Beginners Makeup Bag

As someone who is all too familiar with the extensive makeup offerings now available, I can appreciate how baffling the choice may be for someone who is new to beauty. I wish that I had had someone to tell me the right approach to entering the world of makeup that I was entirely enticed by in my early teen years. This may have avoided the silver glitter that adorned the gap between my eyelashes and eyebrows or the permanent orange line that defined my face when I was fifteen. This post shall breakdown the beauty basics so that, unlike myself, you can start out with your right foot forward.

If you are new to makeup then a light BB cream is the perfect base rather than a full coverage, heavy foundation. A BB cream can be easily applied with your fingers, similar to a moisturiser. Simply focus the majority of the product in the centre of your face where you require the most coverage and blend outwards. 

The two BB creams I've added to this mini collection are both oil free and targeted towards blemish prone skin, perfect if you are currently battling teenage skin. Option number one was featured in my Top Drugstore Foundations for Light Coverage and is the Garnier BB Skin Perfecter, my second choice is the Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream. Both will provide a natural coverage that will even your skin tone, blur imperfections and have the added benefit of actively tackling your breakouts. 

On top of this light base you can use a concealer to add extra coverage to blemishes and skin imperfections. My favourite option is the Collection Lasting Perfection, an infamous drugstore option amongst beauty bloggers. This concealer is a complete bargain as for only £4.19 you get a gorgeous creamy coverage that completely hides skin imperfections without creasing.

To finish of this simple base, I would add a translucent powder to set your makeup in place and keep your t-zone shine free throughout the day. I love the Soap & Glory 'One Heck of A Blot', it will mattify your skin without adding too much coverage and causing your face to look one dimensional or cakey.

For eye makeup, the Max Factor Clump Defy is the perfect mascara to get you started. This amazingly elongates and adds volume without clumping your lashes together and making them look unnatural. Your eyes end up defined with gorgeous long, fluttery lashes. 

Whilst the next two products aren’t essential for a beginner, they are the perfect first step into the dazzling world of eye makeup. This combo is a quick, bulletproof way to add definition to your eyes. Simply dab the Maybelline Color Tattoo in the shade 'And On Bronze' onto your lid with your ring finger and blend this out around the edge of your eye. 

You can then use the Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in black either along your inner water line, or smudge it out along your upper lash line for an effortless smokey eye. 

My last additions to this basic collection are to add natural colour to your complexion. The first is a Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blusher in the shade ‘soft pink’, which will add a subtle glow to your cheeks. Simply use your fingers to apply a small amount to the apples of cheeks and then continue to dab in circles to blend this out for a natural flush.

You can finish by adding the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lipstick in the shade 'the missing pink'. This is a gorgeous pink-toned nude that is pigmented and has a creamy consistency that is not only comfortable to wear but also intensely moisturising. It is easy to apply and creates the perfect 'your lips but better' finish.

I hope that this basic collection helps anyone who is new to makeup and feels a tad overwhelmed by the ample choices available. I would love to hear what you think in the comments below as I read and appreciate all of your messages. Thanks for reading!

Devon

xoxo

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Tutorial : Bronze Smoky Eye

As a blue eyed girl, I naturally gravitate towards a bronze rather than grey smoky eye. The copper toned eye shadow accentuates the natural blue in my eyes and provides a definition that is less harsh than a black shadow against my pale skin. This is my go to eye look and I would love to share a tutorial of how I achieve it.

Firstly I use a bonze cream shadow all over my lid as a base and to increase the longevity of the eye shadows I place on top. This is especially important if you have oily eyelids like myself. Here I have used the Maybelline Eye Studio Colour Tattoo in the shade 'And On Bronze' and I have patted this onto the centre of my lid with my ring finger. I then used a fluffy brush to blend this out through my crease and create the perfect base for a gorgeous, long lasting smoky eye.

I followed this by using a shimmer shadow over the centre of my lid. Here I took a gorgeous copper toned shade from my L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Quad 'Beige Trench'. Any copper shade will work perfectly here as the slight orange tone placed in the centre will emphasis the colour of your eyes and cause the blue to pop. I patted this on with a flat shadow brush and then used a clean fluffy brush to blend it out through my crease. To achieve a flawless smoky eye it is important to always apply the shadow in stages and blend each colour out as you go.

Next I applied a matte dark brown shade to the outer corners of my eye and through my crease. Here I have used the shade M1 from my Smashbox Full Exposure Palette and I have applied it to my outer corner before blending it up towards the end of my eyebrow to create a winged effect. Once again, I then ran a fluffy brush through my crease to ensure all of the eye shadows blended smoothly into one another.

(Left to right: Maybelline Colour Tattoo, L'Oreal Colour Riche, Smashbox M1, Smashbox S4)

I then applied the Maybelline Eye Studio Master Smoky Eyeliner in the shade 'Chocolate' to my upper lash line and outer corner of my lower lash line. This is a gorgeous deep brown and creates a soft definition that is a lovely alternative to a black eyeliner. I used a smudge brush to blend this out along my lash line and create a smoky eye. I also applied the Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in the shade 'Nude' to my lower water line to help widen my eyes.

(Left to right: Rimmel nude, Maybelline chocolate)

I finished the look by applying a highlighter to my inner corners and brow bone. For this I used the lightest shade S4 from my Smashbox palette. I chose to use a shimmer highlighter, however you could also use a matte nude for a slightly more subtle look. I also applied mascara to my upper and lower lashes, for this I used my Benefit They're Real! as I wanted to create big, bold lashes to finish the look. I therefore also chose to add three of the Ardell Individual Lashes in medium to the outer corners of my upper lash line to add volume and open up my eyes.

I finished the look by using by Bourjois Paris BB Bronzing Cream 8-in-1 around the perimeter of my face to add a bronzed glow to my skin. I have previously written an entire post on this including a tutorial on how I use it, which you can find here. I then used the medium shade from my Tropic Bronze Sculpting Palette on an angled contour brush to define the hollows of my cheeks, temples and the sides of my nose. I also took the highlighting shade from the same palette and dusted this lightly over the tops of my cheekbones, bridge of my nose and cupids bow.

(Tropic Bronze Sculpting Palette)

Finally I paired this look with my favourite nude lipstick; the Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish in the shade 003. This is a gorgeous balance between a pink and brown toned nude with a creamy finish.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and it provided you with inspiration for the next time you are doing your makeup. I would love to hear what you think in the comments bellow. I look forward to hearing from you!

Devon

xoxo

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