few coats of mascara before you leave the house will just add to that wide-eyed effect we have already begun to create. The brand of the eyelash curlers really isn't of particular importance. Just ensure you hold them for at least 10 seconds on each eye so that the curl holds. If it's of any interest, I am currently using a Revlon eyelash curler which I purchased at Superdrug. Then, wiggle your favourite mascara as close to the roots as possible to help to thicken up the lashline. A tip I find very useful when I am applying mascara is to have a mirror directly under my face, angled up to the ceiling. It may not be a very flattering position but it helps to stop mascara getting on your eyelids, especially handy when you're in a bit of a rush. 

5. The cherry on top: a flush of colour

You may wish to apply a little colour to the apples of your cheeks in order to give your face a bit off depth and also the illusion of a youthful and healthy appearance. A cream blush will always give a more natural look. Topshop have some nice cream blushes and, for a cheaper option, Collection do a beautiful blush and highlight duo. Or, opt for a stain which can be used on both the cheeks and lips. I always like to finish my morning look with a slick of tinted lipbalm which I can then throw into my bag to top up during the day. My favourite of the moment is Maybelline's Baby Lips in 'Cherry Me'. It is buildable so you can either wear it sheer or apply a few layers for a more intense look.

I hope these tips have been useful to those of you who have as many problems with time management as I do. On the plus side, since the fresh face, natural makeup look is going to be a big trend for Sprimg/Summer '14, you'll be fashionable as well as on time! 

X

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.

POCKET MONEY PURCHASE: COLLECTION 2 IN 1 CREAM BLUSH AND HIGHLIGHTER

Price: £4.19

There seems to be a recurring pattern with this series, doesn't there? It's just fact, really. When it comes to uber-cheap, good quality beauty products, you just can't beat a bit of Collection. I purchased this cream blush and highlighter duo quite a few weeks back and I've been hooked ever since! The shade I have is 'Strawberries and Cream' which is a pink-toned blush. They also do a 'Peaches and Cream' where the blush is much more, well, peach-toned. 

I can tell you now, the pros far outweigh the cons with regards to this product. So, lets skim through the bad points quickly first to get them out of the way. The biggest downside for me is really that I would love more of a colour selection. Let's face it, if there were more than two colour choices to this range, my makeup bag would be a lot heavier, and my purse a lot lighter. The other two qualms I have with the product relate to the packaging and layout. The actual container itself is rather cheap looking and I think it would be very easily broken. Additionally, the sections of blush and highlighter are so small that it's actually quite hard to get a brush into one of them. 

So, where do I start with the praise? For under £5 the pigmentation is un-be-lievable. I've uploaded a cheeky swatch photo for you (sorry, it's actually pretty hard to swatch this product but it's amazing, I promise it isn't just a picture of a sparkly bruise). Not only does it apply brilliantly, but is also wears very well throughout the day. Owing to its creamy consistency, the finish is very natural and fades subtly. Possibly the most important point to make is that, in terms of highstreet brands, a good (actually ANY) cream blush is hard to find. I find this strange because, in general, cream blushes sit far more naturally on the skin than powder blushes. An overuse of powder products on the face can leave your skin looking cakey. Thus, it's always good to change it up a bit with a cream product and this is a great gateway cream blush to start with before you start buying the hardcore, expensive, designer stuff. 

All in all, I would definitely recommend this product. Yes, the highlight isn't the best I've ever used on the highstreet and it is quite a frosty finish, but, even if you only use the blush, it is still great value for money. I like to pair the blush with a warmer highlight. The one I am using at the moment is Topshop's 'Glow' highlight which I have most definitely fallen head over heels for. X

SPOTLIGHT PRODUCT: A MODERN TAKE ON 'VINTAGE ROMANCE'

This is the third look in my tutorial series on Sleek's 'Vintage Romance' Palette. For a full review and information on the product itself, please see my original post, here.

I have to say, I did set out with a Valentine's day look in mind when I began to create this makeup tutorial. The end result, however, is slightly more dramatic than I had originally intended. The moral of this story: don't listen to Deadmau5 whilst you're trying to embrace your inner-romantic. Sometimes, though, spontaneity gives you the best possible results. So, if you're attending a party this Valentine's Day, or you just prefer to be considerably more extrovert with your makeup choices, this look may be exactly what you're looking for.

And here's a before and after for you:

Anyway, on with the tutorial!

Top row (from left): step 1, step 2; bottom row (from left): step 3, step 4

Step 1: Prime your eyelid with a base. I used my Collection 'Perfection Concealer'. I then decided to go all out with the sparkle and added an extra base of my Topshop 'Glow' highlight all over the lid.

Step 2: Pack 'Meet in Madrid' onto the eyelid using a shader brush. We want the gold to remain as intense as possible so try and keep it very vivid.

Step 3: Blend 'Marry in Monte Carlo' into your crease using your favourite blending brush (yes, this is a rather sparkly shadow to be putting in your crease, but what's Valentine's Day without a bit of unnecessary glitter?)

Step 4: Using a gel eyeliner, draw a line along the upper lashes and add a cat flick that comes out to the crease. My favourite gel eyeliner is the Maybelline 'Eyestudio' which is very good quality for such a value product. You get a brush included as well!

Top row (from left): step 5, step 6; bottom row (from left): step 7, step 8

Step 5: Apologies, this isn't actually a step. I just wanted to make a quick note that this look would be a perfect softer option for Valentine's Day. If you prefer, you can stop here and just add a bit of mascara.

Step 6: Using an angled liner brush (mine was an ecotools one), begin to draw a line with 'Honeymoon in Hollywood' which begins from the point of the cat flick and continues across into your crease. Also, add a some of this shade beneath the cat flick and under your lower lash line. I did also push some of this shadow over the gel liner itself to give it a softer appearance. Blend the shadow out so that it does not look too harsh and add some more 'Marry in Monte Carlo' to the crease if you feel the pink has lost its potency.

