A Day With A Makeup Artist

I’m lucky to have a best friend who is also a makeup artist. She is so good at what she does and the advice that she gives out. So what I thought would be great, would be to bring the advice to my followers, in the form of Questions and Answers and products that she recommended and used on me. We planned a weekend together, to catch up and talk makeup, and this is what happened…

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The image below is of me once I had had my makeup done by Megan. I wanted a subtle look, not much contouring and a smokey eye. The products that she used to create this look were;
Skin – Garnier BB Cream, Rimmel Stay Pressed Powder, Makeup Revolution Highlighter and Rimmel London Blusher
Eyes – Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 and Soap and Glory Kohl Pencil in Brown
Eyebrows – Soap and Glory Brow Archery
Lips – Rimmel London Lipstick – Kate shade

sabrina-october-2016My Questions

While Megan was applying my makeup I asked her a couple of questions. I have been neglecting my eyebrows (for makeup) for years and Megan has made me realise that it isn’t as scary as I thought to shape and apply makeup to them.
When choosing an eyebrow makeup what do you recommend for your clients to look for?
Megan says; Always look for a brand who do a pencil with waxy consistency which clings to your eyebrow lashes better than a powder, for a more even look and longer lasting.

I struggle to choose lipstick for myself and I wanted Megan’s honest opinion on what product to choose for my skin tone.
What lipstick to go for to achieve a natural look?
When choosing a lipstick that you want to be natural looking (Megan says #MLBB #MyLipsButBetter) choose a colour no more than one shade darker than your natural lip colour. And to ensure staying power, apply a layer and then blot thoroughly, before applying another layer.

Something I have had for a while (from a goody bag I reviewed months ago) is a highlighter that I have never used. I wanted to know how I would go about experimenting with this product.
Where would I begin to apply my highlighter?
When applying a highlighter always place it on the tops of your cheekbones, and the top of your Cupid’s bow. Some of these products can be applied dry or wet (with fixing spray) but you’re aiming for a look that enhances your natural features.

Superdrug Mini Haul

Once Megan had done my makeup we headed out to get me some items that I was missing for my makeup bag. And I also picked up a new varnish to strengthen my nails, I have quite brittle ones during the cooler months.
The main items I bought were, a Superdrug Flutter cosmetics sponge, a new lipstick (I chose a ‘Kate’ shade from Rimmel London), my first ever eyebrow pencil and brush combo from MUA, and also the Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Eyeliner (so I can be brave and try new things).

superdrug-haulI was most impressed with the MUA eyebrow pencil and brush, easy to apply and soft. I can imagine me using it again, especially when applying a full face of makeup.
I also appreciated Megan’s help with choosing the lip colour, it is currently my staple favourite.

***

FAQ’s – A Day with a Makeup Artist

Hello Megan, and thank you for joining in with my blog post today.

Thank you for having me.

What is your most asked makeup question from your clients?

The most common question I get asked is, “Am I doing it right?” or “What is the right way to do it?” Makeup is an art rather than a science and to me there is no “right way” to do things. If you look in the mirror (after application) and feel fabulous then it’s right for you!

Is there a particular brand that you use yourself that you could recommend people to try?

It’s important to remember that no one brand will do everything perfectly, so using a variety of different brands is best. Experimentation is key to a great makeup wardrobe.
Personally though my favourite brands are Urban Decay – their eyeshadows are some of the best, No7 – have fantastic lipsticks, and Estee LauderDouble Wear Foundation is my holy grail makeup item.

Which part of your own makeup routine do you spend the longest amount of time on?

My Eyebrows. So often forgotten but the difference between a good look and a great look is your eyebrows. They frame and shape the face and can bring the whole look together in an instant. So don’t forget your eyebrows people!

Which skincare brand do you use?

By far my favourite skin care brand is La Roche Posay. It has a massive range of products designed for any skin type or complaint, they are all designed to work with even the most sensitive skin as well.

