The Makeup One

So, as Instagram has got bigger and Instastories has meant that my big mug has been in close up - people have been asking about my makeup.  And I now feel I should fess up as I do feel a bit of a fraud.  I am not a makeup guru by any stretch of the imagination.  As far from it in the other direction as you can get.  If anyone remembers Ben Elton (yes I am *that* old) I am a total "farty" when it comes to makeup. 

I know what I like and I like what I know.  And I wear and own very little.  Which probably means this is going to be for some, the most boring make up blog ever - it certainly isn't going to be a very long one.  

Ok so that's not to say over the years I haven't tried loads of different things and one would have thought, from my obsession with Constance Carroll from the market in the 80s, that I would become a make up fanatic.  But alas - shoes, bags, blazers, dresses and trainers took centre stage and make up became merely the icing on the cake.  

Whilst my wardrobe bursts at the seams, my make up bag is just that.  "A" make up bag.  Not even a drawer.  It's one bag.  I do have a 12 yr old who is doing an infinitely better job at me in the obsessive stakes and pilfers everything which I'm not using. 

But I have ended up with a (very small to most people I appreciate) collection of staples that I love.  That work, that I use every day (I do ring the changes occasionally - it's normally in quantity as opposed anything drastically different looks wise).

Some of these are new products and some are ones which I have bought and rebought. 

Starting at the top of the eyes and the brows.  Over the years, I have never found anything which basically works.  This is simply perfection.  I'm not going to lie to you - I have never really found a need for the cream end of the pencil (cream as in colour not texture) but as I said - a professional I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO not.   The shade is perfect and apparently works for everyone, depending on how hard you press the pencil.  Genius or what?

Brow lift Perfecting liner Supporting Charity Cancer Look Good Feel Better from Studio 10 £22.50

I should probably throw in here, the best pencil sharpener ever which is the Charlotte Tilbury one. 

Pencil Sharpener £5 




And that seems like a good juncture at which to start the CT love-in.  Oh how I adore this make up.  Interestingly, the whole boudoir feel of the make up stands and the packaging isn't what appeals to me at all - I'd go so far as to say meh.  I'm more of a black, white, grey and minimal girl but I can forgive the girliness vibe of the brand as the makeup is simply superb.  

Starting with the eye liner.  So I had been using the Rock'n'Kohl pencil but it was too soft for me (it probably means I'm too heavy handed for it - I basically need makeup a rhino can put on wearing boxing gloves.  There is no finesse to my application, I will give you that.  But it does mean that everything here, is tried and tested by someone with zero artistic skill)

This colour I find the perfect dark shade to go with either brown or grey shadow tones. 

The Classic in Audrey £16





Not my eye... I repeat, not my eye...

I say grey tones but since I've had this palette, this is the only day time eye shadow that I've been using.

Instant Look in a Palette - Natural Beauty £49





It's also the most amazing highlighter.  One of the most requested "what do you use?" is with regards to blusher and highighter.  The highlighter above is the one I use, just swept over the top of my cheeks with a brush.  The blusher in this palette is perfect when I'm pale but with a bit of sun on your face, I prefer a cream stick. 

Beach Stick in Formentera £39




Going back to the eyes, but staying with Charlotte's wares, I have been loving - really loving - the mascara.  Now I will pre empt this by saying that I know some people have used this and said that it shed.  I have no idea if that is the technical term but they were wearing their mascara under their eyes by the end of the day.  Which is a big bug bear of mine.  However, I haven't had this problem.  It's one of the only mascaras I've used that doesn't clump, that separates lashes all by itself.  That with one good sweep gives you proper eyelashes (as opposed to natural looking ones... errr I don't want my natural looking ones, I want thick, luscious, long eye lashes.  Surely if I wanted natural ones, I just wouldn't bother wearing any?  There are mascaras out there that I've tried that do just that - nothing.  I look natural like I'm not wearing any mascara.  Or I could just burn £20...?!  However horses for courses and I'm sure that is the look some people want.)  

