Face Facts: Easy, Everyday Spring Look

I've decided I'm definitely going to need to get a proper camera/tripod system going on.  It is so hard to not go bog eyed when I'm taking photographs of myself this close, haha.  Anyway...you know me...in the morning, I like to have maximum sleep time which ultimately means getting ready in the morning is quite a rush.  I've been aiming to get my make up Spring ready and this is what I've been opting for the past few weeks.

FACE FACTS

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in Ivory

Maybelline Instant Anti-Age The Eraser Eye Concealer in Light

Bourjois Java Rice Powder

Bourjois Cream Blush in Pink Sunwear

Wet n Wild Comfort Zone Palette Left Eyelid and Definer Shades

Rimmel Extra 3D Lash Mascara in Black

Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium/Deep

MAC Lipstick in See Sheer

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

Real Techniques Setting Brush

Real Techniques Contour Brush

The Body Shop Eyeshadow Brush

For my base, I kept it light and hoped for some radiance from the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation, and used the Maybelline Eraser Eye concealer to brighten under my eyes and lightly conceal any redness.  I really have been quite liking this concealer, but do think I need something with a bit more coverage for concealing blemishes.  I also have found that it needs to be set, and for that I have rediscovered my Bourjois Java Rice Powder.  I used this under my eyes, and also across the tops of my cheek bones, a little down my nose and a touch across my forehead.  It's got a touch of shimmer to it, but it's not at all glittery; it just gives a light and lift to the skin.  I also think that the loose powder helps to blur my skin.  But, looking back, I might not go for the forehead next time seeing as I have oily skin and micro shimmer to there won't be doing me any favours up there.

On my cheeks, I used the Bourjois Cream Blush in Pink Sunwear - another rediscovery from my collection!  It's a lovely bronze shade, which isn't metallic or shimmery, but it's not matte either.  I think it's a great way of adding some colour to the skin and definition to the cheeks without having to use a bronzing powder.  I quickly combed through my sparse brows with Benefit's Gimme Brow Gel.

Another collection rediscovery was the Wet n Wild Comfort Zone Palette.  I absolutely love the left hand side, and used the eyelid shade and the definer shade for this look.  The eyelid shade is a gorgeous rosy/copper shade with shimmer that looks amazing when it reflects the light.  I think it really helps to open and further brighten my eyes.  I just applied this with my finger and blended it out with a clean finger.  I then lined my eyes with the definer shade using The Body Shop's Eyeshadow Brush.  For my mascara, I used the Rimmel Extra 3D Lash Mascara to give some length and lift to my lashes.  Finally, I used MAC's See Sheer lipstick to add some subtle colour to my lips.

Have you tried any of these products?  What are your Spring make up picks?

Face Facts: Orange Pop

It's been quite a while since I've written one of these Face Facts posts!  I hate taking photographs of myself.  If you didn't know/couldn't tell, all of my blog photography is done on my phone.  I don't have a super fancy camera and I don't have fancy lighting so something I find quite hard is taking a quality photograph of myself.  All of this said, I really enjoy doing these types of posts and maybe in the future when I maybe have invested in some kit, I can look back on these and compare my old style to the new!

Onto the look...I'm fed up of being cold now, I'm just not a fan of Winter and can't stand being freezing all the time.  I decided I was going to hop into Spring a bit early this year - I've started to dismiss my darker lips in favour of bolder and brighter ones and the look I've been reaching for a bit quite lately is this one!

FACE FACTS

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro Primer in 002

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in Ivory

Maybelline Instant Anti-Age The Eraser Eye Concealer in Light

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Translucent

Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Delirium

Naked Palette - Buck

NARS Eye Paint in Black Valley

Rimmel Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara in Black

Barry M Brow Kit

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Iberico

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

Real Techniques Setting Brush

Eco Tools Complexion Blending Brush

Eco Tools Full Powder Brush

Naked 3 Palette Dual Ended Eyeshadow Brush

Real Techniques Silicone Liner Brush

Topshop Nails in Concrete

I started by prepping my skin with the Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro Primer in 002.  I won this on a giveaway before Christmas (it and some other goodies look a total state because a nail varnish smashed during transit!) and haven't really used it too often.  It's really nice actually; velvety rather than feeling like your skin is coated in silicone so I'll start making an effort to use this more.  For foundation, I have been using my Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in the shade Ivory.  This is actually my second bottle and it's currently my every day foundation - really illuminating with a medium coverage.  I concealed my under my eyes with the ever hyped Maybelline Anti-Age concealer and I like it, but I'm not sure if I love it just yet.  I only got it the other week, and I'm pretty hard to please concealer wise.  I set that with the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder.