And finally, a question that I personally have always wanted to know the answer to (because I struggle to apply my own makeup well).

What is the secret to great looking makeup?

Skin care, skin care, skin care. Drink lots of water, cleanse, tone and moisturise your skin. Because if your skin looks great then you’re already half way there! Then any makeup that you choose to do, from winged eyeliners to smokey eye looks, will always look amazing.

Thank you very much for answering my questions today Megan, and for doing my makeup of course!

You’re very welcome.

***

Here is another image of my makeup look from today, perfected by Megan herself. If you like the look please feel free to leave a comment.

day-at-aber-one-proc-swIf you want to follow Megan on social media for great makeup tips and photographic posts then please click on the links below to see her various pages.

Thank you for reading this blog post today and I hope, like me, you’ve learnt something new and useful for your own makeup routine.

Sabrina

Makeup by Megan on Twitter https://twitter.com/MakeupByMegan2
Makeup by Megan on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/makeupbymegan121/
Makeup by Megan on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/missmegan_121/

 

The No Makeup, Makeup Look

The biggest thing I have seen in the celeb magazines lately, has been the no makeup, makeup look. Which involves wearing makeup that matches your skin tone and to not over do the other aspects of putting your face on, such as too much blush and no over the top eye looks.

I personally really respect this trend, and would always prefer to look natural instead of coming across as having ‘put it on with a trowel’. I think women look far more beautiful with subtle aspects of makeup that enhance their already unique features.

NoMakeupLook1For me, I nearly always wear mascara on my eyes and powder on the skin on my face to reduce redness and any uneven skin tone. I felt that I already achieved this look on a regular basis, so I wanted to show how I did this and what products I have used. As you can see in the image above my makeup is subtle, used to mainly hide dark circles and blemishes and to remove any shine from my skin.

So having decided to give this a go for the blog, I wanted to show the difference on my face between what my skin looks like bare and with subtle makeup. I will be achieving this by doing a half and half photograph. One half of my face will be made up and the other will just be as it is – completely natural.

The image below shows me achieving this, and I don’t see a great difference unless you get very close up to my skin. The powder I chose has covered a few blemishes and the light application of mascara has enhanced my lashes just enough so my eyes look awake. Half my lip has lipstick on it, a shade similar to my own lip tone. If you look closely the bags under my eye have faded compared to the natural look of my skin and the powder also hides any pimples on show.

NoMakeupLook2So what products have I used for the makeup half of this look. Well the mascara I used was a gentle application of Rimmel London’s Super Curler 24 hr Mascara (a little goes a long way).

The eyeshadow is from Makeup Revolution Elements 3 and is a light brown to match with the colour of my hair and eyes.

The lipstick I like to use is a natural look one which compliments my lip colour. It’s from L’oreal Paris Made for me Naturals collection and is for ‘Dark Brunettes’ Number 240. (I’m not even sure if they make this anymore but I bought several a couple of years ago and this is my last one).

And finally the powders I use are Rimmel London Stay Matte pressed powders in shades Silky Beige and Transparent, by using both I create an almost contour effect, using the lighter shade around my cheek bones and brow bones and the beige one for all over coverage. I finish with a very light dusting of Rimmel Lasting Finish Blush in Pink Rose, just patted onto my cheek with a brush.

I am interested to know what people think of my natural makeup application and look. As you can tell I like Rimmel London products! Do you have any product recommendations for me? I will leave you with a picture of myself from the other week, exactly the same makeup application but in some natural light where it can be appreciated a bit more.

Thank you for reading, have a lovely day.

★ Sabrina ★

NoMakeupLook3

Rimmel London Super Gel Nail Varnish Review

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I will start by saying that Rimmel London are my go-to brand for nail varnishes, I love all of the wonderful shades they release and buy several of them each year. So when I heard about their new Super Gel I was intrigued how you could get the salon quality yourself at home.

