FOTD - New Mum 5 Minute Face

 

I need to go out of the house, Beth is distracted enough where I can get dressed, washed and comtiplate putting make up on. This is what is in the make up bag, seperate from my main collection in it's own bag ready ready to be used.

Base - Gineva BB Cream (from £18)

I have previously harped on about how much I love this base, it's basically my skin but better - smoother, lightly covered, neutralised and refreshed. Previous review here

Concealer - Estee Lauder Dissappear in Light (£18)

Have used this for years since I worked for them, it was my unsung hero on the counter and still is to this day . It is a creamy consistancy so it can be used everywhere including the eye area, gently pat it on where extra cover is needed. A tiny amount goes a long way, a tube can easily last me longer than it should do before you are suppose to throw it away.

Powder - GOSH BB powder in 04 Beige

This has extra coverage than a normal finishing powder as it can be used alone (for those special people who have amazing skin, not for us hagged new mums). I swirl a brush over and use it on the oiler areas - forehead, nose and chin. A great powder, will be repurchasing when it runs out.

Mascara - Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express

I am not usually a fan of the big volume mascaras, I find the fibres fall onto my skin or I ended up with black smudge under the eyes. This I got in the previous British Beauty Blog Box at the end of last year and as my previous had run out needed to grab one quickly as I was about to go out. The brush is large with small brush spikes, this gives the the final result as advertised (without the lash inserts)

Blush - 003 Money Talks by Dainty Doll (Now discontinued)

I love this blusher, it is the perfect one of flushed for me and has the tinest bit of shimmer. I need to find a dupe for this, all suggestions in comments please.

Eyebrows - Avon Glimmerstick Brow Definer in Soft Black

I need to be featherlight with this, too dark and I look like an extra from (Insert reality show here). I use small flicks where needed, quick blended as well as regualy threading sessions to keep the shape. I do prefer the bigger brow look so if time is tight I can skip this part.

Thrown in changing bag: Lip - Lanolip colour in Rubarb

Another British Beauty Blogger find, and what a find it is. I suffer with dry flakey lips all year long (Winter - the cold. Summer - hayfever allergies), and find little that gives me the flake free lip that I want. This is a thick semi glossy lip balm hybred that is non sticky and gives the moisture I need to keep my lips in really good condition. If you are not allergic to lanolin (the main ingredient) then this is worth the investment.

Right I'm ready to go but what's that smell?

FOTD - Christmas Work Party

I left my work place on 29t November for the start of my maternity leave, and on 20th December we were meeting up again to catch up one last time before Christmas. The place was Stoke Pages, a mass gathering of different workplaces and tables of wine. You could imagine how that ended up. I had one small glass of wine with my main meal, the most delicious salmon I had ever had but being a high standard restaurant and being pregnant,  I was soon day dreaming of chippie chips.

The thing I was happy with the most was how my dress that I ordered months ago still fitted even with my ever increasing bump as well as how glowing my make up looked for the night. I was determined to look as glamorous as possible as recently I had not being feeling it. I wanted to focus more on my eyes as I had some wonderful eye shadow palettes that I rarely get to go mad with, I also added on false lashes which I rarely get an opportunity to wear.

I did all the prep the night before after a shower to steam the skin I put on a clay mask, REN's Invisible Pores Detox Mask (Sample size). This was first time of using it and loved the results, I had a spot coming out on the side of my nose and this stopped it from fully forming as well as reduced the redness around the area. This was followed by my current Facial Oil (B.Skincare replishment Oil), moisturier on my cheeks and eye cream (a tiny amount of Lancome's Renergie Facial cream and eye cream).

I had saved up for a trip to the hairdressers and threaders (more on that coming up another day), to give myself a pamper before the event. After the quick cleanse with Philopshys 3-in-1 cleanser, I used Sothy's Day Cream and let that sink in before adding Witch's Anti-Blemish Primer.

