#TheSOproject - Eyeliner

Aaaah eyeliner week. I love the stuff. I don't feel right without it on and I wear it pretty much every day.

Eyeliner wasn't something I begun wearing until probably around the age of 18/19, when I was at university. It started off as a night out only arrangement but soon spiralled into every day use, which is a shame because it means my nighttime make up never looks drastically different to my daytime make up. Ho hum.

My recommendations are all high street. I really don't think eyeliner is something that needs to be expensive - I've tried MAC, Clinique and Lancôme eyeliners recently and hated all 3.

I have 3 different types of eyeliner; kohl pencil, gel and liquid.

Liquid
Ok, I can't actually use liquid eyeliner. It scares me. Instead I came across eyeliner pens and I doubt I'll ever feel the need to acquire the ability to apply liquid liner as these give the exact same effect.
They aren't especially forgiving if you make a mistake but I find the felt-tip-like end easy to control and so much easier than actual liquid eyeliner.
My pen liner of choice is Supercat from Soap and Glory. It has a firm but flexible nib and it's really glossy and black. I find that it never smudges during the day, and I wear this for work most days on my top lash line. I tend to only need to buy this twice a year or so, despite daily use, as it never dries out.

I had in my mind that this costs around £8, but having just checked the RRP it's actually £6, a bargain really since it lasts so long!

Gel
Gel eyeliner is supposed to be waterproof and long lasting. It has to be applied with a brush and so it's slightly more faffy than the liquid liner pen option. As a result I tend to only use gel liner for special occasions, but I do like the effect it gives and it's really nice to be able to put it on my waterline as well as upper lash line and know it'll stay there for a decent amount of time.

 My recommendation for gel eyeliner is Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner Black - it lasts all day on the eyes and the little pot is still going strong 6 months later. I've read some reviews of MAC gel eyeliner and other higher end ones drying out really fast so I'm dead impressed with Maybelline. I'm never really one for using the brushes that come with products either but the brush that comes with this is actually really good! RRP £7.99

Kohl Pencil Eyeliner
Kohl eyeliner was my first foray into the lining of eyes and I still always have one in my make-up bag, even though I rarely use it these days. I'm not too keen on pencil eyeliner for my upper lashes because it's too smudgy and messy, and I find gel eyeliner lasts better in my waterline so there's no real necessity for an eye pencil. But you never know.


The one I have at the moment is Collection's Eyeliner Pencil, but they're all much of a muchness. This one is £1.99.  It's only pencil after all!

I didn't do a starting off project post last week partially because I had a crazy week at work (ha, I feel like one of my students making excusing for not doing their homework!), but mostly because after years of buying mascara after mascara I finally found one I loved and I've stuck with it for about 3 years now.  Disappointing for my friends who miss mascara reviews, but much better for my bank account!
My mascara of choice is Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara.  It really does curl my lashes and it never smudges or flakes under my eyes.  Annoyingly, in the last 3 or so years it's inexplicably gone from £14 to £17, but it's still cheaper than the 'buy every mascara you walk past' method I followed previously. 

So there you so; two starting off projects for the price of one! Efficient.


What's your eyeliner recommendation?


Suzy
Xx

#TheSOproject Week 5: Blusher!

Last week's Starting Off Project post was a bit of a 'mare for me since I don't use bronzer (if you haven't had a read of my unmissable (!) tips yet you can catch up here), so I was happy when I checked the schedule and this week was blusher week.

I've always been a big fan of a rosy cheek.  In my teenage years slightly too much of a fan - think big pink doll-like circles - but blusher has remained something that I tend never to leave the house without, along with foundation and mascara. Make sure that when you apply you blusher you aren't smiling and applying it to the apples of your cheeks like off of the 80's! Follow the natural line of your cheekbone.

As I favour such a matte finish to my make up, if I don't put a little bit of colour back into my cheeks, I risk looking like a corpse. To brighten up my cheeks I always use either a powder blush or a cheek stain.  Cream blushes are out of the question because I feel as though they slide around my skin by the end of the day...and they remind me of old women.  I can't even explain why they remind me of old women, they just really do.  I also find cream blush incompatible with the powder I use to set my make up - at no point does it seem like the correct step for it to be applied!


As luck would have it I posted a couple of weeks ago about cheek stains and why I think they're wonderful - you can have a read of that post here, but in summary my favoured stain is Cheekmate by Soap and Glory, and I like to apply it with my ring finger. It stays put for ages and it's a lovely rosy shade.

My recommended powder blush is MUA Blusher in the shade Lolly which is £1.  It's described by MUA as being 'soft orange' but I think it's more of a rose pink.  It's a matte blush, which I favour because I don't like shiny cheeks, and it applies beautifully with my Real Techniques Contour Brush. 
I honestly don't think you could tell once it's on the cheeks that it only costs £1, and now that MUA have changed the packaging and it's a little sturdier I'm even happier.

