Beauty: a summer glowing makeup look

Throughout the summer, I love to have that natural gleam but having only just adjusting to the odd highlighting and contouring here and there, I'm still learning. I have moved up in the world in terms of beauty products and I'm finding myself coveting the higher end brands purely because I love the quality upon my face. I'd be lying if I said I stretch far beyond my means in the makeup area because truthfully, I'm boring and tend to stick to the safe smokey eye and basic bronzer. However, this warm weather has got me craving a subtle, nude eye with shimmery, glowing cheeks and a pink lip which is why I collected all my new bits and bobs together (along with some old favourites) to create a playful mix up of my usual routine.

Although all this holiday stress is starting to show in my dull skin and dark under eyes, a good primer, base and concealer can resolve the issue the best it can (which in my case can only do so much justice until a hella' good filter arrives on the case). Starting with my under layer, I applied the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, a new addition to my makeup collection but one I've been missing out on. It gives the ultimate smooth complexion successfully ridding of any prominent pores and blemishes. Next, I followed on with the Jane Iredale Glowtime Mineral BB cream, I swapped to this after some expert advice at a previous blog event and haven't looked back since. My skin has shown great improvement since using a mineral BB cream, I do still get the odd spot (as you can see one unexpectedly popped up on my chin) but it tends to be much clearer and controllable. This BB cream has the coverage of a brilliant foundation but feels less heavy on the skin. With the SPF, it does have a shiny finish but the more satin kind, not the horrible oily kind. It brings your skin alive for the adventurous summer months. 

Once that is done, I then focus on the cover up, using my trusty Bobbi Brown Corrector to erase any blue-toned patches underneath and around the eye area. Still being on the subject of concealer, I then use the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer on any visible marks, spots, red patches or blemishes and blend in carefully. I feel this is definitely the best concealer on the drugstore market and this is the one preventing me from falling victim to all high end! Once the base is complete, I then powder with Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder which is the perfect combination of setting your face  with some extra non-colour changing coverage whilst maintaining that natural radiance. 

Next is the focal point in this formation, and that's the eyes. This is the first time I've practised combining all four shades in my MAC palette but I'm happy with how it turned out. With the Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush I applied Satin Taupe directly over the lid, the most gorgeous cool toned starter base shade, then using my Real Techniques Shading Brush, I blended from side to side along the crease with Naked Lunch and All That Glitters in the outer corners to bring out that shimmer. Then using my Real Techniques Angled Shadow Brush, I highlighted above the mixture of colours and in the inner corners with Shroom. To then balance the match of tones, I brought out my barely used Stila In The Light Palette and reached for Bliss and Sunset to fix a stronger rose colour but not too in your face pink completion to the look. All the shades were then buffed with my Zoeva Luxe Soft Crease brush to make a whirl of colour.

For the brows I stuck to the natural look again and groomed each eyebrow as equally as possible with my MAC Gelcreme in Dirty Blond and my Zoeva Wing Liner brush to trace the hair into structure. As I'm becoming more expertised in winged eyeliner, I swiftly added a fine line of my favourite Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Eyeliner as the fully formed pointed tip is always a winner for my desired eye creation. I then finished off with my number one mascara, Maybelline Lash Sensational for an intense noticeable cat eye flutter of the lashes. 

Moving further down the face to the cheeks to achieve that flushed definition, I used my brand new Kiko Masterpiece Bronzer which not only looks beautiful but is also beautiful once applied to the skin. It's nice and gentle, just the right amount of golden to give you that sun-kissed glow and when paired with my Zoeva Sheer Cheek Brush sits on the shadows of the cheekbones to develop a natural contour. I also lightly dust the bronzer in the famous 3 shape under my chin and around my forehead and nose where the light would naturally hit. On top of the bronzer, I then pat in a sweep of the Mary Lou Manizer Luminizer in a triangle shape underneath my eyes, along my jawline, higher cheekbone and along the bridge of the nose. The stunning champagne shade makes the ultimate difference to brightening up your complexion. To then add a lighter illumination, on my brow bone and at the sides of my nose, I then use my Kiko Radiant Touch Highlighter Stick as the creamy formula makes it easier for me to reach those sparse parts. Wanting to be flushed but not too I-represent-Tinkerbell like I then finish off with the Sleek Blush in Rose Gold to match the softer tones and make my face pop. I adore this blush and think it's suitable for any decided makeup look! Plus, you don't need to pile it on as it's so pigmented. 

