Starting Off: Mascara

The final catch up post is all about Mascara. This is one of the few things I wear on a daily basis, for me mascara is a absolute must have in my make-up routine. Apart from foundation it is the only other thing I really wear on a daily basis.

For most people mascara is one of the first things people buy when starting out in make-up. Mascara doesn't take much time to apply and you can't really get it wrong, it can really transform how your face looks. On a day to day basis I tend to only wear foundation and mascara since I don't tend to have time for anything else. 

As far as I'm aware there are only water proof and non water proof liquid mascaras - I could be wrong. I don't own a water proof mascara as I just don't feel I need one. For me one coat of mascara is enough, other people prefer to go in with a couple more coats - its all down to the desired look you want. I'm very picky with mascara - I've not changed the type of mascara I use for over a year - at least not on the long term. I love the look of thick, fluffy, long lashes. 

The most popular mascara colour I would say is black, shortly followed by brown. Some brands do offer coloured mascaras, I don't see the appeal but I know that some people do like the look of blue or purple mascaras. 

To remove mascara I use a couple of different ways, one being eye make-up remover. Its simple and easy, put a little on a cotton pad and wipe away. I use the Garnier Fresh Essentials Grape eye make-up remover, it smells lovely and takes my mascara off after just one wipe. You could also use bioderma, make-up wipes or even a facial wash that removes mascara. 

My absolute all time favourite mascara is by YVES Rocher and it is their Sexy Pulp mascara. I've had mine for almost a year and its only just beginning to dry out now. Since that is the only mascara that I absolutely love, I can't really say about the other ones I love. 

Whats your favourite mascara?

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Starting Off: Blusher

Hello, so this weeks catch up post is for blushers. Blush is't something everyone loves, I used to hate wearing blush - I could never get it to look right. But I do think blush is something everyone should have at least one.

I'm probably still considered a blush novice, at least I would consider myself to be one. Despite this, I do have a heck of a lot of blushes - I think I have 6 or 7..... I only really started to wear blush over the past 8 or so months - mainly because Pixiwoo have a really good and helpful video for applying blush, highlight and bronzer. It was really helpful and after watching it, I got into using and wearing blush a heck of a lot more. I also started buying so many blushes...

Blush is good for making you look a little more alive - not the best way to put it, but for me this is what it does. It just gives you a healthy glow, which is always good for me - especially when I used to get asked if I wasn't feeling well because I was so pale.

All the blushes I own are in powder form, but you can get them in cream forms. Blushes also come in different finishes - matte, shimmer and even some with a highlight aspect in them. I think I have something from all of the finishes, I love my Milani blush and that one is a highlighty type one. For everyday wear, maybe not the best - but hey, I've never been one for following the trends.

When applying blusher, I would say the trick is to be light handed with it. If you want to add more you can always do so easily - trying to fix adding too much is a heck of a lot harder.

I hope this post was some what helpful, and you enjoyed reading. 

Whats the blush you love the most?

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Starting Off: Bronzer

Bronzer is something I don't tend to use. I own one in a Sleek palette - so as you could guess this is going to be a fairly short post. I was considering not doing this post, but I decided to just go ahead with it. I like how bronzer looks on other people, but I can never seem to master it. I end up looking like I've had a fight in some mud, not cool.
Bronzer is basically used to give people that summer sun kissed glowy look all year round. I envy those of you who can pull off bronzer. When I use bronzer I use it purely for contouring my cheeks. I bought the Sleek face form kit purely to try out contouring, and when I do contour I love how it looks. When applying, I start off the application by sucking my cheeks in and making a little fishy face. After I've found the area I'm applying it I stop sucking in my cheeks and blend away. I tend to only bring it down a little, otherwise I look a little silly. I don't usually take it any further down than where the apples of my cheeks is. That is the only place that I apply bronzer but you can if you want apply it on your temples, your hair line and your jaw - essentially any where the sun would naturally hit you.
Remember to go in lightly, and if needed then you can add more. Trying to rectify a heavy hand will be harder than gradually adding more. When applying, I use my Real Techniques contour brush, it just creates such a lovely effect - something I don't think a big fluffy brush could.