I contoured my cheeks with the Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Delirium and ohhhhmahgod...I love it so much.  I only got it last week, but I've used it every single day since I bought it.  It creates the most perfect shadow that looks really natural.  I then blended that up lightly to give a hint of colour to my cheeks but nothing to dramatic because I wanted quite a simple look.  I used the shade Buck from the Naked palette to quickly add some depth to my eyes by applying that into my crease, and lined with the NARS Eye Paint in Black Valley.  For mascara, I chose the Rimmel Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara.  I hated this when I first got it because the formula was so wet and application was always so messy, but it's okay now - I don't think I'd buy it again though when it runs out.

For my brows, I once again used my Barry M Brow Kit.  I use this every day, but again I don't think I'd buy this again.  It's pretty warm toned and I just feel that there must be something better out there to try.  I have a review of this coming this week so keep an eye out for that!  And for the main part of the look, I used NARS Iberico on my lips.  This was a lip pencil that came in the Digital World Lip Pencil Coffret and is currently my most used shade!  It's a warm toned orange red which is really in your face - I love it and don't own anything like it already!

What's your current go-to make up?

Face Facts: Basic Bronze

And it's back to reality...  I got back from Spain on Saturday after a week of sun and playing in the pool and it's safe to say...England is freakin' hot.  I am as boiling here as I was there, except here it's worse because I don't have air-con or a pool to cool off in!

I kept my make up very minimal on holiday - most days I wore absolutely nothing except an SPF during the day.  We only went out a couple of nights, and my look was very basic, but one that I thought enhanced the sun tan freckles that I had going on...

FACE FACTS

Soap and Glory Glow Job

Benefit Porefessional Primer

Bourjois Bronzing Powder & Highlighting Duo

Bourjois Cream Blush in 05 Pink Sunwear

Rimmel Brow Pencil in Dark Brown

The Body Shop Shimmer Waves in Bronze

The Body Shop Carbon Eye Definer in Brown

Bourjois Liner Feutre in Gold Shine

Maxfactor False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara

Bourjois 3D Effect Lipgloss in Or Feeric

Real Techniques Contour Brush
Real Techniques Setting Brush

Barry M Gelly Polish in Passionfruit

To start, I applied Soap and Glory Glow Job.  I absolutely love this, and have had this around a year now, so I think it needs to go soon, but it's so nice!  It's a chocolate orange scented moisturiser with bronze beads inside, so when you rub it in, it blends out into a nice sun kissed glow.  The only downside, it comes across mighty shiny on my already oily skin, so I covered with a quick slick of Benefit's Porefessional.  It smoothed over my skin, and also matted down the Glow Job.

I contoured and coloured with the Bourjois Bronzing Powder & Highlighting Duo and the cream blush in Pink Sunwear.  These work really nicely together, and added natural definition and colour to my cheeks.  I used The Body Shop Shimmer Waves for my eyes, taking the individual shades from the waves to add some colour to my eyelids, followed by a smokey slick of the Carbon Eye Definer, and some golden highlights along my lower lash line and top inner corner with the Liner Feutre.  I finished my eyes with the Maxfactor False Lash mascara, and topped the entire look off with a lipgloss - I'm not normally a fan of lipgloss, but I wanted something subtle, yet enhancing for my lips!

And there we have it!  My evening make up for a Summer's night in Spain!

Face Facts: Fresh, Summer Evening Make Up

Woah, hello close up of my face!  I thought today I would share a recent make up look; you may have seen it on my Instagram page, but if you didn't, here is exactly what I used on my face that evening!  I went out for a few drinks with friends, and thought I'd try something a little different; blue liner.

FACE FACTS

Benefit Porefessional Primer

MAC Studio Fix Fluid NW18

Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer in Medium

MAC Mineralise Skin Finish in Medium

MAC Mineralise Skin Finish in Give Me Sun 

Clinique Cheek Pop in Ginger Pop

Urban Decay Naked Palette (Sin, Naked)

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette (Nooner, Darkside)

Topshop Magic Liner in Yonder

Benefit They're Real Mascara

MAC See Sheer Lipstick

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush

Real Techniques Setting Brush

Real Techniques Contour Brush

The Body Shop Blush Brush

I was quite pleased with this make up look; even though my base has such a high coverage, I felt surprisingly natural and fresh faced for an evening in town.  I'm not too sure on how I feel about the Barry M Brow Kit at the moment...I've only used it a couple of times and I don't feel convinced on it, especially now, because in these pictures my brows look super light, soft and almost powdery.  I definitely think I prefer a sharper, more defined brow.  My favourite part of the whole look though is the blue eyeliner.  I picked it up from Topshop with the gift card I got for my birthday back in January, and I'm so pleased with it!  

I'll be sure to add some specific reviews of any products used which are not underlined in the face facts list soon so keep checking back, or comment below any products you'd like prioritising!

What do you think?