Bag: Gift from Thailand | Perfume: Chloe | Eyeliner: Masterpiece by Maybelline, Eyeko Alexa Chung Eyeliner | Foundation: Max Factor “Face Finity” 3 in 1 | Mascara: Rimmel Scandaleyes | Body shop bronzer brush | Lipstick: Illamasqua Shard | Eyeshadow brushes: H&M | Eyeshadow Palette: Laura Mercier | Brow kit: Urban Decay in “Dark Sugar” | Bronzer: Bobbi Brown in “Golden Light” | Pop Eyeshadow Palette | Tweezers
I have a set list of daily essentials for my make up, kept in this adorable little make up bag Walsh bought me home from Thailand last year (the colour makes it so much easier to find amongst my mess!). Then there are the not-so-essentials that I like to keep handy for that classic day to night situation and dressing up.
I’m a big fan of matte foundation, and have trialled several from Bobbi Brown to No 7, but this is one of my favourites. I like a decent thickness to the liquid, but I hate the idea of being caked in make up – this little bottle provides me with a great solution. With a primer, foundation and concealer all in one easy bottle it solves all my morning problems with a solid base to start me off.
Bobbi Brown has some beautiful products, and I was once recommended this bronzer by my best friend, Laura (check out her blog here), and I’ve never looked back! I don’t use a compressed powder after my foundation, I just lightly brush this over my cheeks and forehead for that light tan with this beautifully soft brush.
One of my newest additions to the make up bag. I’ve always kept my eyebrows quite thick, but I have naturally sparse hairs towards the outer eyes. There are plenty of photos of me with half eyebrows as I was scared to going to far in the Scouse brow direction, but after a trip to Urban Decay with my sister (their biggest fan), I saw this little beauty.
A double layered little travel toolbox, these miniature brushes and tweezers sit in the lower half and the gel and shadows sit above (with both sections having a mirror!). I use the gel lightly to just push any stray hairs back into place before applying the darker shadow throughout my brows and the lighter shade towards my inner brow to blend in – and voila! Natural, thicker looking brows!
My signature flick makers – the black felt tip pens. I’ve tried and tested a few of these bad boys, but my favourite so far would have to be the Maybelline Master Precise pen. I recently decided to splash out on this eyeko pen (splash out is a relative term – it was about £3 more than the maybelline one!), but was disappointed with how quickly it began to go grey rather than the full on black I desire.
However, I haven’t found the perfect one yet – I’m waiting for one that lasts a while, doesn’t print onto the top half of my eyelids when I blink too much and stays a solid black all day long – if you have any suggestions then leave them below! I’m ordering a Rimmel London Scandaleyes liner as we speak so I’ll report back on that!
A Christmas present from my Mum – these beautiful shades are Laura Mercier. This is my first proper eyeshadow palette and contains the most beautiful neutral and natural colours, with subtle purples and shimmers. You can see the colours I’ve used most – though I definitely still need some practice on the natural smoky eye look!
These are my not-so-essential but still within reach bit and pieces! My Pop palette is for the dark night out smoky eye look.
Mascara is something I tend to only wear when I know I’m going somewhere – like on a night out or to dinner or something, it’s not that I don’t need it – I just find it too much effort to take off when I get home!
This lipstick is my new love – before Christmas I went in search of a dark, subtly purple but not too purple or gothic lipstick and I found this! Illamasqua lipstick in Shard is definitely a winter colour, but I’ve been using it to swipe on after work to go to dinner and on every night out – it’s just perfect.
Last but not least, the scent. After being a fan of Marc Jacobs “Oh! Lola” for several years, I decided to pick up something a little different for the Winter. I’m a big fan of perfume bottles, and I felt this one needed to be added to my collection!
Do you have any absolute essentials in your make up bag? Let me know!
Caroline
xo