Last week, Kimbalikes wrote a guest about how to brave the beauty counters. Check out that post here…Click…
This week, Kimbalikes takes us through the paces of what we should have in our make-up bag. Take it away Kim-Marie!
I was thrilled when she asked me to guest post and give some real girl makeup tips, after being discouraged by scary store assistants who need a makeunder. Less is more, girls!
I love makeup and wear it every single day. I love how a little makeup, well applied, can make you feel better about yourself. It might seem shallow, but anything that makes you feel a little prettier and a little happier can’t be such a bad thing!
The brands I’m loyal to and have no hesitation in recommending are the prestigious BECCA and the bargainous Australis. I adore BECCA’s focus on letting your natural skin shine through. Australis consistently supplies great products at very reasonable prices, that more than hold their own against much more expensive brands. I’ve swapped a few prestigious products for Australis!
B has asked me for some tips on how to mix it up a bit. I’m first going to list the products in my daily makeup kit that I use to create lots of different looks.
Primer
Tinted moisturiser / Foundation
Concealer
Mineral powder
Highlighter
Bronzer
Powder blush
Creme blush
Setting powder
Creme shadow
Eyeshadow palette
Eyebrow kit
Mascara
Lipstick
Brushes
Lash curler
Primer - acts like a barrier between your skin and your makeup. It’s not strictly necessary, but if you’re the type of girl whose makeup doesn’t last the day, then you will love it. My favourite is Illamasqua Satin Primer.
Tinted Moisturiser - I prefer a quality tinted moisturiser with a high SPF than a more traditional foundation. It allows my skin to show through and is a more natural look. My favourites are BECCA Luminous Skin Color, Australis Paparazzi Perfect Tinted Moisturiser and Illamasqua Skin Base. I apply with my fingers and then buff it on with a brush.
Concealer - Many people will tell you to get one a shade lighter than your foundation but it is a concealer, not an illuminator or brightener. That’s a whole different product! You will need a creamy concealer for the eye area and a drier formulation for concealing spots. I love Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless and BECCA Compact Concealer. Fingers work very well, but I also use a concealer brush.
Mineral Powder - I have used many types, making sure it’s as natural as possible. I didn’t really get mineral powder until I got a BareMinerals Handy Buki brush in a magazine promotion. Now, I’m a huge fan. Swirl, Tap and Buff and I watch my pigmentation disappear and my makeup last all day. My favourites are Bare Minerals and Bobbi Brown.
Highlighter - also known as illuminator. Probably the most famous one is YSL Touche Eclat. It’s not a concealer, it’s a brightener. Draw an inverted triangle under your eye and pat, pat, pat until it’s all blended in. Amazeballs! I like to use Shimmering Skin Perfector by BECCA. I use “spirit fingers” to tap, tap, tap it onto the top of my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, under the brows and to highlight my cupid’s bow. A drop or two mixed in to liquid makeup gives a lovely effect too. I also have powder and stick formulations.
Blush - I like to use a combination of creme blush and powder blush, which I apply one after the other, then liquid highlighter on the cheekbones then bronzer under the cheekbones. I don’t have cheekbones but I can fake them! You should wear your blush on your cheekbones, near your ears. I pat a little creme blush in a “Nike Swoosh” shape, then gently using the flat side of my blush brush, pat a little on in the same spot, blending out towards the ears. I take my blush quite high, as I have pigmentation along my orbital bones and this helps to disguise it. My favourites are Australis Creme Colour, BECCA Lip & Cheek Creme and Australis Paparazzi Perfect HD Blush.
Bronzer - I’m a very pale person and was scared off bronzer for years by people wearing it like blush and looking like Apache warriors. Used sparingly and correctly, it is the most fabulous thing for adding shape and warmth to your face. I use a big fluffy brush to apply mine and make sure most of it is tapped off first. Sweep the brush from the temples, under the cheekbones and along the jawline in a 3 shape (Captain Obvious says “reverse for the other side of your face!). I actually use a NARS peach blush as my bronzer!
Setting Powder - Isn’t a strictly necessary step but will really help your makeup last all day. . Tap off all the excess and very gently brush over your face with a big fluffy powder brush, especially the T zone. It looks scary because it’s white, but it disappears into the skin. You will notice the difference. I adore the Australis Ready Set Go Finishing Powder.
Eyeshadow - For the basic makeup kit, a palette in lovely shades of neutral brown will see you right, particularly if you’re nervous about eyeshadow. When you gain more confidence, look for colours that flatter your eyes. I’ve green eyes, so purple tones work for me. Browns and golds make blue eyes pop, and brown eyes look lovely with blues and greens as a contrast.