After a few weeks of watching the bottles land on the shelves and seeing other people writing reviews I really wanted to try this product for myself. By the time I purchased this one I had read a mixture of reviews. I knew that I could do the 14 day test required, coinciding with what it says on each bottle about the varnish lasting up to 14 days. I was doubtful it would if I am honest (from what others had written about it) and I made no attempts to prevent the chipping on my nails, just going about my daily routines as normal.

For this review I have simply followed all of the instructions on the bottles, I took nail pictures every few days to show the progression of the quality that remained, and I was actually very pleasantly surprised by the result. This review outlines my application and subsequent photographic evidence of the condition of my nails after the 14 days. The base coat colour I chose is called 043 Venus.

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Day 1. Application time! My nails are shiny and smooth and honestly look great, not that professional because I’m not as neat as a nail technician, but I do okay. This involved me applying the nail varnish one coat at a time and I did wait for 5 minutes in between applications to ensure each was thoroughly dried. I followed the instructions on the bottles to the letter and once finished with applying I made sure that they were 100% dry before I went about any daily duties.

Nails3Day 3. Today I began to notice a few very tiny chips at the edge of my thumb and first finger. Not that noticeable though unless you were up close. This was bound to happen to me because of all the things that my hands go through every day. But it’s not bad enough to ruin the manicure. My nails are still a wonderful shade and are shiny, I have been both cooking and cleaning and typing the past 48 hours, so I am surprised they are in such good condition. So far so good!

Nails8 Day 5. Other than a few minor chips my nails look great. The look and feel of he polish is still smooth and shiny which is what I would expect to see from a successful manicure. So far the quality of both the polish and the gel top coat is excellent.

Nails6Day 7. It’s been a week since the application and overall my nails look fabulous! The shine, colour and smoothness is still apparent and other than my thumb and first finger loosing some polish at the tips the manicure is still in a very good condition. When looking at them not close up you wouldn’t notice the chips.

Nails7Day 9.  Today I inspected my nails and as you can imagine they are beginning to grow out now at the backs. Their pink lines stand out against the dark red colour painted upon them. Saying that though the look of my nail varnish is still very good. My first finger, thumb and middle finger are now beginning to look worse for wear, but from a distance you can’t tell very much.

Nails5Day 11. Not much difference in two days despite my daily duties. All of the nails are beginning to grow out now and most are chipped at the edges. Saying that I have never known a nail polish to last this long without me needing to remove and re-apply at least one of the finger nails.

Nails4Day 12. More growing out and a tiny bit more chipping, but otherwise my nails look great for having been applied 12 days ago! I’m starting to really like the quality of this product. It goes to show that when you apply things correctly it can really work in your favour, no wasting time reapplying polish every day or so.

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Day 13. The fortnight is almost up, and my nails aren’t looking too shabby all things considered.

Nails 11Day 14. Time to remove the nail varnish, but I’m impressed with how well it’s lasted. My daily routine involves cooking and cleaning and I would’ve expected more chips than I have. As you can see in my photograph my nails have lasted reasonably well overall and I think if I were applying this nail polish long term it would be very useful investment knowing that when applied correctly it will last a minimum of a week, almost 14 days if looked after.

It would be a rarity if I got to wear the same nail varnish for two weeks unless I was going away, but it’s great to know that at least some of my nails remained almost intact during that time in the test. I have reviewed this product because I like to see whether or not the product lives up to the expectation. Obviously if you do any kind of manual labour the polish won’t last as long. However I have still done work, including typing and around the home. I have washed up, cooked, cleaned and been shopping using my hands a great deal throughout the fortnight. I think overall the nail varnish has lasted very well and I am very impressed to be honest with you!

i would love to try some varying colours in these gel nail polishes because I think they look great when applied properly. Having never had any false nails manicures or gel ones before I had nothing to compare the look and feel to. I’ve always been lucky enough to be able to grow my nails, and every time I’ve had a manicure my original nail has been used, I’ve never had any tips or false ones attached. But just how silky smooth and shiny my nails were with this Super Gel varnish has made me want to get more colours. I love how the overall look and feel of this polish was.

