Lately, I've been making an effort and waking up extra early to do my makeup before uni. As you all may know, I'm the lazy type, so I usually prefer to sleep in those extra 20 minutes instead of dolling myself up (and inevitably regret doing so every single time when I'm trying to apply mascara on the bus).
So I decided to put together a simple makeup look, probably not the most minimalist out there, but it has all the necessary steps that I need to feel confident in the way I look - which is all makeup is really about, when you think about it. For some of you, this makeup routine will be too much for everyday; for some, it will be too little, and that's totally ok! Makeup should fit your own personal preferences and goals, so if you feel like you need to add some steps to this makeup look or maybe even remove a few, go right ahead, make it your own. This is just to show you all what I like to do and sharing some of my favourite products overall, I hope you enjoy it!
I like to start by cleansing and moisturising my face (check this post to see what I use). Unlike most people, who start by applying their face makeup, I found that starting with the eyes ends up being a lot faster and cleaner, since you don't have the risk of fall out ruining your foundation and concealer.
I like to start by applying the Essence I Love Stage Eyeshadow Base to prime my eyelids. I actually don't recommend this primer, it doesn't stop the creasing at all - it actually tends to increase it, if anything. However, I do use it because it manages to bring out the colour of all my eye shadows in a way nothing else has ever done before. Honestly, that's the only reason why I keep using this, because it's so freaking amazing at making the colours pop.
Next, I usually sort out my eyebrows. Now, I'm not blessed with full eyebrows, but on an everyday basis, I prefer to not fill them in, only because it never looks natural on me. That's why I only comb them out and apply the Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara to make sure they stay in place all day long. This is a lovely product but sadly, since it's a clear gel, it tends to start looking a bit gross after a while (especially if you fill in your eyebrows with an eyeshadow like I tend to do). It's also a decent mascara, that I usually use on my bottom lashes, since it won't end up smudging.
After my eyebrows are done, the eyeshadow base has already dried, so I go in with the eyeshadow. I only use two colours from the Essence Sun Club Glamour To Go Eyeshadow Palette in the shade 02. The individual colours don't come with names or numbers, so I can only point out which ones I use. I start by applying the third colour from the bottom row all over my lid. This colour is a light brown with a very light shimmer, it looks amazing without looking too heavy for an everyday look. Then I take the second colour from the upper row, the pink shade, on a fluffy brush and apply it to my crease very lightly, blending it into the brown eyeshadow so there's absolutely no harsh lines between the two colours. This rose colour is one of my favourites to apply on the crease since it doesn't look too heavy, but it still manages to give me that soft smoked out look - not to mention it's a great colour to bring out the green in my eyes!
I then curl my eyelashes and finish the eyes off with the Catrice All Around Waterproof Mascara in the shade 10. This mascara is very affordable and actually really good. It won't budge, not even if you take a bath, but at the same time it's weirdly easy to take off with my micellar water. It doesn't give you incredible length or volume, but it does do a little bit of both and it holds your curl very well, so for me, it's an everyday winner.
Once that's done, I usually use the Bourjois Happy Light Base Serum (the Lumiére version, more suited for dry skin). Since I will be applying foundation, I like to use this primer to make sure my foundation lasts the whole day, plus it helps minimise my pores and I found it also helps my foundation go on a lot smoother. Sadly, it takes a total of three pumps a day of this stuff, which is a bit of a waste since the bottle isn't even that big, but it does work wonders, so I can't complain much.
Next, I like to conceal rather than applying my foundation straight away. For that, I use the Kiko Full Coverage Concealer in the shade 01. I only use this under my eyes to conceal my ridiculous dark circles, since this is a shade lighter than my skin tone, so it helps brighten up the whole under eye area. This concealer really does cover my dark circles very well, plus you only need the smallest amount to get the job done. Sadly, it also tends to crease a bit throughout the day, but it's nothing most people could tell by looking at your face, so don't worry. Just touch it up here and there whenever you go to the bathroom and you'll be good to go!