Finally, I slide over my lips with the Lord & Berry Lipstick Pencil in Intimacy which is the loveliest vibrant nude/pink and reminds me of the NARS lip crayons with the creamy formula. The pencil style makes shaping the lips a simpler task and the lasting power is fantastic. It can be used with a lip pencil to be more precise but I think this alone is just as effective.

Phew, and we're all done. Typing this seemed to give the impression this was harder than it looked but actually, it's a simple everyday look with a dramatic effect. What products do you rely on to glow?

Bridie x

Christmas Party Season: Get Ready With Me

Merry Christmas Eve Eve everyone! Bit of a different post from me today but one I'm excited to show you. Being inspired by the iconic YouTube 'Get Ready With Me' videos, I thought I'd create my own but blog post wise and via photos because speaking in front of a camera, having to listen to my god awful voice in hope of gaining in audience is certainly not something that appeals to me as of yet. Maybe sometime when I shake off my awkwardness, but for now I enjoy documenting my daily life, findings and adventures through my own personal space which just keeps on developing.

The festive season soon comes around, much faster than it used to it seems. When Christmas hits there's so much to think about, you can easily stress yourself out with all the remembering, present buying, food shopping and squabbling which is why the party season follows on to give you the well needed break. I don't know about anyone else, but the Christmas party season is my favourite kind of partying. It always seems to be more family orientated and it's filled with such class and glamour. Every single year, I find myself searching for that perfect dress that fits the theme and this year was no different. This gorgeous velvet burgundy red dress from Missguided (which was only £9.99 may I add, such a bargain for how lovely the quality and fit is) was instant love at first sight. The bardot style which sits swiftly over my shoulders allows my chest area to be blazoned and open for detail and the colour has Christmas written all over it. I always associate every tone of red with Christmas and this deep berry colour makes me the ideal candidate for Mrs Clause. Another reason for me picking red is the simpleness of how to style. Black is the winner, any black shoes and clutch bag that you can dig out of your wardrobe seems to work. Just like it did for me, when I rediscovered my favourite strappy heels and vintage clutch and found they paired perfectly. 

When it comes to getting ready, I like to maintain a steady routine and make sure I leave myself plenty of time to dress myself up to the max. Once I've had a pampering bath and splashed myself in perfume and body lotion I always start off by doing my makeup first, followed by hair and then finally getting dressed (that's if the item of clothing I've chosen has a wide enough neck area to fit over my head without messing my freshly done hair up, if not the dress goes on first!). I tend to paint my nails the night before just so I'm not rushing around trying to complete a million tasks with wet, tacky nails. 

It goes without saying that I'm the sort of person who likes to stick to a makeup look I am comfortable with. This usually includes neutral shades and a not too heavy base. For the Christmas and the New Year period however, I prefer to raise the basics and create a more enhanced appearance. Once I've moisturized my face and applied my Rimmel Stay Matte Primer, it's time for my base. For this look I used my current favourite foundation, Estee Lauder Double Wear. It provides such amazing coverage but with a smooth, matte finish that makes your skin look effortlessly flawless. To cover up my dark circles and unwanted blemishes, I used the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer and the Seventeen Phwoarr Paint. My dark circles are still visible but these two mixed together help disguise the harshness. 

