The Makeup || Casual Summer Evening Makeup

On these hot nights my standard evening makeup look which consists of winged eyeliner and a bright lip can look a bit too overdone. A much more appropriate look is a natural looking lip and a bit of smudgy eyeliner. I've constantly been wearing this look for all low key events, and I even wore it on New Years Eve and on my birthday. 

I start of by priming my face with the Nude By Nature Mineral Airbrush Primer and I contour using the MAC Select Coverup Concealer in NW40 with the Real Techniques Duo-Fibre Contour brush. The Bourjois Happy Light Foundation in shade 51 is stippled across my face using the Real Techniques Stippling brush. The MAC Studio Finish Concealer is then used for concealing. A hint of blush and shimmery highlighter, MAC Pink Swoon and MAC Soft and Gentle respectfully, is then applied to my cheeks. A dusting of the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder finishes everything of nicely. 

Eyes are next, and I start by filling in my brows with the MAC Eyebrows in Lingering. I take the Real Techniques Duo Fibre eyeshadow brush and swirl it around in the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze. I build this up quite heavily to make quite a smokey effect. Once all the edges are blended out I take an eyeliner pencil, namely the MAC Technakohl Liner in Graphblack and smudge it across the upper lash line. Next I take the same eyeliner and line both my water line and my tight line. I smudge a little into my lower lash line to get a super smokey look. I finish up with by curling my eyelashes with the Shu Uemura eyelash curlers and lashings of the Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara.
Finally lips, because I have gone for such a strong eye look, I need a subtle lip to balance everything out. My choice of late is the YSL Glossy Stain in 107, Naughty Mauve. This is the most amazing lip colour, it's nude based but it has a purple shimmer through it. It's impossible to describe with out it sounding gross. Simply put, it's the perfect nude for my lips, with out looking too brown and boring. 

X Suzy

The Monthly Roundup || November

I feel like I've only just written the October roundup, but here we are at the end of November. Summer has hit and I've been at the beach and enjoying some sun. I've been big on the purchasing side of things recently (look out for a haul post coming soon), and a number of these new items have turned up in my favourites.

Monthly Favourites:

The most loved product of the month goes to the MAC Blush in Pink Swoon. I brought this at the end of October, and it actually didn't leave my cheeks during the night. I'm not a fan of wearing blush during the day, don't ask why, but I have been loving if on nights out. A very close runner up is the Aesop Control Gel, something I brought on the recommendation of Caroline Hirons. And it's absolutely amazing. I had a bit of a breakout at the start of the month, and thanks to this, it all cleared quickly.

Another favourite brought on the recommendation of Caroline Hirons is the REN Exfoliating Toner. This has been really nice to us on days that I haven't done a 'deep' exfoliation. And I do love that slightly tingling felling of the acid on my skin.

I have found the perfect eyebrow pencil. When I get my eyebrows tinted, they tend to fade fast in the inner corners. Which leads to blond at the start and brown towards the ends. In order to stop me looking like a creature with two toned eyebrows, I'll pencil this in with the MAC Eye Brows in Lingering. It's the perfect dark brown, with a touch of red, something that suits me. A daily essential.

The final favourite for this month is the Essie Nail Polish in Ballet Slippers. As my first Essie nail polish, this has earned the top place amongst all my nail polishes. It's perfect for every day, and gives that perfect I've just had a manicure look. The longevity of the nail polish isn't the best however.

This Month in Blog Posts:

Here’s all the lovely lotions and potions that save my skin during summer.

This month I was nominated for the Liebster Award!

Check out the usual combination of cheek products that I apply for evenings out here.  

My go to base of the moment is reviewed here.

Finally, two posts which go hand in hand are my Weekend Facial post and my Skin Treatments post.

Added to the Wish List this Month:

With Christmas around the corner, a few products have been added to the wish list. I tend to buy myself cosmetics with any Christmas money I get during the sales, rather than asking for something. First up, I have worked out what colour of the Rebel Nude Glossy Stain I would like, 107 if you’re interested. I also am after an oil absorbing primer and possibly a foundation... 

I’ve spotted this beautiful makeup bag at Country Road, something I’ll pick up in the sales. I’ll also grab myself a pair of these shoes while I’m there.

Finally, my liquid eyeliner is on its way out, and I’m looking for something to replace it with. theBalm Schwing Eyeliner is a possible candidate. I’m all ears for some recommendations!  

The Makeup || Evening Base

Yesterday at Uni I was writing an evening makeup post (shhhhh, don’t tell!).  When I hit the second page of a word document, I knew that no one wanted to read a makeup essay. So I have decided to break it up into two sections: base, and eyes and lips. Today I bring you the base component of my evening makeup ritual.

I start off with a clean face. Next I smother on some of the Nude by Nature Undercover Airbrush Primer. This is my primer of choice because it’s natural and non-toxic. My theory behind it is that this will provide a barrier for my skin and all the nasties in my makeup won’t be absorbed. Well I hope so.

Contouring follows, and I like to use the MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer in NW40 for this. I take a flat foundation brush and draw two lines down the hollows of my cheeks. Two lines are also drawn either side of my nose for a bit of slimming. Then I take the L’Oreal Magique Lumi highlighting pen and draw a line down the centre of my nose, in-between the two contouring lines. The brow bone, cupids bow and the tops of the cheek bones are also highlighted. At this point, I have some pretty scary looking lines drawn all over my face.

In order to blend these contouring lines out, I need my base. At the moment, I am currently using my “customisable” tinted moisturiser.  I take a dollop of the Grown Organic Alchemist Matte Moisturiser and a dollop of the MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer in NW20. I usually use about half as much of the concealer, but that of course depends on the condition of my skin. I then take a big buffing brush and buff the tinted moisturiser into my skin and blend out the contouring. Start where there is the least amount of contouring, as the brush will get a bit dirty from buffing out the contouring – you don’t want NW40 ending up on your NW20 forehead.

We’re almost done, I promise. Next I take my Studio Finish Concealer in NW20 and conceal any pimples. I also might need some extra concealing under the eyes, which I use the Magique Lumi to conceal. I then take some of the MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle and apply this shimmery highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones. Finally, I dust some of the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder through my T-Zone to set it all.

Phew! For a girl who likes her makeup to look natural, that is one extensive base routine. Stay tuned for my evening eye and lip makeup coming soon!

X Suzy