 Hey guys Happy New Year to you. I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas. Today's blog is going to be my 2015 Makeup Favourites. Some are new products for me and some are old favourites that I keep going back to time & time again. But they are all ones that I have used and loved the most.  Primer has pretty much stayed the same since I discovered this product. It's the Laura Mercier Radiance Primer and I use it both on myself and in my professional kit. It is a lightweight creamy gel that leaves skin with a beautiful radiant appearance. Lovely to use on its own for "no makeup" days or perfect under your foundation to help it last longer. There are two foundations which have really stood out for me this year and the first one is the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation. This has firmly become my everyday go to base. It evens out my complexion and hide any redness around my nose whilst lasting brilliantly throughout the day. Amazing budget foundation. For something with a little more coverage I have been loving the Clarins Everlasting Foundation. I am a loyal Estee Lauder Double Wear user however this has definitely taken over from it. It feels really light on your skin but still has great high coverage with a beautiful finish. No caking in sight!!!! I know I have raved about this concealer on loads of occasions but it really is my favourite go to. It's the Maybelline The Eraser Eye and is my most used and most loved concealer. It doesn't crease or sit in my fine lines and manages to cover most of my dark circles...Sure what else could you want!!!! The Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer wasn't an instant WOW product for me but after seeing so many people rave about it I decided to give it a 2nd chance. And boy am I glad I did. It is now a firm favourite in my makeup bag. I use it on days I need extra coverage for dark circles or for any blemishes I may have.This stuff doesn't budge...brilliant concealer.
So to hold my foundations in place and prevent shine I still go back to the Rimmel Lasting Perfection Powder. It adds a little extra coverage and stays in place for the day. My favourite bronzer is an old favourite. It's the Soap and Glory Solar Powder. This has two shades...the darker shade is a matte bronze and the lighter shade has a lovely golden shimmer. I love using this with a big fluffy brush to warm up my complexion. It adds a lovely glow without being too shimmery.... Outstanding blush has to be the Max Factor Creme Puff Blushes...I have about four of these and am a massive fan. They apply beautifully to the skin, the pigmentation is great and it blends really well. To contour I love the Sleek Face Form palette. This contour colour is the perfect shade for me and is totally matte. I also love the blush and highlight that comes with this. It's just a great all rounder palette. Highlighter will be no surprise as it has taken the world by storm this year. It's The Balm Mary Loumanizer. This is the perfect glowy champagne colour.  I always use an eye primer and this is another product that hasn't changed over the past twelve months. I apply a thin layer of the MAC Painterly Paint Pot all over my lid to even any discolouration and to hold my shadow in place all day. This year I have been loving cream eyeshadows and my favourite has been the Max Factor Colour Excess in Bronze. It 's super simple to use, adds a lovely wash of colour all over the eye and is perfect for a quick makeup look. It lasts all day and can be used on it's own or as a base for powder shadows. A new discovery for me this year has been the Makeup Geek eyeshadows. I have about 6 shades but now that they are more easily available on Beautybay.com I will definitely be adding more to my collection.They blend really well, have great pigment with very little fall out. My favourite shade is this beautiful rich cranberry called Burlesque. My 2015 favourite eyeshadow palette will be no surprise to my regular readers...It's the Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita palette. This is basically my go to perfect palette. I love the colours, the shadows are buttery soft and blend like a dream and even the packaging is gorgeous. If I was stuck on a desert island and could only have one makeup product it would definitely be mascara. And I am totally in love with these two. First up is the Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara. This gives great volume and curl without looking clumpy. The perfect everyday mascara. And for a more dramatic look I love the Lancome Grandiose. It gives great volume, separation and a fab long lasting curl without any of that nasty flakiness... Another cult favourite which has been massive this year is the Inglot No. 77 Gel liner. This glides on easily and once it sets it will NOT budge!!! My go to pencil eyeliner has to be MAC Teddy. This is a silky smooth bronze that glides on easily. It's not as harsh as black so great for day wear. Eyebrows are still "big" this season and my favourite product has to be the Eylure Brow Palette. It comes in 3 shades Blonde, Medium Brown & Dark Brown and each palette contains a powder colour, gel colour & a matte brow highlight shade. Its super easy to apply and very long lasting. Basically fool proof!!!  I have fallen in love with lip pencils this year and often use them on their own with just a bit of gloss for colour. It was hard to choose just one favourite but when I actually thought about it the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk is the one I reach for the most. This is the perfect nude pencil and is great for adding shape & definition to your lips. Honorable mention has to go to the Essence & Catrice lip pencils. I must own every shade of the NYX Butter Glosses. These are just brilliant. They are well pigmented, creamy and so comfortable to wear on the lips. Brilliant budget buy. MAC Creme Cup has to be my favourite nude lipstick both personally and for professional use. This is a beautiful light pink with a blue undertone (so it makes your teeth look whiter!!!). And as with most MAC lipsticks its very comfortable to wear. My go to darker lip colour has to be the Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick in Divine Wine. This applies nice and creamy and then dries to a comfortable matte finish. The pigmentation is incredible and it wears really well without going patchy.  I love makeup brushes and sponges so of course had to give a mention to my favourite tools. First up is the Cailyn O WOW Foundation Brush. This looks strange and takes a bit of getting used to but it makes applying your foundation really easy. Next up is the Blank Canvas F15. This is the most versatile brush I own. I use it to set my concealer and for contour because it has a great tapered head and for blush & highlight because it is super soft and blends the products so easily. I have about four of them for my professional kit. Amazing brush. And lastly...it's the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. This makes applying foundation & concealer super simple and gives a beautiful airbrush effect to the skin. So that's it...My 2015 favourites!!!!