(Lolly: I can't even describe how far away this is from the actual shade. Sadly mine is too grotty to show)

If you're after a slightly more extravagant cheek then I also really like Clinique's Fresh Bloom All Over in Peony Blend, which is a highlighter as well as blush, but is really subtle and pretty. Unfortunately it's £26 so I haven't been abled to justify repurchasing it just yet.

 

Thanks for reading & I hope you enjoyed week 5.  Next week is Mascara week - follow me on Bloglovin to make sure you don't miss it! I'm genuinely excited to write mine and to read everyone's recommendations cos I loooooove mascara!

Suzy
xx

 

#theSOproject WEEK 4: Bronzer

As a person who's so pale they're almost see-through, I just look bizarre if I try to make myself look tanned.  I never fake tan either so I'm all about looking 'pale and interesting' with a little bit of blush.
If you are similarly pale: treat bronzer with extreme caution:

My bronzing tips for a subtle look1) Don't go too dark.  It might sound obvious but anything darker than a couple of shades from your base will look ridiculous.  And muddy.  Noone likes a muddy face.2) Under no circumstances apply it all over your face.  Only put it where the sun would naturally hit - temples, cheek bones and the bridge of your nose.  Less is more.3) Use a brush that will give you plenty of control - a massive powder brush will apply way too much product.  Real Techniques' contour brush is good as it doesn't pick up too much product and it's nice and small so you can concentrate on specific areas.


Currently I only own 2 bronzers; one of which is too dark for me: Bare Minerals Warmth All-Over Face Colour. This came as part of the starter set I bought about a year ago and sadly the tone of it is too warm and it just looks like I've smeared dirt on my face.  I find it slightly alarming that this is marketed as an all over face colour..even with the lightest of touches and blending as though your lift depends on it, this would look outrageous all over the face. Just don't. This would be ok for you if you have slightly darker skin, and it's £19 from bareminerals.co.uk.The other bronzing product I have, and would recommend, is Avon Glow Bronzing Peals.  I like these because some of the pearls are more pink toned and it gives a more natural glow than full on bronze. Pearls typically last forever too, which is a bonus. These are currently reduced to £5 at avonshop.co.uk.

The other thing I've tried for contouring is using a pressed powder 2 shades darker than my skin tone, and this works brilliantly as it's more of a natural skintone.  If you're new to contouring I'd definitely recommend this rather than bronzer - MUA's pressed powder in shade 3 is a good option for this and retails at just £1.

Hopefully that helps in some way. I'm aware I've talked as though bronzer should be treated as a dangerous acid or something, but no one wants to look like a crazy orange person - a mistake I definitely made as a teenager!
Suzy
xx


x

#TheSOproject WEEK 3: Foundation

This week the Starting Off project is all about Foundation; one of my favourite things to buy! I've tried some absolute stinkers before,both high and low end but im going to keep this post positive and just tell you about my favourites!

As a teenager foundation was something that was quite daunting to me for a few reasons:
1)My mum discouraged me from using it as I didn't need it.  She was, rightly so, trying to protect my skin from becoming clogged up with an unnecessary amount of product.
2) Seeing other girls the same age experimenting with foundation and appearing at school with bright orange, muddy looking faces made me go for a more subtle look. My school was super strict and made us wash off any traces of make up if we were caught out wearing it, so I'd much rather have just worn a little mascara and powder and be undetectable.
3) Liquid foundation is scary: it's messy, not something I wanted to get all over my clothes and hands and I  didn't feel confident I'd be able to apply it without getting the dreaded tide line around my jaw.


My Recommendations

Young skin
Eventually vanity took over  around the age of 16 and I discovered  Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse.For years and years I used this in the shade Ivory, which was the a perfect match for my pale Northern skin. It served me well: it was cheap, lasted fairly well on the skin and was super easy to apply using my pinkies.

I started to find though that once I was working full time rather than dossing around at college or uni, it wasn't holding up too well by the end of the day and it begun to cling to any dry patches I had.

I think its hard to go wrong with this for teenagers just starting out with make up & I'd definitely recommend it. Currently £7.49 from Boots.

Drugstore/pharmacy

 

 

I would recommend Rimmel Match Perfection which I posted in detail about here. It's cheap and cheerful and the foundation I use the most.
Currently £6.99 from Boots.

Higher end foundation

 

My favourite higher end foundation is Clinique Even Better foundation. It gives a medium to high coverage with a moderately glowy finish but holds my persistent oil off pretty much all day. It is also SPF 15, which is really handy, especially for the winter when I prefer not to bother with a separate SPF. I've just finished this but I'll definitely repurchase, for about the 4th time. Clinique provides a generous choice of 25 shades for this foundation so there's no excuse for not having a perfect match!
Currently £24 from Clinique

Mineral Foundation
Mineral foundation is also a really good option, but for me I only crack this out for days at home and good skin days as I am far too lazy to buff and buff and buff to increase the coverage!