So my final review for this product is;
Appearance 5/5
Quality 5/5
Value 5/5

The appearance I have given a 5/5 because the polish lasted very well for the ‘up to’ 14 days as advertised. Overall I thought the product as a whole was fantastic. The quality of the colour and smoothness as well as the ease of application is why I gave the quality a 5/5. And finally the value for money, you can wear the same top coat for all base colours therefore saving yourself money. And for the quality you achieve I think the price is reasonable. I cannot wait to try some other shades now during the summer months!

I hope you have enjoyed reading my review, and feel free to send me a photograph on Twitter or Instagram with your pictures if you decide to try out Rimmel London Super Gel for yourself!

Makeup Organiser Review

Makeup and Desk Tidy Organiser Review

Plastic Makeup Organiser SW

I’m a big believer in keeping things tidy and organised. So when I had a major clear out of lots of old makeup and products at the start of this year I knew I needed to get things tidied. I wanted to purchase some clever storage items for the products I was keeping and use on a regular basis.

The purchase I made was this organiser and I’m very happy with it. I’m reviewing this plastic makeup storage piece because I think lots of people out there might be interested to know how much these things hold.

Makeup Organiser 1 SW

As you can see in my photographs I’ve only put the products I use often in the unit, and there’s still a ton of space. This organiser is great if you own a lot of lipsticks, there are 12 spaces for them. A large square section on the left ideal for flat based items and two taller slots at the back of that. Finally a slot at the back on the right which I have used for eyeshadow palettes but it’s a very versatile space.

Overall I’m pleased with this purchase. It’s made my daily routine easier by having the products I use on show and easily removable. You can get a variety of items to fit, providing they are a standard size. As you can see in the picture below I have managed to fit square and round based lipsticks on the right. Nail Varnishes sadly don’t fit in the lipstick sections for anyone who wondered. Despite this I still have plenty of room for all my other types of daily products, and the organiser sits flush on my bedroom unit, keeping everything tidy. I only wish the back right part was a little deeper (look at the No7 eyeshadow palettes) so I could fit more in.

My Final Review is;

Quality 4/5
Value 4/5
Usefullness 5/5

Makeup Organiser 2 SW
Thanks so much for reading this review. You can find these type of organisers in TKMaxx Homesense and on Amazon.

✩ Sabrina ✩

The Products I Use In My Daily Make-up Routine

Women often get asked what their daily routine consists of, so today I have arranged and photographed the contents of my makeup bag for you beauty enthusiasts to have a nose at!

All of the products that I use on an almost daily basis are outlined below. I am going to explain why it is that I use these items and what my honest opinion about them is.

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No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm with SPF15
I received this little BB Balm in a set at Christmastime and I was surprised what a lovely shade of pink it turned out to be. I wear this if I want a little bit of colour on my lips but I don’t want to wear a full on lipstick. It’s ideal for shopping and work, a subtle shade and it will protect lips from the sun. I hope the next time I get a No7 gift set there will be one of these inside.

Makeup Revolution Eyeshadow Palette Iconic 3
This is by far one of my favourite palettes. I’m a brunette and have hazel eyes, so the brown, gold and pink shades work perfectly with my complexion and eye colour. This eye shadow is good quality and are not expensive to buy. Unless I need a specific shade to match an outfit, I usually wear the range of colours in this palette. I can recommend both the brand and the size of these eye shadows, they last a good while and the palette is thin enough to pop into most decent sized make-up bags. Makeup Revolution London does a range of them, and they bring out new ones often too.

Rimmel London Soft Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in Black
I have being using Rimmel London eyeliners since I was a teenager. I find the quality to be good and they go far. Black is the colour that I normally use to make my eyes stand out more. Not as an everyday look but if I were going out on date night or out in the evening. I would create this look with the pencil and smoky eye shadow to compliment the outfit.