Once that is done, I start on my eye makeup which when exceeded is more carefully defined and this tends to be what I spend the most time on. The main shade I went with was MAC Amber Lights, I love how the golden copper tone brings out my eye colour and it's a gorgeous vibrant shade which can be worn alone or built up. Using my beloved Naked palette I blended the shade Smog into my crease to add that smidgen of shimmered smokiness to the rust colour. Then, using my Zoeva 221 Soft Crease brush I fluffed across the very top of my eyelid towards the brow bone with a dust of Buck and finished off by highlighting the corner and the end of my eye with Half Baked. With that, comes a flick of winged eyeliner. I've recently moved on to Soap and Glory Supercat Eyeliner which I adore, I'm still not a professional eyeliner artist and it takes me a good few tries to get it right but the shape of this liner makes it much easier to apply. Finally, for the eye I use my long time favourite mascara L'Oreal Telescopic to intensify my already lengthy eyelashes. For the brows I use the famous Anastasia Brow Wiz as well as a Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil to create the best natural shapely brow I can as my non growing eyebrow hairs are very sparse and broken. 

Once the top half of my face is complete, I move on to the tricky parts or on more simpler terms, the contouring/highlighting of my cheeks. It's something I'm still trying to get a hold of but I'm slowly but surely improving. I only recently purchased the Sleek Face Form in Light which is what I started with. Using my Zoeva Sheer Cheek Brush I swept a dash of the darker colour across the bottom of my cheekbone structure and above that I applied the lighter shade to direct the illumination to that area. I also use my Soap and Glory Solar Powder and my Topshop Glow Stick in Play Up just to give my skin that extra glow and to highlight the rest of my face that is going to be captured. On my brow bone, down the length of my nose and around my jawline and chin are the main areas I focus on.

Now the contouring/bronzing is intact, I powder my face with the Soap and Glory One Heck Of A Blot. It's overtaken my previous favourite powders, Rimmel Stay Matte and Seventeen Miracle Matte and has become the first on my list of 'powders to maintain a smooth finish and control oiliness'. Until I discover some higher end brands, this stays a firm choice. Then, to finish off my face I use Nars Douceur to add a flush of rose pink colour to the cheeks which also compliments my contour. 

For the lips, I ventured out to the red lip world. You can never have enough as there's so much variation. Even the slightest brighter, darker or softer tint can make a difference to how it views on the lips. Nars Cruella Velvet Matte Lip Pencil is a new addition to my collection and although it didn't truly match the colour of my dress I thought the contrast worked well. It's a cool toned, highly pigmented red lip and one of those which you could get away with using as a staple with any achieved makeup design. Then, with a quick check back in the mirror, I'm ready to finish off the rest of my chores.

Now, for the hair... you'll have to excuse the terrible roots. I didn't have much choice but to include my badly faded, discoloured, dull and 'in need of some treatment' barnet in my stages of getting ready. I am having it done (will most likely have had it done as this is posted) today and I couldn't leave the photo taking till last minute. I promise it's not always like this and I can't wait to feel like me again! Ignoring that, I always bring out my treasured Enrapture Totem Styler on an occasion. Soft curls which form into waves as they drop is what I almost always strive for. For this, I use the settings 1-2-1, start from the bottom and twirl a medium section of my hair under the clip. This hair tool is an absolute dream, it's so straight forward to use, it gives me the curls I aim for in around 20 minutes and it never ends up looking anything less than neat and in place.

As it's winter, it's too cold/windy/rainy to shoot outside and the opportunity of getting a clear shot in natural lighting is near enough impossible, so the accomplished look makes it difficult to capture yourself in the right light (you'll have to look past the poor quality, oh how I wish summer would hurry up!). That's the only downside to the Christmas season, so you just have to go through a few poses before it becomes acceptable to post on social networking sites and eventually you just have to go by what your mirror and other people say and walk out on your adventures for the night, ready to show off your sparkle and have some obligated fun.

As this will be my last post before the Christmas activities kick off, I'd like to wish you all a brilliant Christmas and a healthy, prosperous new year. I more than likely will be posting again before 2015 arrives but for the time being I want to forget about the constant thought of what I need to do to complete a blog post, take a short break and enjoy Christmas with my friends and family. It's not that I'm shoving everything away, it's just I enjoy being a lazy mare from time to time and what better way to take advantage than at Christmas time?! If any fellow bloggers have some parties to attend, I hope the process of glamming up goes smoothly because I know just how flustering it can get, and do let me know your going out routines too as I'd love to know those little unique traits that everyone seems to have to make life around the Xmas period that bit more bearable.

Bridie x