Are you a fan of applying bronzer? 

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Starting Off: Foundation

Foundation. The thing most people start off with when doing their make-up. It's applied all over the face to even out any uneven skin tone and hide away blemishes and other imperfections. Some days your skin might be good enough that you don't require to wear any foundation, in that case lucky you. If you have lovely skin, please don't wear foundation until you absolutely need to, otherwise you could end up making your skin sad. Foundation comes in different types: liquid, cream, gel, moose ect. Each type of foundation tends to suit certain skin types better than others - but that doesn't mean you can't try it out.
When trying to match your self to a foundation take someone with you, for me my mum is the person I take - she is brutally honest so will tell me if it is too dark or too light. Sometimes a friend won't be as honest about the colour as someone like your mum would be. The absolute easiest way to get a really good matching foundation is to go to a beauty counter and ask for their help. They will match your skin ( almost perfectly) and find the right type of foundation for your skin. The down side to this is that the foundations at these counters are usually £20 upwards. And of course if you are buying your very first foundation, you probably wont want to pay that much for a foundation. Brands like Rimmel and Bourjois don't have people specifically to help you find one to suit your skin, so you have to find the colour yourself. I find the best way to do this is - at least this is the best way for me - to put the foundation options on the back of my hand then the best two, I test on my jaw line. Two little stripes side by side will let you see which is the best match for your skin.
Another thing you might want to consider is what type of coverage you want. Sheer, medium or full. I personally like a medium to full coverage, as I have a fair few spots and a little redness. If you have really good skin you'll probably prefer a sheer coverage. Also, depending on how the foundations feel on your skin will depend on what ones you prefer. Some people don't like the feeling of medium to full coverage foundations on their skin. It's really all down to personal preference - and when your just starting out, that unfortunately means trying out lots of different ones and seeing how you get on.
I've tried a few foundations in my time, and currently I own 3 foundations and one BB cream. The most expensive foundation I own being by Benefit, and the cheapest is my Maybelline BB cream. My favourite foundation being by Lord & Berry, oh my days. This is a cream foundation, 50 ml and has a medium build-able coverage. It is also the best natural looking foundation I have ever used.

What is your must have foundation? 

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Starting Off: Concealer

Concealer isn't something I tend to use, I just can't really be bothered with it. The only thing I really love concealer wise is the Seventeen Phowarr Paint, oh my.

There are two different types of concealers, under eye concealers and blemish concealers. Under eye concealers are used to hide and try and correct the look of tired looking eyes. Blemish concealers are basically used  just to hide any redness or spots that your foundation just cant manage to hide. I used to apply concealer after my foundation, but after watching videos on YouTube and seeing people put concealer on after I switched my order of application. Applying it afterwards also helps the concealer last slightly longer, especially when you put powder over it.
My favourite concealers are the Collection Lasting Finish for Blemishes and Seventeens Phowarr Paint for under eye circles.

This is a really short post since I cant really get excited about concealer.

Do you love concealer what are you favourites? 

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Starting Off: Skincare

I came in a bit late to the Starting Off series, so I'm now starting back at the start to try and finish the entire series. The first one was meant to be Skincare, so that is what I'll do now. I love skincare, and I'm really just beginning to get really into it. Of course everyone has a different skin type, and most of the time what works for one person may not work for another. And obviously you have got to take into account your age, at different ages your skin needs different things - I'm no expert on the different stages of ageing skin, but I think when you get to your mid 20's you have to start treating your skin a bit kinder.
Obviously it is essential to take your make-up off at the end of the day, and I do this every time without fail. If I have been drinking I wont do it as deeply, but I still make sure I take it off before I go to bed. I like knowing that my face is semi clean.
Depending on who you speak to, really will depend on what they say is a really good skin care regime. For me a really solid skincare regime is cleanse - possibly twice, spot treatment and then a really good moisturiser. There are other things you can throw in if you like, things such as toner, serums and other lotions and potions. But for me as a basis, cleanser, spot treatment and moisturiser is what I've got down.