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Concealer
This little bottle of concealer goes a long way and hides blemishes and dark circles in a matter of seconds. It blends well and I find it to be a staple piece to use when applying my make-up. (I did a review of this and the foundation, see my beauty section).

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara (Waterproof) in Black
Another staple product that I always reach for is my Max Factor mascara. Not only do I normally wear waterproof to save myself looking like a panda after a long day at work, but I also choose this brand because of the items consistent good quality. I find that this mascara lasts me a long time, because you don’t need to apply a lot of it to get a nice result.

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Anti-Fatigue Foundation
This foundation is fantastic because it not only blends brilliantly, it covers so well. Dark circles and red patches disappear as you smooth this lightweight foundation over your skin. Now I’m not someone who uses a foundation every day, especially if I’m not leaving the house. And I have found that this one doesn’t make my pores feel clogged after using it. (See my individual review for more on this product). It is my current favourite to use when I am in need of applying an overall coverage to my face.

No7 Protect and Perfect Day Cream
This lightweight cream is perfect for a daily moisturiser and gives SPF15 protection to the skin. I use this every morning unless I’m planning a mask or a cleanse. This product works well for my skin, which can sometimes be sensitive, and allows me to use it in confidence. These are the smaller versions I have that go in my handbag and travel bag. My main creams are large tubs that live in the bathroom. It’s great that No7 have these products in a range of sizes, very convenient.

No7 Protect and Perfect Night Cream
I will be completely honest with you, I don’t always apply my night cream, and that is because I don’t like to overload my skin. Moisturising is very important, but you don’t want to make your skin oily because you mess with it too much. With my skin being sensitive, I normally only moisturise at night, two to four times a week. Normally on nights that I haven’t had to get a lot of make-up off my skin first.

Rimmel London Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder
Would you believe me if I told you I had been using this product for ten years? Well I have been. I adore this powder, it’s not only quick and easy to apply, but it gives a nice coverage so if I have any breakouts or any red patches, they quickly get blended away. I use it most days, and it’s the one thing that I do apply to my skin after moisturising so that I have more colour in my skin tone.

Other products that I use that are not shown on my photograph are:

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
I use this wonderful water to remove dirt and makeup from my skin, and use it every day to generally clean any impurities off my face and neck. I haven’t tried any other Micellar water related brands because I’m so happy with Garnier, it suits my skin (because it is designed with sensitive in mind).

Nivea Daily Essentials Light Moisturising Day Cream For Dry & Sensitive Skin SPF15
I normally use Nivea face and hand creams in the colder months, because I can suffer from dry skin. While moisturising daily this is reduced to only a handful of days out of the season, and occurs especially if I have spent time outside in a cold biting wind. When I notice the start of any dry skin patches, I reach for this cream, and within a few days my skin is back to its normal behaviour and I am free to use my No7 products again. But Nivea is a brand that I trust, and I have used them since I was a teenager, for face and hand creams as well as body lotions.

Nivea Essential Care Lip Balm
This little lip balm lives on my bedside table, and I put it on my lips every night to keep them soft. I use it all year around and I always have one in my handbag as well, for when I want to protect my lips but I don’t need any colour on them.

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I hope you have enjoyed reading about the products that I use. There are so many choices out there, and I think we all know when we have found a favourite, we tend to stick with it. Well I do anyway! I’ve been buying some of the same products for ten years, and I have no shame. The companies must be doing something right if we are all going back for more.

New Mascara Comparison and Review

I have decided to purchase two new mascaras this month. I would always buy Max Factor False Lash Effect, and have done for about seven years or so. It really works for me, but there comes a time when something new catches your eye and you think, I just have to give that a go…

Deciding upon which two new mascara’s I was going to try out was tricky because I have seen some fantastic adverts lately. I wanted to give Max Factor a go because of the loyalty I have to them for the number of years I have purchased their products. So my first choice became their new Voluptuous False Lash Effect Mascara. This latest product sees a new style of brush which is meant to lift your lashes and add a dual application, all in a single stroke. The bristles are supposed to separate lashes while the fins grip them to add more volume.

