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.
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.
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.
Having made a specific journey into my local store to get the samples I had inquired about, I was a little disappointed that the shade I needed had all been given away. Luckily the dispenser had a slightly pinker sample than my tone, or a sample that was one shade darker than my natural complexion.
As you can see in this image the tone is slightly too dark for my skin tone, but I made it work. And this test was more to see how my usually sensitive skin reacted to a new foundation, rather than to match the shade completely. I have to be careful when I introduce new products to my body.
