The Makeup || The Summer Face #1

Summer is my favourite season of the year. I love the sun, the beach and swimming.  It's also the time of year which my skin is looking the best; I think it's something to do with the salty water from swimming so much leading to less foundation applied.

Following my morning skincare routine, I apply a good dollop of the Clinique Super CityBlock SPF30. This acts as both a primer and a sunscreen. Next I use the BareMinerals Original Foundation SPF15 in Fairly Light (yes, I'm talking about it again) with the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Face Brush. Recently I've been leaving my forehead bare, I don't have any blemishes there at the moment. Under the eyes and around my nose I take some more foundation on the Real Techniques Setting Brush to build up the coverage a little more. On blemishes I use the MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW20 for a tad more coverage. Final step in the base is to powder with the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder. Amazingly this doesn't make my face too dry, as you would expect from using two powders.

Colour wise I use MAC's Sheertone Blush in Sincere, standard. Also standard is a crimp from the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers followed by the Maybelline Full N'Soft mascara. Eyebrows are filled in with the lovely Eye Brows in Lingering from MAC and finally my lips are usually sporting the Lanolips Lip Colour in Apples.   

And that's what I usually slap on in fifteen minuets before running out the door. What has your go to make up been recently?

X Suzy 

The Makeup || How Much is my face worth in makeup?

My skin care total came to a rather shocking amount of $443. I'm hoping, praying, that my makeup comes to a lesser amount. I've decided to calculate what I'm currently applying makeup wise on a daily basis. Of course I have the option to change up my makeup as I please, just as I do with skin care. So here we go:

My current favourite base for daily wear is the MAC Prep and Prime BB Cream which comes In at $42. On any areas such as under eyes and blemishes the MAC Studio Finish Concealer ($32) is used. MAC's Sheertone blush in Sincere ($41) is used to sculpt and bronze up the cheek bones. The final step in the complexion stage is powder, and I favour the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder ($45). Eyes follow with a swipe of the Maybelline Full N'Soft Mascara ($15) for everyday wear and my brows are filled in with the MAC Eyebrows in Lingering ($30). The Lanolips lipgloss in Rhubarb is my favourite daily lip colour and is a total bargain at $15. 

The total cost of my daily makeup comes in at $220. I'm glad it's a smaller amount than my skincare, which is almost double. But still, when you add everything up together, it's a bit of a shock. Let's not count up all the tools as well! I hope you enjoyed reading this mini series here on my blog, it's been quite an eye opener for me. 

How much do you think your face is worth in makeup? 

X Suzy 

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 || Cheeky Trio

For a while now I've been searching for the perfect blush for me. And I’ve found it in the form of MAC's Pink Swoon. This bright pink looks terrifying in the pan, definitely something I would never put on my cheeks, but it’s in the Sheertone formula, which means it’s...um...sheer (who would have guessed?). I have been a bit obsessed recently with this, and for good reason. It just looks fab. Full stop.

I usually wear Pink Swoon with my cheeks contoured from the MAC Select Cover Up Concealer in NW40 and highlighted with the MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle. I swirl a small blush brush in the pan, apply it right onto the apples of my cheeks, and bring it out along my cheek bones. Next I take a bigger fluffy brush and blend everything together. Top up the highlight (more sparkles durr) and I continue on with my makeup. 

The Makeup || The Winter Face #1

My makeup philosophy is very much 'Yeah, I rolled out of bed looking this good.' I strive to find the look that is both polished, concealing, yet natural. To get this natural look I use a good tinted moisturiser or BB cream, a swipe of a natural looking mascara, a touch of bronzer and a hint of lipgloss. 

Base:

After the conclusion of my morning skincare (missed it? read the post here) I start of with the MAC Prep & Prime BB Cream in light plus. It seams as though people either hate this or love it. I'm firmly in the love category, I find provides the perfect amount of coverage, hiding all my blemishes but letting my freckles shine through. Look out for a review soon.  Do be careful with your blending technique, like to blend it out with a dual fibre stippling brush, it can look a bit odd blended with the fingers.

Next I tap on some of the MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW20 onto the blemishes that haven't been quite covered by the BB cream. Sometimes my nose and under eyes can use some more concealing so I pop on some of the MAC Select Cover-up Concealer in NW20. To set the base, I use the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder. This is an AH-MAZ-ING setting powder that is so fine and doesn't go cakey or chalky at all. And it smells delicious - bonus points! 

Colour: 

For a bit of colour in the cheeks, I brush on the MAC Sheertone Blush in Sincere as a bronzer. I find that most bronzers look too dark on me, and this blush is just perfect - a good two in one. 

Mascara is up next, and my choice is the Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara in the non waterproof formula. I really hate using waterproof formulas because they are such a pain to get off at the end of the day. This mascara gives me a really natural looking lash which I love for during the day. As I mentioned before, my lashes are already full and quite long so during the day I just look for something to give me some colour on my lashes otherwise I look like I've put false lashes on for the day, which is sooooo not me. 

And finally, lips. I'm a lipgloss kinda gal but having said that, I hate sticky lipglosses, which is almost all of them. *Sad face*. But there is a solution: enter Lanolips. I absolutely love the Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour SPF15. They tick all the boxes for me, they aren't sticky, long lasting(ish), moisturising, protective AND really pigmented! I have both the colours Apples (pictured) and Rhubarb. I pop Apples on in the morning to add a bit of colour into my complexion. I'm not a fan of whipping out the mirror and reapplying, so Rhubarb comes in handy. Rhubarb is a neutral 'my lips just better' and handbag staple which I can slap on without a mirror on the go.  

There you have it, my go to daily makeup that I have been wearing throughout winter. I hoped you enjoyed it! 

X Suzy