So for the first step, cleanser. I love a good double cleanse, I never thought I would say that, but I am now that type of gal. I like spending time on my skin, and as I have a very oily skin type I really do think I need to spend that extra time on making sure my skin doesn't get any worse than it already is. If you can't be bothered with a double cleanse then thats fine - sometimes I can' be bothered either. On days when I don't want a double cleanse I'll use a facial wash first, then wipe over my face with some toner/micellar water to get any residue. There is many different types of cleansers as well, and I don't think there are specific type for specific skin types. Try things out and see what works for you, just because one type of cleanser is meant for a different skin type to what you have doesn't mean it won't work for you. By this is mean that some people say that cream, gel, foaming, balm ect cleansers are all meant for specific skin types, I think I've tried at least one of all these types. I would say, just don't use a body soap. It's not meant for your face, and it could really dry your skin out. Over the last fw months I've been using up loads of facial washes, Garnier ones, Elemis ones, and now Soap and Glory's peaches and clean. I think soon I'm going to open up my Origins Checks and Balances face wash. The Soap and Glory one is amazing, its so lovely and creamy. And if you skin doesn't agree with foaming cleansers then that one would be perfect for you. Unfortunately facial cleansers are just a case of trial and error to try and find what works for you.

Next for me is spot treatment, I have typical teenage skin so y'know a spot treatment is sort of a must have. I've not yet found the mother of all spot treatments, and just now I've only tried a couple. One I go back to, and I am almost out of it, is the Freederm gel treatment. I have another treatment by nip + fab so I don't think I'll rush out to get the Freederm one when it runs out. Do you have any spot treatments that you would recommend, I'm on the hunt for a new one.

The final daily step is to moisturise. I never used to moisturise, I mean why would I need to my skin is oily?! After a lot of online research I decided to go ahead and buy one - this was quite a few years ago and I've gone through quite a few. Moisturiser is a must have as it makes sure your skin has the proper amount of moisture. You do need to try and find one specifically for your skin type as, if for example I was to go for one designed for dry skin then I would have waaay to moisture and I would look really oily. One way to ensure you get a moisturiser for your skin type is to do some research, bloggers have a huge amount of wisdom to give about stuff like this, you could also go straight to a beauty counter and get some help there. They know - at least they should - all about their products and should be able to find something designed for your skin type, or something that would work with you - even if its not specifically for your skin type. Origins recommended I get GinZing even though its not specifically for oily skin, it is oil free and I really want it so heres hoping it works.
Those are the things I do on a daily basis, both morning and night. You should notice your skin looks better, if after a few weeks something isn't working for you, try something else and see how that goes. You can of course add in other things like face masks and facial scrubs to use once or twice a week.

What do you use in your skin care regime?

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Starting Off: Lips

Possibly my favourite make-up part. Lipstick. I know there is more to lip products than just lipstick, but come on guys lets be honest - Lipstick is the best part. I only own one lipgloss, so I'll probably not talk much about that.

Lip product wise there is so many options, from lip balm to lip stains. The possibilities for colours are near endless. If you have a colour in mind, a brand is bound to have a colour for you. Price wise as well there is something for all budgets, be you only wanting to spend a few pounds or having the ability to spend 20. I own two "high end" lipsticks, and the rest that I have are all under £10 - they could even be under £7/8. 

I personally love MAC lipsticks - I may only own one real one but I find them to be amazing - they are on the pricier side, but they are so worth it. I have So Chaud, it is crazy pigmented and lasts a good 7 hours before I need to reapply - I went out with my friends one night and it lasted from when I put it on at 9pm till when I came in. It was also still visible on my lips the next day when I woke up!!