Next, comes the foundation, since I do tend to have a bit of redness on my face and a little bit of discolouration, so I prefer to have an even skin tone. Unlike some, I'm not looking for anything too full coverage, which is why I tend to lean towards foundations that give me a sheer/medium coverage, while also maintaining a natural glow. I've been switching back and forth between the Kiko Universal Fit Hydrating Foundation in the shade 05 and the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in the shade 52. These are two great alternatives for those of you with dry skin like me, since they both sit really nice on the skin without enhancing dry patches, as long as you moisturise properly before applying your foundation, of course.
Personally, I prefer Healthy Mix, since I find it matches my skin tone a lot better, plus it gives me a more dewy finish. I also really feel like it hydrates my skin, not to mention it lasts me around 8 to 10 hours. Sadly, Bourjois isn't as affordable here in Portugal as it is on the UK, for example, so this foundation is around 18€ - which isn't exactly pricey, but it's not as affordable as those glorious 10£ in the UK. Not to mention it's quite hard to find shades here in Portugal, since you can't order them at the store (this is the main reason why I got the Healthy Mix foundation instead of the serum, since my shade is sold out everywhere for months). So if you're like me and you get a bit annoyed at all of those inconveniences, you should give Kiko a try.
Now, I'm not claiming Kiko's foundation is a dupe to the Bourjois foundation - it is not, not even close. They have very different finishes (Kiko is a lot less dewy) and they also feel very different on the skin (Kiko feels a little bit tighter), not to mention Kiko has a different shade range. Not that it's a bad thing, they actually have more options if you don't like Healthy Mix's yellow undertone, since Kiko offers options for both pink and neutral undertones. Not to mention they even cater to dark skin girls, which is hard to find at an affordable price out here. Plus, it's only 5,90€, so it's such an affordable option that you can't really say no, now can you?
Next, I apply blusher. I usually tend to go for a very light blush, so it gives me a more natural finish. I usually go for the Essence Silky Touch Blush in shade 50, since it's such a great colour that looks great on most skin tones. Recently, I've also got my hands on the Catrice Illuminating Blush in the shade 10, so I had to include it in this post. I've only used it once so far, but I am happy with the results. I have to warn you, it's not as illuminating as it promises, since there's only a small amount of gold shimmer on the product that doesn't really highlight your cheekbones, not like MAC's Mineralize blushes, that's for sure. Still, it is a very nice colour and it does look gorgeous on the cheeks, so I'll keep giving it a try and see if it's a keeper.
Next, I contour, which I know is not on everybody's everyday makeup checklist. For me, it's a necessity, since I do have a rounder face shape and quite big cheeks, which means I need the definition contouring provides. I've been using the H&M Bronzing Powder in the shade 'Gorgeous Tan', which is the lightest shade they have in their collection. I'm going to be completely honest with you, I don't love it, but it does work, in a pinch. I'm definitely going to have to invest on better bronzers in the future, but since right now I don't have the money for it, I'll keep using this, that hasn't failed me so far (but hasn't given me that Kim K contour either, mind you).
I then set my face with the Essence All About Matt! Fixing Loose Powder. I bought this powder ages ago and I do have to admit, it's actually really good. No, it won't keep you matt all day long, but it will keep you matt for a few hours before you have to reapply it. It's translucent, so you don't have to worry about finding your shade either. However, I do have to say I wish I had bought the compact version, since it's a lot less messier and way easier to travel around with, so if you can get your hands on that, buy it instead of this.
Finally, I finish the look with my favourite lipstick at the moment, the Kiko Smart Lipstick in the shade 918, a gorgeous MLBB pink shade that you can apply without much of a fuss. I apologise since the shade in the picture isn't what you see live (it's much darker), but my camera has a funny way of showing lipstick colours, apparently.
Here's the swatches for most of the products I mentioned in this post (sadly, I couldn't get a good picture of the eyeshadow swatches).
From left to right: H&M Bronzer, Essence All About Matt Powder, Catrice Blush, Essence Blush, Kiko Lipstick, Essence Eyeshadow Base, Kiko Concealer, Bourjois Foundation, Kiko Foundation
I hope you enjoyed this post and if you have any requests, questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment down below!
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