Make up looks of the week

I have been making more of an effort to try a different make up look everyday at the moment. Normally I get in a bit of a rut and tend to stick to the same few things day in day out. The first look is from some of my fav mac makeup at the moment.

Base

Shiseido prefect refining foundation in 100 (this is so good I didn't use any concealer)

Bourjois mineral radiance powder in vanilla

Eyes

UDPP

Mac boy crazy all over the lid and under lash line

Mac aduki bean outer corner and in crease

liner avon supershock gel liner in plumful

mascara collection 2000 big fake in ultra black

eyebrows rimmel dark brown eyebrow pencil

Blush

mac sakura

Lips

Guerlain rouge automatique in cherry blossom

The next look is a bit more of an evening one.

Base

Max factor weightless foundation in 40

Bourjois mineral radiance powder in vanilla

Eyes

UDPP

Accessorize illusion merged eyeshadow in cocoa all over the lid

No7 autumn palette used to blend and highlight

liner avon supershock gel liner in plumful

mascara collection 2000 big fake in ultra black

eyebrows rimmel dark brown eyebrow pencil

Blush

Illamasqua cream pigment in Emerge

A couple of slightly different looks for me

Ok so I am a creative person and and i'm not afraid of colours but there are certain looks and styles that stray out of my comfort zone. There are few things I avoid because I know they look wrong for me things like tanned skin and liner on the water line. Now there are ladies out there who rock this look effortlessly every day and look like wonderful godesses but on me it just doesn't feel right.

Lets explore shall we.

What started this was a little sample bag from MaxFactor (I think they were given away at christmas) The foundation samples are always in medium or nude which is about 2 shades to dark for me but I was interested to see if the formula for lasting finish was the same as this is what I used all through school and uni and loved it.

Products used

Max Factor lasting finish in 106 natural beige all over the face and jaw line

The I contoured like crazy through the cheekbones, jawline, temples and nose with Illamasqua in hollow (I can't begin to tell you how much I love this product) and then highlighted with a Tokidoki.

I then lined the waterline with a black Maxfactor Khol which I hate doing as it never stays put and I end up with little black globs in the corners of my eyes and them looking red and watery.

Shaded in my brows with my normal Natural collection shadow and put on a coat of Collection 2000 Big Fake.

The gloss was also in the give away bag and it is Vibrant Curve Effect in Majeste, which smells really strongly of Melon but is quite nice not sticky and quite long lasting.

Next up we have a bright lipstick, and I mean really bright which is a long long way from my classic red. I am not one to shy away from a bold lip but this is very different for me so here in all it's glory is Mac Candy Yum Yum and I LOVE it!

Please excuse the goofy face and nerdy specs

the quest for the perfect foundation (very pic heavy)

In my infinite quest to find the perfect foundation I have bought a lot over the years and because I am hoarder I never throw them away even if they don't work for me. Pretty much every shade I buy is the lightest one of of the range and the difference between companies becomes very apparent. As a result of this comparison test I will be throwing away a fair few of these because as you can see I would have to be mad to wear them and actually can't believe I ever did.

Everything was photographed in natural light on fresh clean skin.

Bourjois

1. 10 Hour Sleep Effect (71 abricote clair)

2. Brush Foundation (31 beige clair)

3. Healthy Mix (51 vanille clair)

4. Mineral Matte (81 tendre ivorie)

Bourjois is possibly my favourite brand of makeup and their foundations are second to none (same company as Chanel don't you know) Colour and texture is always great the only one I am surprised by is the mineral matte(4) as it looks a little dark but actually looks fine on my face. As you can see the healthy mix(3)is the best coverage and colour which is what I expected as it is my favourite liquid foundation.

Rimmel

1. Stay Matte Mousse (100 ivory)

2. Renew & Lift (100 ivory)

3. Lasting Finish (100 ivory)

Rimmel has always been hit and miss for me but as always the price of them makes them very tempting. Interesting that they are all named ivory when the difference is colour is so vast, I wanted to love the stay matte mousse(1) but as you can see from the picture even the lightest one is unbelievably orange and it is more jelly than mousse the texture just doesn't work for me.

