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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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 |
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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