I was thinking the other day it might be interesting to put together what I use on my own face on daily basis (and when I go out) for you to see. I generally tend to stick to my tried and tested favourites but I deffy have a few oddball pieces in my makeup kit that might surprise you! So here’s a peek at my top 20 skincare and makeup items, feel free to tell me yours in the comments below.
Needless to say EVERYBODY MUST WEAR SUNSCREEN. I can’t begin to stress this enough. You have no idea the damage UV rays do to your skin on a daily basis so trust the song and put on some sunscreen!
Personally I like Lancôme’s UV Expert SPF 30 because it’s light and easy and doesn’t make my face oily. Plus it smells nice and fresh too 🙂 Over the years (and make up sessions) I have learned the importance of moisturising and “priming” your face. Obviously 8 glasses of water a day are your best friends, but here are a few more of mine!
Like I said, SK-II has changed my life (and my skin care regime.) I literally use nothing else but a splash after I shower. The other awesome product I swear by (and regularly run out of) is my MAC face primer. You can literally dab on a thin layer and avoid daytime make up altogether because it tightens up your pores and makes your face feel nice and smooth. Or use it as a base for your foundation to give it an even spread. If I plan to use eye-shadow I put on a little Urban Decay eye-shadow primer to enhance the color and make it last longer. Since brown is beautiful I try to stick to my natural skin color when matching base and concealers.
To hide blemishes, I use Estée Lauder’s Stay-in-Place concealer which is magic. The NC44 MAC Select Cover-Up corrector/concealer for when I have dark circles and Shiseido’s Lifting Foundation in Teint Lift Satin O80 and MAC Studio Fix powder plus foundation NG45. Super important of course to use the right brushes (and clean them often!) this is my collection of MAC brushes which I use for everything on my face.
One of the best tricks I learned during a makeup crash course from MAC was to use a brow shader! It really enhances the shape of your eyes and gives your face instant lift and definition. The MAC duo brow shader in Maple/Soft Charcoal is perfect for me. (And you can use the lighter shade to highlight your arches.) I’m pretty open to experimenting with eye shadow but so far I always feel the most bright-eyed when I use a MAC Crush Metal Pigment. I heart the stacked Aloha pigments to open up my eyes and they come in romantic shades like Lantern Light, Campfire, Shifting Sands and Aloha! Oh and I always use a MAC Cream Colour Base in Hush on the inside corner of my eyes so it catches the light. Plus it’s super multi-usage (as advertised!) for eyes AND cheekbones.
My go-to kajal and mascara at the moment is Lakmé’s new Eyeconic range. Super dark and awesome. Plus the Eyeconic curling mascara is perfect if you want give your lashes some extra oomph! Oh, and if you’ve never tried it, I swear it will change your life. Hashmi Kajal is probably the most intense kajal I have ever come across in my life. It is made in Pakistan (but luckily now available in India too!) and nothing will give you sultry desi eyes like this will!
*So I was recently told that this kajal might have unhealthy amounts of led in it 🙁 damn I knew it was too good to be true – so I’ve stopped using it till I know more, just thought I should let you know…!
So here I confess I have never really found a blush that makes me truly happy. So I dabble in whatever happens to be on top of my make up drawer. Feel free to recommend a good one for me in the comments below! But I am happy to report I have finally found a lip-combo that works courtesy Sarika Motiana from Smashh the Salon. Spice by MAC lip pencil (and the trick here is to line your lips and then fill them in so you don’t end up with an unsightly line once your lipstick wears off) and top it up with a little gloss. MAC’s Plush Glass Ample Pink does the trick for me (and also has a nice coffee aroma to it!)
I’m also a big fan of the MAC Girl About Town hot pink from the Amplified collection. And thanks to Pallavi Symons the other day I discovered another new shade of lipstick I quite like (for more sober nights) Faces, Mulberry Slush. Yummy. But when I’m not in the mood to do lipstick I stick to lip balm (lots of it) and am pretty excited about the new Babylips range by Maybelline. It has just enough color that you can get away with just a double coat and nothing else (on your lips at least!) Psst! Your lipstick should ideally be two shades darker than your natural lip color (more on how to pick the right lipstick here.)
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about make up, it’s the importance of taking it off! No matter how tired you are take the time to remove your make-up, wash your face properly and moisturise appropriately. If you absolutely CANNOT make it to the sink, get some make-up remover wipes and keep them by your bed. This will prevent your pores from enlarging.
I like L’Oréal’s gentle lip and eye make up remover because it takes all my make up off without stinging my eyes, even the waterproof kind! Plus I wear contact lenses and it’s never irritated them. I also love cleansing wipes because they leave your face feeling refreshed. My favorite ones are by Boots Essentials in cucumber 🙂 And finally, always be prepared for breakouts. They tend to sneak up on you when you least expect or want them. I have all three of these magic Proactive bottles, but I tend to use the Repairing Treatment the most to battle the sudden stress pimple and dry it out before it turns me into a unicorn!
So that’s it from me, I started out making a Top 10 and ended up with twice as many (kinda like my shopping habits LOL) but now I want to hear from you! Leave me a list in the comments below. xoxo