Revlon & Max Factor

1. Revlon PhotoReady (002 vanille)

2. Revlon Beyond Natural (210 light pale)

3. Max Factor Colour adapt (70 natural)

4. Max Factor Second Skin (040 creamy ivory)

Wow, Just wow! look at the difference in shades on show here, the PhotoReady (1) is very yellow toned which actually works well for me as it balances out my pink tones. The Beyond Natural(2) is a great tone but is very light on the coverage. Check out the horror of the Max Factor(3) this is meant to be colour adapting, adapting to what? This was the lightest shade they had and it is just not right for me this one will be going in the bin. Second Skin(4) was my previous favourite liquid and the shade is a little dark but not too bad in summer when I have a bit more colour.

Mishmash 1

1. L'Oreal True Match Roll On (R2 vanille rose)

2. E.L.F Tinted Moisturiser (ivory)

3. 17 Skin Perfecting Balancing Foundation (fair)

4. Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid (010 ivory)

This is the foundation that makes me the most sad is the L'Oreal roll on foundation(1) just look at the application it is easy and even, light and soft. It is also orange and also the lightest colour it comes it, it is supposed to be "true match" but it just doesn't to it for me. Great product just not my shade. The E.L.F(2) is a lovely shade and a tinted moisturiser so not much coverage, it sits in my pores and makes me a little greasy so I need to find a way to work with this one. Another destined for the circular file is the Boots 17(3) great coverage and really does stop me getting shiny but just way to dark for my skin. The only foundation I have tried from Maybelline(4) and it is actually really nice lives up to the product claims if the shade was a touch lighter this would be perfect.

Mishmash 2 (sorry 3 and 4 are the wrong way round in the product shot)

1. MAC Select Founation (NW15)

2. No7 Essential Moisture Foundation (10 new ivory)

3. Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick (0 porcelain)

4. Avene Couvrance (01 porcelain)

This is the product that I was most surprised at when I swatched, I wore the MAC foundation(1) for my wedding and it works well with my combination skin I am just a bit shocked at how pink it has come out. I guess it works with my pink tones rather that fighting against them. The shade of the No7(2) is glorious but I have to be a little careful with the finish on my combination skin, lovely product though very impressed. What can I say about the Bobbi Brown(3) I love this foundation the colour is perfect and the coverage is perfect it also had great staying power which is what you would expect from a pan stick. Which leads us on to the only problem with this foundation is that it is a pan stick it leaves me greasy and I need to powder a lot to stop it slipping around, having said that though I have nearly used the whole thing and when it is finished I will be investigating their liquid foundations as the shade is so good. The Avene(4) one I got from work and whilst nice and kind to the skin is way too yellow.

So to sum up

top 3

1. Bourjois healthy Mix

2. Bobbi Brown pan stick

3. No7 essential Moisture

going in the bin

Avene, 17 and Max Factor colour adapt

hoping to find new homes for

the Rimmel Mousse and the L'Oreal

Thursdays Makeup

Normal base today of

Maxfactor Second Skin

Bourjois mineral powder

Benefit Erase Paste

and the blush was No7 (soft apricot)

Eyes were

Clarins eyebrow kit

Bobbi Brown Gel eyeliner

Rimmel Sexy curves Mascara

I also used a little touch of Benefit Powderflage under my eyes and just under my brows as I was feeling really tired today.

Todays makeup

I do make up everyday for work and it never really comes out the same twice so I am going to try an post as many as I can on here. I have been told that sometimes I look so different from one day to the next that my customers do not recognise me.

I went with my standard base with my new face creams (more about that later)

Lancome Primordiale

Lancome Gentifique eye cream

Maxfactor Second Skin Foundation (040 creamy ivory)

this is my go to foundation at the moment it is almost a dupe of the MAC select. It goes on really well and really doesn't feel cakey, it's not quite as good coverage as they make it out to be but it is an excellent day foundation.

Benefit Erase Paste (no 1 fair)

I love this stuff it really helps to even out my under eyes which I am completely paranoid about. It is quite greasy but isn't cakey and doesn't crease.

Bourjois Mineral Radiance pressed powder (02 Vanille)

Bourjois Blush (48 cendre de rose brune)

My eyes are different most days depending on if I decide to put my lenses in or not and which lenses I decide to wear. Today I went for my green tinted lenses so purple seemed to be the order of the day.

Lancome eye shadow (colour du jour)

this is a very metallic plum/brown from the free gift I got the other day I wasn't expecting much so when it didn't go on very easily I wasn't suprised. I was however pleased with the colour and it actually lasted really well all day without creasing at all and even held up to a walk home from work in the rain.

Lancome Virtuose (Black Carat)

Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eyeliner (220 Perfect Plum)