What have your been loving over the past 12 months? Let me know in the comments below or pop over and say hi on Facebook/Instagram or Snapchat (you will find me at makeupbyrubysue) Thanks for reading guys!!! Susie xxx
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 Well January has come and gone and I really don't know where it went to. It's not my favourite month so I am glad to see the back of it to be honest. For my January favourites I have some brilliant new skincare that has made a huge difference to my freckly little face, a gorgeous perfume that I am slightly addicted to and I rediscovered some amazing beauty products. So stay tuned!!!!  If you are a regular reader of my blog or Facebook page then you will know I got not one but two bottles of Jo Malone's Peony & Blush Cologne for Christmas. Well I decided to return one of them in exchange for a different fragrance and after what seemed like an eternity I finally decided on Blackberry & Bay. Jo Malone describes Blackberry & Bay as: Childhood memories of blackberry picking...A burst of deep, tart blackberry juice, blending with the freshness of just-gathered bay and brambly woods. Vibrant and verdant. Blah Blah Blah...To me it smells beautifully fresh & citrusy... my idea of spring in a bottle. Jo Malone is available in Brown Thomas and with prices starting from about €50.  This little bottle has hands down been the best purchase I have ever made. It has made such a massive difference to my skin and I don't know why I didn't buy it sooner. It is ladies and gentlemen the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner. This isn't like your old toner...NO...the new generator of toner are designed to exfoliate, even skin texture, tighten pores and brighten the skin. It works by using acids (calm down they won't damage your skin) to exfoliate and encourage cell renewal. This brightens the complexion and also helps fight against wrinkles. I use it at night, let it dry and then apply my night cream. It costs €31 so a little on the pricey side but if you suffer from breakouts, uneven skintone, large pores or are worried about aging skin then this is the product for you.  I got the Vichy Idéalia Eye at a training day I attended back in October and as I had just finished my NeoStrata Eye Treatment it was perfect timing. My two main eye concerns are dark undereye circles and the demon fine lines have started to creep in so I couldn't wait to start this. It contains illuminators to instantly brighten the area and a load of ingredients to help reduce dark circles plus a load more to smooth out the fine lines. And I have to say it actually does work. After about 2 weeks I noticed my skin was more hydrated and my dark circles seem a lot less noticeable. Result. There is still loads in the tube so even though it costs €28 you will have it for months.
I have had this MAC Creamblush in LadyBlush for ages but it got pushed to the back of the drawer and I forgot about it. That was until Tanya Burr used it in a recent tutorial and I dug it back out. And I am so glad I did. This is basically a "healthy glow" in a pot. It is a beautiful warm neutral coral shade and is so easy to blend. This will definitely be a staple in my makeup bag for the spring.
Another rediscovery is the Vichy Dermablend powder. I have this in my kit but for everyday I use the Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder. However I dug this little pot of translucent powder back out and it is now firmly back in my daily routine. Don't be afraid of the colour as it sets completely clear on the skin and it just makes your makeup last the whole day. It costs €20 but will last you forever.  And last but not least it the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. Again I have had this forever but since I got my Blank Canvas F20 it kinda got pushed to the back of my drawer. This just blends your foundation perfectly and gives a fabulous airbrush finish to the skin. You can build up coverage, use it to apply concealer and cream blush and basically it is a brilliant all rounder. Available from pharmacies nationwide €6.