My second choice comes down to the fact that I use their foundation and other products on an almost daily basis. Rimmel London has recently released the Supercurler Mascara which not only claims to be 24 hour wear, but also builds dramatic curl with a unique brush. The eye-shaped brush of this mascara is a perfect shape for the eye which allows for mistake free application. It has a formula that pushes the lashes up into a curve that is meant to last the whole day.

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So here are my two mascara’s and also a picture of my lashes with no products on them (before I show you my ‘after applying’ them photographs) and both of them are the generic black colour.

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Max Factor Voluptuous False Lash Effect had a brush that certainly had enough product on to coat my lashes; I didn’t need to refill the applicator while I was combing it through my lashes. It was able to get across my lashes well, and then I used the end of the wand to get into the lashes in the corner. The overall look was good although I didn’t feel like it pulled my lashes up as much as the original False Lash Effect had done. As for wear, it has stayed on all day and is only just starting to flake (12 hours).

Rimmel London’s Supercurler Mascara had the unique eye brush which was great to use, it really did fit into my lashes and pull them up gently. The brush coated well and lifted as I did this, getting right into the corners of my eye with ease. It didn’t coat my lashes as well as the Max Factor mascara had done, but the application itself was smooth and clump free due to the brushes design. It was much easier to apply and I found it to keep my lashes curled up all day (approximately 12 hours).

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I have labelled this next photograph so you can see which eye I have used which mascara on. As you look at my eyes the right has Max Factor on my lashes and the left eye has Rimmel London on my lashes. By comparing the two you can see that the Max Factor has coated my lashes better, they are darker and defined in a bolder manner, a tiny amount of clumps. The Rimmel London mascara has curled my lashes up high and achieved a curl throughout and they are also defined with no clumps.

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Overall I like both of these products for different reasons. If I wanted to go for a glamorous look I would use the Supercurler mascara because I believe it gives me a wider and brighter eyed look. However the Max Factor mascara gives me a darker lash and a bolder look, which can look great with a smoky eye shadow, when paired with a dark outfit. Here are my ratings for the main aspects of the products.

Rimmel London Supercurler Mascara
Value for Money 5/5
Effectiveness 5/5
Quality 5/5

Max Factor Voluptuous False Lash Effect Mascara
Value for Money 4/5
Effectiveness 4/5
Quality 5/5

Which mascara should you try? Well that is up to you, I’m just giving my opinion on two of the many great mascara’s available to us here in the UK. We are all different, and we all want different things from our make-up. I will definitely use both of these great products over the next few months, and then I will decide which I prefer to be an everyday item. I hope you have enjoyed seeing this comparison.

Review of Wake Me Up Foundation products from Rimmel London

RimmelReviewSW

At the end of 2015 I took the plunge and changed my foundation for the first time in two years! I was pleasantly surprised with how light this foundation was on my skin. Rimmel London is a great brand and I have used their Nail Varnishes and Matte Powders for over ten years. The appeal to change to this type of foundation was because of the natural ingredients used within it. The Vitamin C along with the soft texture of the foundation won me over. And I was right to try it.
I have never known a foundation to be so smooth and to stay so flawless on my skin. With all over coverage it blended into my skin tone giving me a natural looking finish. I wore it all day (around 12 hours) and I still looked great after all that time, which included eating, drinking and socialising. The foundation itself during that time felt light and left my skin feeling moisturised. It easily covered the dark circles under my eyes and blended any areas of redness away. I do often have sensitive and dry skin, and I found that the moisturising aspect of this foundation meant that I didn’t need to use much primer before applying it. Over all I would give these foundation products a 5/5.

5/5 for its durability.
5/5 for application ease.
5/5 for the quality of the products.
5/5 for value for money.
5/5 for its appearance and final look.