I like to start with a neutral creme shadow. I like BECCA’s creme shadows and their Eye Tints (a bit trickier to use). You can literally apply with your finger tip over the eyelid to the crease. Pop a little neutral shadow with a wash brush over the top to set it – usually the lightest colour in your palette. Australis have Double Decker Eye Duos with a creme shadow and coordinating loose mineral eyeshadow for under a tenner.
You can leave it at that lovely natural look, or if you want to step it up a notch, take the next darkest colour and a brush for crease work – often called a smudger – and apply along the lash line, gently blending it up a little. Then put some into the crease of your eyelid with a contour shadow brush. Take your finger and run across your eyelid. Where you can feel your eyeball disappear (ewww, gross!) is your crease.
Between the crease and the outer corner of your upper lashline, is called the Outer V. You want to blend the darker colour here in a V or boomerang shape. A blending brush is best for this job.
Take the darkest colour and an eyeliner brush, and tilt your head back. Then gently press the brush along your lashline as close as you can get. You can dampen the shadow a little to create your own liquid liner. Run a little dry powder under your lower lashline.
Some days I use pencils instead. I swear by my NARS Larger Than Life Eyeliners.
Lashes - Curl your lashes with a lash curler, and apply a mascara of your choice. I like to hold the brush at the base of my lashes and then close my eyelid on the brush. I then make long sweeping motions, angling the brush towards the temple, applying two or three coats. I have long lashes, so I prefer a lengthening formula that will give me fluttery lashes. If you have shorter lashes, you may prefer a thickening formula. Sometimes, I use both for a va va voom effect!
Eyebrows - I’m loving the retro full brow look. I use a double ended spooly / bristle brush. I brush my brows, then use a combination of a waxy MAC pencil (because I have gaps to fill in), then a BECCA brow powder. I use feathery strokes and brush through again with the spooly. I love a brow mascara to hold the brows in place all day.
Lips - The piece de resistance is the lips. I like to use a lip stain-like product and then a gloss over the top. My Australis and BECCA creme blush can be pressed into service as a lip creme.
That is my day to day face, give or take a little depending on the occasion. I glam it up by using more intense colours on my eyes, or by wearing a bold red lip with a neutral, winged eye. I dress it down by skipping the highlighter, bronzer and / or eyeshadow. I always, always groom my brows and wear mascara and conceal around my eyes, nose and mouth.
Brushes can be the most expensive part of your makeup kit – it is easy to blow a lot of cash on brushes. But it is equally easy to kit yourself out with a flexible set of tools on the cheap. You can buy brushes from Priceline, Target etc. I have good quality, reasonably priced brushes from EcoTools, Artiste by Manicare, NP Set and Australis. BECCA has travel sets of mini brushes, which are very good value. Companies like MAC and Napoleon Perdis have Xmas brush sets which are worth the wait.
My Essential Brushes
Foundation Brush
Concealer Brush
Mineral Powder Brush
Blush Brush
Bronzer Brush
Wash Eye Shadow Brush – for applying the first wash of colour. Large, soft brush head.
Contour Eye Shadow Brush – for crease work. Contoured bristles.
Smudger Eye Shadow Brush – for along the upper and lower lashlines.
Blending Brush – for making sure colour is perfectly blended. Soft, tapered head.
Eyeliner Brush – I like an angled flat brush.
Eyebrow Brush – A double ended spooly / brow brush saves space.
Powder Brush – A big fluffy brush to gently pat on the finishing or setting powder.
Thank you so much Kim-Marie – it has been lovely to have you here!
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Ooh, that came up well! Thanks for having me! X
I’m happy to answer questions
Kimbalikes recently posted..Write Stuff : Favourite Day of the Week
Thanks Kim-Marie! So glad you did this for me!
I tried to get the text more spread out – but – there was something in the coding that wouldn’t let me add more lines – and I am soooooo not comfortable with HTML!
If you ever feel like writing for me again, let me know! I have some things to link in to your Red Cross thing – that is a TOTALLY cool link! Mwah!
B recently posted..Guest Post: Kimbalikes Make-Up! Part 2 of 2
Excellent article!
Rachel from Redcliffe Style recently posted..I must resist….
Thanks B. Yes, I noticed that. I typed it up in my MAC email so not sure about that. Will remember for the next time! I’ve forgotten most of my HTML and have had to teach myself a little bit.
I’m so glad you like my Red Cross link. I must get the button up on my sidebar. X
Rachel, thanks!
Kim-Marie recently posted..Nuffnang Blogopolis 2012 : Planning My Schedule