 Ok here is part 2 of my long overdue makeup brush series. These are my eye & concealer brushes. I know it might look like there are alot but I will explain each one to you.  First up is my all time favourite blending brushes. On the left is the Blank Canvas E26 and on the right is MAC 217. These are the exact same brush as far as I am concerned. The only difference is the price. The Blank Canvas brush is €6.99 whilst the MAC one is €25. Wow!!! I use these brushes every day. They are perfect for running a wash of colour all over the eye but are also brilliant for applying colour to the crease area. Super soft and fluffy these take all the hard work out of blending.  Next up is another MAC brush (on the right). The 239 is the perfect size for packing shadow on the lid or blending colour underneath the eye. I have had this brush for years (it was one of my first MAC brushes) and use it daily. It washes really well and keeps it's it shape perfectly. It is €28 so a little on the pricey side. (A more affordable equivalent is the Blank Canvas E35 which is €6.99) Beside the 239 is the Mint Brush 20 Blending Brush. Mint brushes were created by one of my all time favourite makeup artist Eman. I have followed her videos on Youtube for years and she is one of the main reasons I decided to train as a makeup artist. (https://www.youtube.com/user/makeupbyeman). Anyway the Mint Brush 20 is brush is perfect for applying eyeshadow in your crease area and is so soft it blends the shadow out perfectly. It has a pointed tip which allows you to achieve great precision with shadow application. I also use this brush for applying highlight to the inner corner of the eye and along my check bones. It is available from http://www.mintbrushes.com for $15.  These next three brushes have been in my makeup bag pretty much since I started to use makeup. I cannot remember where I bought them and the names have long worn off the handles. On the left is my spoolie. I use this for brushing through my brows before applying any product and again after to keep my brows looking as natural as possible. In the centre in my pencil brush which I use for smudging shadow & liner and on the right is a small angled brush perfect for apply gel liner or shadow along the lashline/waterline. You will pick up similar brushes from any good brush company.  This is my big fluffy MAC 224 tapered blending brush. This is a great brush for beginners as it is brilliant for blending out shadows and fits perfectly into the crease. It is available from Brown Thomas for €32.50  And last but not least are two eyeshadow brushes but I actually use them for concealer. The brush on the left was just a generic blending brush I picked up in my local pharmacy for €6. It blends out concealer perfectly leaving you with a beautiful airbrushed finish. On the right is the Real Techniques Dome Shadow Brush. This is brilliant for getting into the inner corner of my eye where it is the darkest. I push/press on my concealer for better coverage. You can pick up all the Real Techniques Brushes from pharmacies nationwide. And that's it. My essential makeup brushes.
If you are just starting out I would recommend the Real Techniques brushes and the Blank Canvas Cosmetic Brushes. Both companies make fantastic quality brushes and very affordable. You will pick up the Real Techniques brushes in pharmacies nationwide or on http://iherb.com (best value) and Blank Canvas from http://blankcanvascosmetics.com. What are your favourite brushes? Let me know in the comments below. Until next time...Be Happy!!! Susie xxx 
It's all very well buying the newest shade of lipstick and keeping up to date with all the latest trends but if you don't know how to do the basics then you're just wasting your time and money. I am a firm believer that every makeup look should start with a flawless base. And one of the most important tools in your makeup kit will be a great concealer. Now I know there are 100's no sorry 1000's of concealers on the market from under eye highlighters to full coverage concealers and it can all get VERY confusing. But hopefully I'm going to answer some of your questions and help you find the right concealer and tell you how to apply it. 
Depending on how much coverage you need, concealer can be applied before or after your foundation. A general rule of thumb is: For less coverage, apply concealer before foundation; for more coverage, apply concealer on top of foundation. Under Eye ConcealingThis is the most common area to conceal and the first thing I need to say is NO MATTER what you do or WHAT PRODUCT YOU USE your concealer will more than likely crease. However here are a few tips you should follow to minimise creasing and help your concealer to last longer.
How to Apply:
Products I Love for Under Eye Concealing:
Blemishes
Makeup by Lisa Eldridge
The difference between undereye concealers and blemish concealers is simply the texture: concealers that work best on blemishes have a thicker, creamier texture. Here are a few tips on covering blemishes:
Even celebrities get spots
How to apply concealer
Products I love for blemish concealing:
Redness
It’s very common to have redness or small broken veins around your nose. This is also generally a much oiler area of your face, so it requires a concealer method that’s simple but a little bit different than the rest of your face.
How to apply concealer:
Products I love for redness concealing:
So thats it. I hope I have answered most of your questions.
Please let me know in the comments below if you have any further queries or what you would like me to blog about next. Thanks for reading. Until next time - Be Happy! Susie XXX  As you all know by now I love the Real Techniques Brushes (cause I never shut up about them). They are a fantastic affordable range and with the help of Sam's tutorial video's everyone can become an expert at applying their makeup. The latest release from Samantha Chapman was the Miracle Complexion Sponge. I will be posting a full review on it soon but for now let me just say I haven't used anything else to apply my foundation since I got it. Any now onto my Christmas Wish list. The newest release from Real Techniques is this 6 piece set called Sam's Picks.  The set contains 2 base brushes - the buffing brush and the pointed foundation brush, 2 finishing brushes - the multi-task and the setting brush and finally 2 eye brushes - the fine liner brush and exclusive to the set an essential crease brush.
This is a fantastic introduction for anyone to the range as it contains all the essentials. And even if you own some of the brushes already it always handy to have a clean one on hand. The set will be released in November just in time for Christmas and would make a perfect gift for anymakeup fan. (I think it will retail @ €35 but don't hold me to that). What will top of your Christmas Wish List this year? 
Super Super Super bag full of goodies :)
Ok guys I went a little mad on the shopping spree but I wanted to get some of my favourite products to giveaway to you so you could try them out. So here goes a full list of what is in the bag:
Thanks to you all for checking out and reading this blog. Best of Luck to you all Susie xxx |
 AuthorLover of all things beauty, Makeup Artist, Blogger & Wife . I am always on the look out for the perfect makeup or the best beauty product so keep reading to follow my never ending quest! Categories
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