My Make-up Bag Favourites

So I've become a little obsessed with make-up since working on a make-up counter, and although I do like to change my make-up products up a lot (as everyone loves trying out something new)...There are several items that have been great staples of mine for a few months now, so I thought I'd share them with you!

My make-up bag: This was a Christmas present from my dad, from Will Bees Bespoke, in Salcombe, which sells a range of Liberty products. He had it made to have my initials on it too- soooo lovely! I find it such a perfect size to fit in the make-up that I need for the day, and it also fits my brushes in nicely too.

Foundation: MAC Mineralize Skin Finish (shade nw20) I have found that my skin type varies a lot since working on counter, one moment I am fairly oily, the next I am dry- which is a nightmare. But currently my skin is fairly dry and so I gave this foundation a go and it is beautiful! The finish is quite dewy and gives your skin a really nice natural finish. I would say the coverage is buildable and I like mine best when applied with the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush.

However..... the Benefit Playstick is an old favourite of mine, and I have started to use this again just to touch up with throughout the day. It's so handy to have in your make-up bag and gives an instant fresh and dewy finish to the skin. I would highly recommend if you like the security of carrying a foundation around with you for quick top ups! Thumbs up to Benefit for that one.

Bronzer: Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder (No.1) Ohmygosh ohmygosh this is my favourite bronzer ever! And you can see from the picture as well that it has practically ran out-but I just had to share it. It comes in four different shades, 1 being the lightest one, which I think is amazing as you can get a bronzer that is right for your skin tone and not end up looking really muddy with one that it shades too dark! It gives a kind of  'holiday glow' to the skin without it being full of shimmer. I use this to bronze/contour my cheeks and to add colour to my forehead.

Highlighter/Powder: MAC Perfect Topping. This is a limited edition highlighter which I purchased around a month or two ago and I love it. I literally use it everyday to highlight my cheekbones- or if I'm feeling daring I use it all over my face to set my foundation with. It creates such a nice glow to the skin without it looking really shimmery. Also the colours are flattering to my skin tone, I always think that pink tones look nicer on a fairer skin.

Mascara: Lancome Grandiose. Now I've been one of those people who will only believe that their mascara is the best and nothing can ever beat it.... until I gave in and tried a new mascara. This one has been in my life since November and it is still going strong! I can't believe how long it has lasted me, and it doesn't seem to be drying out. What I love about this mascara is the brush. Although at first I thought it looked a bit weird and thought the bend would annoy me, well actually the bend is designed to work with the shape of your face, which makes it a lot easier to apply mascara corner-to-corner and root-tip. It helps to separate, thicken and lengthen my lashes without the need to apply loads of coats. It really is worth the price and I'm now in my 4th month of using this which is complete madness!

Lipstick: MAC Modesty. This is my go to lipstick and anybody who knows me knows that I probably wear this too much and need to find a new favourite- but I just can't seem to detach myself!  The shade is perfect, it just goes with everything. I love the feel and texture of this lipstick range, it doesn't dry your lips out which is great. But if you want a nudey-pink then this is the shade I assure you ;) I will definitely be re-purchasing this when it runs out soon.

Powder: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder. I have always been one of those people who hates products in loose form- it just seemed like so much hassle! However I have been converted. This powder has great staying powder and doesn't look really chalky on the skin. I apply the powder with a velour puff after I have done my foundation, bronzer/blusher etc, this way you are setting all of your make-up in place. In the past I used to set my foundation first with powder and then apply the rest, but why would you set your make-up and then apply more? Just doesn't make sense. This powder is translucent which is great, as it will not alter the colour of your foundation. It also contains talc which is more suitable for a combination or oily skin type as it will help to keep your makeup on for longer. Brilliant product.

Primer: Laura Mercier Oil Free Primer. Now there are many different primers, and there will be one out there to suit your skin type. There are oil free, hydrating and radiance primers just to name a few. You can also find ones that are water based or silicone based. I much prefer the water based ones, as these do not feel greasy on my skin and it doesn't feel like I've got anything on (which I like) Primers create a nice even base and are designed to help your foundation last longer. What I like about the Laura Mercier one is that it is water based and you can find one suitable to your skin type, so you know that it will work for you.

Eyebrows: Giorgio Amarni Eye and Brow Maestro. I'll finish with eyebrows as I am madly obsessed with eyebrow products and have tried a lot, but nothing comes close to this one! The 4-in-1 eye perfecter is a brow shaper, eye liner, hair root touch up and contour. It is waterproof and gives a 100% natural finish which is amazing, as there's nothing worse than really obviously drawn on eyebrows. I apply mine with an angled brush so I can get a good shape and also fill in the areas that you need to.

Eye and Brow Maestro in shade 04 Ambre

I hope that you've enjoyed reading this post and feel inspired to treat yourselves to some new goodies! Don't forget to subscribe!


Emily x

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Labels: Beauty , favourites