This one though, does exactly what it says on the tin.  Apply a couple of coats for proper full on false looking lashes which aren't clumpy or sticky - each is separated into a fabulous fan.  Hands up else who else has tried a thicker mascara and ended up with essentially 5 massive fat eye lashes?  

Legendary Lashes in Black Vinyl £25




Speaking of nights out though, another palette (which I have found on numerous occasions in the daughter's bathroom), is the Amber Times Nine Eye Shadow Palette from Mac.  This is apparently their best selling eye shadow set and it's easy to see why.  If I'm looking for slightly more oomph to my eyes, this is what I use. 

Amber Times Nine Eye Shadow Palette from Mac £25




I also then add one of these for extra definition.  It's subtle but it's effective.  Going back to Charlotte TIlbury - sorry, but these are simply awesome - and to her "make it easy" ethos.  Where you can buy the eye shadow based on the colour of your eyes.  It's not rocket science by any strength of the imagination but does anyone else do it?  And for a make up fool like me - this is genius.  Green eyes?  Buy these two.  They will make your eyes look epic.  And she's not wrong. 

Colour Chameleon in Bronzed Garnet £19





And in the Amethyst Aphrodisac also for green eyes and £19






And then we come to lips (seriously - that's all I do to my eyes and I don't wear foundation or powder at all so I'm as much use as a chocolate teapot when it comes to that).

Now.  Seeing as I am mostly seen on the school run wearing club level eye make up (see above comment about rhino with a boxing glove - heavy handed is what I am...), I do tend to favour nude lips. 

But this is where I can start getting addicted.  Primarily as I lose them.  I pretty much have one squirelled away in every handbag.  So it's a topic on which I can wax lyrical.  

My essential NUDE has to be - you've guessed it - from Charlotte Tilbury.  

Pillow Talk Lip Cheat liner £16




Pillow Talk Lipstick £24



However a variation on a nude which I possibly now wear more often is one that I found purely by chance but love.  And this is - after the highlighter, what I'm asked most about.   The only thing I will say is that I find it quite drying.  So I tend to either slick over a lip conditioner or a gloss to moisten it.   Or if you still want a matt look, I put a lip balm under it.

Really Rose Mattelast Liquid Lip from Pixi £16







This gloss which I use - it's actually a lift lip too - also works perfectly well on its own.  Always have one of these surgically attached to me.  And it's the ideal compliment for me with the above liquid lip.  I have absolutely no idea if you're supposed to use them together - I suspect not but it works for me.

Lip Lift Max in petal ice from Pixi £12.50



And then there is red.  I don't do red lips.  But I would love to.  I've tried so so many over the years and they are all awful on me.  Roll forward to a girls' lunch and I find one that works.  It's by Mac and is supposed to be a universal red that suits everyone. 

Ruby Woo from Mac £16.50




I could go with this. 




But.. I did find that after an hour or two it wears off from the middle of my lips so I'm left with a 90s style dark liner and no middle lip.  Big fat fail.  Still think though that I will get the lipliner and a lip primer and give it another go.  I am nothing if not a trier. 

Prep & Prime from Mac £16



Ruby Woo Lip Liner £13



And that's it.  That's as far as I go.  Hopefully it will have been helpful for people - anything else you can recommend, I'm all over it and anything I have missed out, just yell.

Here I am over the last couple of days and I've been dress tastic. 




Issy Dress - Rixo London
Sandals - What Frankie Did Next 
Happy Satchel - Hill & Friends

Dinner out in London on Friday night.



Rose Dress - Rixo London
Sandals - Burberry 
Clutch - I Know The Queen

And PHEW! Make up blog done!  I hope you've liked it - I am actually going to do a perfume one shortly as that is an area where I am totally addicted.  In the meantime - enjoying the weather with the children and wearing jeans when it's FAR too warm.  How is it that at the age of 44, I still take for red the weather forecast, which they never really get right.  I am a fool.  Dresses are the way forward and speaking of them - has anyone been watching Riviera?  If not, I can't recommend it enough, even if it's just for the fashion.  Hope everyone has had a great weekend and would love to hear about your must have item of make up (as I'm sure everyone else will too!).