Base: Max Factor Face Finity Light Ivory mixed with NARS Orgasm Illuminator
Conclearer: Estee Lauder Disappear Concleaer in Light
Powder: GOSH BB Powder in 04
EyeShadow base colour: Bobbi Brown in white (comes out in a matt skin tone colour)
Eye shadow contouring/colour: Sleek Make Up eye shadow palette in Sparkle 2 (Using Tinsel - silver, and Twinkle - Navy glitter)
Eye liner: Eye of Horus liquid eye definer in Black with Twinkle over the top (also used to line the bottoms lashes)
Mascara: Maybelline Mascara
False Lashes: Salon Systems strip lashes in Natural
Blusher: Dainty Doll in Money Talks
Lip: MUA lipgloss in Let's Talk

The dress was a eBay bargain at £8 brand new, it expanded well with the bump but covered up what I really didn't want to show off. The shrug is from eBay as well and I wore this when I got married nearly four years ago, it was about £10 second hand. I went with a simple long silver necklace and black pumps (I wasn't even going to attempt heels!). I'm glad I did go for a bit of colour in the end, out of the 12 ladies who went only 2 of us wore a different colour!

FOTD: BTEC Coursework - Fantasy Inspired

This was the piece I got most excited about as soon as read the brief, it was themed on musicals and creating a competition piece themed on the chosen piece. I love Phantom of the Opera and instantly wanted to attemp the iconic mask from it usin make up. In Phantom you get two stories, Christine, the brilliant but ophaned songstress that has had private teachings from the "Angel of the Night". It's a twisted and wonderful love story. My inital design was to combine bot stories the phantom one side and Christine on the other.

I started with the phantom side as I knew this would take the longest, the paint is a white face paint taht is activated using water. This means you have to build it up in layers until you get a white canvas, I used a black eyeshadow to soften the lines to look like shadows.

On Christine's side I used the following:

Foundation: Rimmel Wake Me Up in Ivory
Blusher: MUA in Shade 4
Eye shadow: Sleek Make Up palette in Sparkle 2
Eyeliner: Lancome in Black
Eyebrow: Avon in Black
Lip liner: Estee Lauder in Fig
Lipstick: Burberry in Rosewood

The all over look is stunning, the mask came out better this time than the second. The first time didn't go to plan and I passed because I was abjective in my alaysis of the look. I love the eyes in Christine's side, the golds and black look striking, I did a black and white shot of them and loved them even more. The mask still needs work but it is much better than the first attempt.

FOTD: BTEC Coursework - Bridal

 

It feels long ago now to be talking about my final pieces from my BTEC in Make up artistry coursework. I qualified for my BTEC in Make Up Artistry in February after submitting a portfolio of evidence. The final pieces were 5 set briefs (you will see four of them due to model agreements) that needed to be filled, over the next few weeks I am planning to share as many of these pieces as I can starting with Bridal.

 

With the bridal brief it was for a 20-30 woman who hardly wears make up and wanted to still look natural but still had in mind the needs of the day.

 

Primer: MUA Cosmetics

Foundation: Rimmel Wake Me Up in Ivory

Concealer: Estee Lauder Disappear in Light

Blusher: MUA in Shade 4

Eye Shadow: Sleek Sparkle 2 Palette

Eye Liner: Rimmel liquid in Brown

Mascara: Lancome Hypnose Drama in Black

Lip liner: Estee Lauder in Fig

Lipstick: Estee Lauder in Vintage Mauve

 

Of course using a foundation with SPF produces the 'ghost' effect that is produced here, so if this was put onto a bride I would use one without. However the really like the glow finish of Wake Me Up foundation, the coverage is build able and photographs well. I still like to use my creamy Estee Lauder concealer, it blends well without creasing as well as being light enough for pale skins. You will notice that the Sleek palette appear more over the next few weeks, it has been my go to because of the pigments and shimmer/sparkle.

 

 

The Only MAC Lipstick I Own - Milan Mode

As part of my BTEC I have to do design briefs - this is one of them. The brief was to have pale skin, using tones of brown for the eyes, slight pink blush and  pink lipstick. I had to put photos together showing each stage of the look altogether, as well as creating a treatment plan, design, and final evaluation.

I love this look, it's the first time in along time that I've looked at photos of myself and just thought wow. I'm not normally a person who feels comfortable within my skin, but as this course has gone on I feel I've gained confidence to show off my work better.

Anyway onto the lipstick, as this says in the title this is the only MAC lipstick I own. Amongst beauty bloggers its almost unheard of, especially as it is an not very well known colour. This is part of the Luste range, a bright blue toned pink with lots of shimmer. I got this when I was working for Estee Lauder (as MAC is owned by them) from the staff shop and have worn this in Ibiza dressed as a school girl (twice!).

Still available at MAC Cosmetics for £14.00

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A little side note, Collections Halloween Competition finished today and I wasn't the winner (The winner got 200 + against my 25). Thank you to everyone who 'liked' me and voted. You can check out the winners blog here