The one I'd recommend is Bare Minerals Original Foundation although its not cheap at £25 it does last ages, especially if you buff buff buff!!
It lasts really well throughout the day and it doesn't feel like you're wearing make up, which would be good for teens at school!

 

Application

Although most foundations can be applied by hand I pretty much always use a brush. I don't like to end up with messy hands when I'm about to go out and I like the smooth finish a brush gives.

 I posted here about the brush I use most for foundation: Real Techniques Buffing Brush. I'm yet to find a foundation that this brush doesn't work with!


What foundation would you recommend?  I'd love some ideas for what to try next!


Suzy
xx

 

#TheSOProject WEEK 2: Concealer

Welcome to week TWO of #thesoproject. This week is all about concealer!

I can't say I use concealer every day but sometimes it can be a bit of a life saver, whether it be a lack of sleep or a lovely big spot that needs covering. I always use my little pinkies to blend in concealer; it's quicker and more effective than a brush.
I've tried loads of different concealers from the old-school stick type, [which I am convinced were that oily they made my spots worse as a teenager..maybe a cunning ploy by cosmetics company to make me perennially reliant on their products?!].. to illuminating concealers like YSL touche-eclat and Loreal's Lumi Magique, and proper hardcore liquid concealers like Collection Lasting Perfection and Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer. I still haven't found one that I couldn't live without, but the thing I've learnt about concealer?  Less is definitely more. Whichever one you use.

The temptation can definitely be, especially with a spot, to go bonanza with the concealer in the hope no one will ever know.  They will.  Often too much concealer on a spot only draws attention to it.  Especially where there is any dryness in the area as the concealer just clings nastily to it. Likewise, trying to conceal dark under-eye circles can result in concealer settling in the fine lines and only drawing attention to the feature you were trying to hide. Lisa Eldridge recommends minimal use of concealer and instead focusing on making the rest of the skin look super duper, and I'd be inclined to agree with this.

When I do decide it's desperate measures and I can't leave the house without some serious repair work these are my favourites:  (you'll notice they're all lower end products - I don't think concealer is something worth spending fortunes on  - spend your money on a good foundation instead!)

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

I'm reluctant to mention this as it's become such a blogger cliche.  But it's probably my most used concealer and in line with my cynicism for the prices higher end brands are charging for their concealers, this is a sensibly priced product for an un-glamorous job. It isn't perfect and I find it is a little bit drying, under my eyes especially, towards the end of the day, and don't even get me started on the packaging.  Ok do.  Why oh WHY Collection, in the year 2013, have you not managed to create packaging where the writing doesn't rub off at the slightest touch?!  Come ON! It made such a mess of my make-up bag in the end I took the rather drastic measure of using a cotton pad and nail varnish remover to rub off the rest of the black writing.  and now my poor little concealer is bald.
Back off my high horse..It is good, and I'd recommend it.

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer
This is marketed as a 2 in 1 highlighting concealer.  It isn't.  there's nothing remotely highlighting about it.  It's a decent concealer though. Again, it's around the £5 mark, it lasts pretty well and it sits well with the matching foundation, which I blogged about here. My gripe with this one is the ridiculous brush on the end of it; why Rimmel, WHY?! it serves no purpose- it could never be used to blend in the product because it'd  just keep adding more product, and surely if you're using it to cover spots then you're  just spreading bacteria around your face on the brush?  Just no.
I'd recommend this one - it's a nice consistency, blends well and doesn't settle in the lines under my eyes.

Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer

Having just read Soap and Glory's ludicrous description of this product I'm loathed to include it really.
Take a look at this tripe:
"Includes an amazing under eye brightening concealer with PUFFEASE-8™ technology, SUPERWEAR™ light scrambling ‘on the spot’ complexion concealer & a weightless transparent setting powder with INSTA-FIX™ polymer technology."

Beauty companies: STOP MAKING WORDS UP!!!! Puffease technology!!?!  Light scrambling??  Literally no one is taken in by your pseudo-scientific spiel. Sigh.

Now technically this costs about twice more than I consider reasonable for concealer, at £10.  However, I acquired it through a combination of a lovely sales assistant in boots and a glitch involving a voucher and a 3 for 2, so it only cost £5.  I'm including it because it's usually 3 for 2 or similar on Soap and Glory and because it isn't a bad product.  It comes with 2 correctors - one for under eye and one for spot coverage, and a setting powder. The concealer is a little heavy for my liking, but it blends ok, and the setting powder is wonderful.  It keeps  it in place for hours. A minor complaint is the bizarre positioning of the mirror - I'd must rather have it in the power half so I can touch up, rather than the concealer section, but its not a deal breaker.