Lipstick wise, all brands sell them. I really love Maybellines choice of colours and the different types they have - Revlon also have amazing ones.

Along with getting them in stick form, they come in stain, balm, gloss, tint and a few more I believe. I think for beginners the pencil looking lip products are really good. I know Bourjois has some out - I've not actually tried them yet but loads of people rave about them - and Revlon have one as well. The Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains. Oh my oh my. These things are just phenomenal! They last a long time, smell lovely and come in quite a few different colours. They aren't maybe as pigmented as I'd like them to be but the colour pay off is pretty good. 

I'm beginning to run out of things to say - I honestly never thought that would happen.

Lipliner wise, I wouldn't say it is a must have - I would put it down to personal preference. I personally don't use it, I don't even own a lip liner. Some love them, others just find it an unnecessary step. 

One thing I would say is you really should prep the lips. Using a lip scrub once or twice a week before you apply lipstick, and then using a really good lip balm to moisturise your lips. Doing this helps your lipstick last so much longer than it usually would, and of course it makes it look so much nicer.

My final note shall be about how you can apply it, I think their are two options you can use. Firstly, being straight from the stick ( is it also called a bullet?), fairly easy - if you want a more exact finish then you could use the second option. That is using a little brush. I use my Real Techniques Detailer Brush to apply lipstick, I find it gives such a better finish than applying straight onto the lips.

So yeah, I hope this post has been of help to someone or been kind of interesting?

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Starting Off: Eyeshadow

I love eyeshadows. Always have always will, but sometimes I find that it can be quite difficult to recreate - or even make your own - eye look. I've only very recently managed to recreate eye shadow looks properly - and by properly I mean, it looks pretty semi decent once I'm finished. Nothing great or overly fancy. 

Eye shadow can come in quite a few forms, the post popular probably being pressed powder. But you can also get it in loose powder, cream, gel and pencil form - there is probably another way you can get it but to be honest with you I can't quite put my finger on what it could be. 

I personally love the pencil form shadows, I find them so easy to use and you can get them for really cheap. My favourites are the Collection shadow pencils, they are so creamy and don't crease! I think Bourjois have recently brought out their own shadow pencils, but I've not tried them - yet. 

Pencils, gels and creams are probably the easiest to work with, since all you really need is your fingers - I find it so much easier to use my fingers to blend it out rather than using a brush. 

Powders are - I would say - the harder of the shadow types to use. With loose powders being the most difficult, I don't own any loose powders - due to the fact that I always manage to spill it everywhere! I don't really think loose shadows are worth it. 

Pressed shadows on the other hand. These give you so much choice when it comes to eye looks. How you want to apply it is really up to you! Play around with it and see what you like best. Myself, well I'm defiantly more of a natural kind of gal, I tend to shy away from bold looks. 

For beginners I would definitely recommend pencil shadows - especially if your only wanting a wash of colour to last you all day. If you as wanting to go for making some looks then I would recommend buying a palette. It may be the more expensive option, but it's better than having lots of little single or other small eyeshadow things. You don't even have to spend a fortune on a good palette, MUA do crazy good ones and so do Sleek for less than £10. If you're wanting to spend a little more then I can't recommend the Stila 'In The Light' palette enough, I think it is around £25 comes with 10 amazing shadows, a eye liner and most importantly, for me at least, a little book of looks. I think having a look book with a palette is really helpful and in not sure how many others give one out with their palettes. 

Brush wise, you don't need to spend a fortune to get really good ones. Real techniques have an insanely good kit and eBay have some pretty good sets as well!  I think that eyeshadow is maybe one of the harder things to do when your just starting out with makeup, I mean look at me I'm 18 and have probably been wearing makeup for about 4/5 years and that's me only just figuring out how to do eye looks. Once you get the hang of it though it is so worth it, and if your anything like me you'll probably want to buy quite a few more palettes. 

Who makes your favourite type of eyeshadow?

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