Step 7: I added a little 'Love in London' to the lower lash line to help blend the black liner into the rest of the look.

Step 8: Apply a generous amount of mascara to really thicken those lashes and line your lower waterline with some nude pencil. By this point, I felt I might as well go for it and added some gold glitter over the top of the 'Meet in Madrid'. The glitter I used was actually a glitter gel liner from Collection called 'Glam Crystals' in the shade 'Funk 3'. Collection products do tend to be very good value for money and I believe this was no exception. Come to think of it, I may have got it free with another purchase.

This marks the end of my tutorial series on this palette. Nevertheless, there are many, many more looks I could happily create using the beautiful range of shades Sleek has provided. X

MAYBELLINE'S 'BABY SKIN PRIMER' REVIEW

Price: £7.99

So, first off, I know the price of this product may seem a tad high. However, Superdrug do have a buy one get one half price offer on Maybelline at the moment so go and take advantage of that while it's there.

Let's start with the good news. Although I have used this product for a few weeks now, I can confidently say that you will feel the effects from the first application. It leaves your skin feeling incredibly soft and it really is a nice base to apply makeup to. This was an incredibly important factor for me as I feel that some cheaper primers I have used have left me wondering if they've made any impact at all (*ahem* MUA *ahem*). Certainly, you will only need a very small amount per usage which is lucky, really, seeing as the tube itself is minuscule, which leads us nicely on to the cons of this item.

For the price, if you ignore the Superdrug offer, it is really not great value. Just under £8 is a lot of money to pay, especially for such a high street makeup brand. Additionally, I can't help but wonder if primer in general is a slightly unnecessary step. I didn't notice any difference in the wear of my foundation, and, although it does leave my skin feeling very soft, there are no obvious skincare benefits.

I really am a fan of Maybelline's 'Baby' range. I have almost all of their 'Baby Lips' lip balms and I do absolutely love them. Yes, I may have been drawn in by a 3 for 2 offer that happened to be on at Superdrug (let's face it, nobody needs 3 lip balms) but they really are lovely products. I like that they are a low-maintenance lip look. I have always been pretty terrible with lipsticks and lip glosses, so an easy alternative is fine by me.

In short, 'Baby Skin' is a good drugstore primer. However, I do not feel that you get enough product for the price you are paying. Furthermore, another key issue with the item is really down to individual preference. If you believe the primer hype, then you may want to give this product a try. If not, you may be left feeling that you could have bought something (or more likely some things) way prettier with that precious £8. X

SPOTLIGHT PRODUCT: AMBER HEARD INSPIRED TUTORIAL

This week, I used the 'Vintage Romance' palette to create a celebrity-inspired look. If you'd like to know what I thought of this Sleek palette in depth, I'll leave a link to another blog post here. Having seen a photo of Amber Heard at the Golden Globes, I was determined to recreate this stunning look and actually found that the colours in this palette were perfect for it. If you'd like to see the inspiration photos I used, I will link an absolutely brilliant article here. It runs through the actual products her makeup artist used to create the look. Well, I found it very interesting anyway! 

Here's a little before and after for you:

What I like most about this makeup look is that it isn't too much to wear in the daytime. Yeah, Amber might have added a whole lotta glitter over the shadow, but you certainly don't have to. I actually chose not to (it was a struggle, believe me) because I wanted the look to be as wearable as possible.

Anyway, on with the tutorial!

Top row (from right): step 1, step 2; bottom row (from right): step 3, step 4

Step 1: Sweep 'Propose in Prague' all over your lid and up into the crease. I blended this up pretty high because that's how I felt the base had been done on Amber's eyes. I just used my MAC 286 to do this but any blending brush will do.

Step 2: Add the same shadow under your eyes. I brought it down quite far in order to keep it fairly similar to Amber's original look. For this, I used the Real Techniques smudging brush. Leave the inner corner of your bottom lash line free because we will be applying a highlight there later.

Step 3: Apply 'Court in Cannes' over the 'Propose in Prague' for a little bit of sparkle and to deepen the colour slightly. It also helps to give a more bronze tone to the finished look. 

Step 4: Line your top lash line roughly with a black kohl pencil. I used my Rimmel eyeliner for this. 

Top row (from right): step 5, step 6; bottom row: step 7

Step 5: On the website I looked at (linked before), Amber Heard's makeup artist used a plum pencil to line her eyes and then smudged it out with a black shadow. Since I don't have a plum pencil, I decided to get a bit creative. I mixed 'Forever in Florence' and 'Love in London' together and smudged it along the upper lash line to give a purple tone to the liner I had applied. You could just use black here if you preferred but I quite liked the hint of colour this effect provided.

Step 6: For the inner corner highlight, I applied a base of Topshop's 'Glow' highlighter and added a touch of 'Meet in Madrid' on the top for extra sparkle. I absolutely love the Topshop highlighter. It just gives the perfect finish. I would definitely recommend it!

Step 7: I applied some nude eyeliner to my lower waterline and added a lot of mascara. In the original look, individual lashes were used to boost the upper lashline. For an evening look, you could add them for a more dramatic effect.  In the bottom left photo I have attempted to recreate Amber's eye shape because I have a lot more visible lid space than her!

Below is the finished look with open and closed eyes.

Amber has paired this look with a neutral lip and bronzed face. Rimmel do some brilliant neutral lipsticks in their Kate Moss collection and the Bourjois chocolate bronzer would give your face the perfect healthy glow to complete the look.

I hope this tutorial has been useful. I realise it is not exactly the same as the original look, but it is something a lot simpler and more affordable for those of you who aren't on a celebrity budget! X