My Make Up Basics
I think I first started to experiment with make up when I was 12 or 13. The girls at school were coming in with mascara and eye liner on, and I wanted to join in on that fun. But because my mum is my mum, we didn't just go to the L'Oreal counter... we went to MAC. Did I realise at the time how luxuriously I was being treated? Nope, I didn't have a clue. I was kitted out with foundation, a MAC brush (no I didn't treat it well AT ALL), mascara, eye shadow, and some cover up to cover up ALL THE SPOTS.*yessss.* I think I probably used those products for about a year until they were all gone (lets face it, I wasn't applying a full face of make up every day so they lasted ages) and then I started to venture into the budget make up ails on my own and chose my own products. I can't remember ever being too interested in make up though... it was just something I did because everyone else was.
My interest in make up only really began quite recently. Before that I had my few holy grail products (I still use most of them), but I never had an urge to walk into boots and spend time looking at the make up section. Why? I think that part of it was ignorance; I just didn't know what was out there or what I could do with it, and two, I spent a long time in a relationship with someone who didn't really like it when I wore a lot of make up, so I just never really put much on.
So what changed? Well, first of all, I'm in a much happier relationship now, and second, I discovered Youtube! Youtube is a dangerous place. It sucks you in, and the product reviews are everywhere... and suddenly you want it all! I definitely went through a stage last year where I was buying new make up at least once a week, and it was product I definitely didn't need, or didn't always actually like.
Now, I feel like I'm in quite a happy place with my make up. I still do like to peruse the make up ails, and I still love watching Youtube make up reviews, but I've got a good, solid make up kit that I like and use pretty much every day. After I've done my usual skincare, I begin by applying the Laura Mercier Mineral Primer. On top of that goes the BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Gel Cream. I adore this stuff! It adds such a lovely glow to the skin (but not a sweaty glow... you know what I mean) and then I apply my Laura Mercier Mineral Powder Foundation. Why do I use mineral foundation? Well, I bought this about 3 years ago, and I've not found anything that works as well on me! I've not quite jumped onto the contouring bang-waggon yet, so I just like to use a bit of bronzer. At the moment I'm using the Collection Bronze Glowwhich is 1) super cheap and 2) gives off a lovely colour. For my brows I fluctuate between the Benefit Gimmie Brow and the Soap and Glory Archery. Both work great, it just depends what I find first on the day. For my eyes, I have two pallets that I go between: Urban Decay's Naked 2or L'Oreal "La Palette Nude" in "Rosé." I'm not one for a bold looking eye on the day to day, so these pallets both have some lovely neutral colours in them. For mascara, I've been loyal to this product since it launched: Benefit Roller Lash. It's a pain in the butt to remove at the end of the day, but my god is it a good mascara! If I'm feeling fancy, I'll add a bit of highlighter into the mix, and I useBenefit's Watt's Up.
So there it is, what I use on my face pretty much every single day. Things change occasionally, but honestly not very often. I've got a routine, I like it, and I stick to it! Do you have any holy grail products that you are always going to use? Let me know!