I don't think I'd repurchase this, I find it more fiddly and messy than just dabbing on a bit of lasting perfection, and it certainly isn't worth twice the price.


I hope you found this helpful in some way :)
Which are your favourite concealers? Do you think it's something worth splurging on?

Suzy
xx

#theSOproject WEEK 1: SKINCARE

So welcome to theSOproject!

I haven't done an introductory post to this series as I think it's pretty widely known and no one wants to read 150 versions of the same thing do they! It is going to be 10 weeks on different themes relating to starting out with make up and beauty, with a view to giving younger and less experienced readers some handy hints and tips about super duper products and techniques for using them.

This post is all about skincare, which I think could be a difficult one for me as I can tend to wang on about this to anyone that dares to look in my direction! I shall try and keep it short, sweet and not too ranty, however.

I should probably mention that I have oily skin, which results in the odd spot and perennially clogged pores. So my routine might not suit those with dry skin as you'll maybe need more moisture.

Keeping skincare simple and without 1000 steps is what's important as far as I'm concerned.  Who has the £££ to be buying superfluous lotions and potions and more to the point who the heck can be faffed with a gruelling 30 minute routine either in the morning or evening?! I'm pretty much of the opinion that if you're putting on 10 layers of various toners, serums, oils and moisturisers, at least some of them are cancelling each other out.  Pointless.

So keep it simple: cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturise.  Then leave well alone and get on with the rest of your day!

Cleanser
If you are using soap...STOP. It isn't 1945 and we don't still have rationing. I find it bizarre that soap even still exists! It strips away your natural oils, dries your skin out terribly and most are so heavily perfumed that they're likely to irritate your skin and cause nasty spots.
Cleansing wipes: these really are vilified in beauty circles.  Okay, the ingredients wont do your skin any good as such, and they should never be used as your only cleanser, but for me, as a quick first cleanse, to get rid of my eye make up especially, I haven't found anything I prefer.  Bioderma is ineffective at removing my mascara and I have to use far too much of it, which is expensive and time consuming. In my opinion as long as you're washing it off with a proper cleanser afterwards, a face wipe is absolutely fine for a pre-cleanse.
At the moment I'm really enjoying using Boots Essentials Fragrance Free Wipes, which are £1.50.

Next you need a proper cleanser: preferably not a foaming one as SLS, which enables the cleanser to foam, strips the moisture from the skin. I'm currently using Michael Todd Charcoal Detox Cleanser, which is 70% organic and wonderfully gentle on my skin.
A cleansing milk also gives effective but gentle cleansing, I love Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Milk, as it can be gently massaged into the skin to remove the make up and dirt, and then washed off with water and a flannel. 

I recently wrote about using a cleansing brush such as Clarisonic, or No7, which is something to think about but certainly not an essential purchase when you are first getting into looking after your skin.


Exfoliator

To have lovely clear skin you need to be exfoliating regularly.  I don't mean the god-awful manual exfoliants that my Fiancé describes as rubbing bits of rock on your face, but an acidic exfoliant, to clean out the pores. It doesn't hurt at all, despite sounding quite extreme.

I use Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion morning and night as it is so gentle, but efficiently cleans my pores with salicylic acid. I have also tried Pixi Glow tonic, which didn't go so well as I explained here.
I also love Paula's Choice 2% BHA lotion for this purpose, as it does a wonderful job on any blackheads.  I usually use this at night, never in the day because the BHA can cause sun damage if not protected by using an SPF.

Toner
It might seem a little extreme to essentially double tone - exfoliating toner and then normal toner, but it's important to get some moisture back into your skin after the acid has worked it's magic.
The toner should never contain alcohol as it defeats the purpose by drying out the skin.
I'm using Michael Todd Blue Gree Algae Toner which I blogged about recently as it is super moisturising due to the hyaluronic acid it contains. I also like Lancôme Tonique Douceur, but for £22 I don't feel there are enough skin care benefits compared to the Michael Todd which is around £11.50.

Moisturiser
Moisturiser is the area of skincare I feel least qualified to talk about: I still don't feel I've found what completely works for my skin and I'm still pretty much on a merry-go-round of trying new ones out.  The one I've stuck with for the longest, purely because it protects me with a high SPF and it doesn't irritate my skin is Clinique Superdefense, but I don't feel like it's working hard enough to justify the colossal £38 price tag. I'm going to have a look at REN next for moisturiser, but on the more budget-friendly side, Adam absolutely swears by Aldi Lacura Aqua Moisture Cream, and he has ridiculously sensitive skin so it must be good!

What products would you recommend for cleansing, toning and moisturising?  I would love to hear about them!

Suzy xx