What's In My Makeup Bag? #2 EYES

I always enjoy 'What's In My Makeup Bag?' blog posts. I like to know what people are using day to day and what they like enough to consider them essentials in their makeup bags, so I thought I'd do one of my own!

I don't have a huge makeup bag, and I don't think I carry around an excessive amount of products, but everyone has different opinions of what is essential and what they're likely to want or need throughout the day, so here's mine...

EYES

Eyeshadow: I'll often throw the eyeshadow I put on in my makeup bag before I go out, but there are a couple that I always keep on me. The first is Collection 2000 Colour Intense Trio Eye Shadow in the shade Sandcastle. This has 3 shimmery nude shadows, a very pale cream, a slightly darker beige, and a warm light brown. I think this trio has a great selection for everyday makeup, and can be built into a couple of different looks and can work to adjust a lot of looks if you forget to put your eyeshadow in your bag or if you don't want to carry a lot around.

I also have my Sleek i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette in Bad Girl in my handbag. While a lot of colours in the palette are very dark or bold, they can be used lightly to create a wide range of looks, and it's great to have in your bag if you're going out for the day and night, as it's easy to make a neutral day look into an evening one with a smokey eye. It also has two great nude shades in it, Innocence (a frosty white) and Gullible (a frosty beige) which I use a lot for a wash of colour on the lids in the daytime.

Eyeshadow brush: I don't like to carry a lot of brushes in my makeup bag, so I just carry my eyeshadow brush from FCUK as I find good for most looks or touch ups I may need to do.

Eyeliner: I love liquid liners, and personally find them relatively easy to do on the go or touch up quickly. At the moment I'm using 2true Effortless Waterproof Eyeliner and am loving it. It lasts really well, applies accurately, and is opaque so it doesn't require numerous coats. I used to always carry a black kohl pencil or gel liner for my waterline, but have been needing a new one for quite a while since my Maybelline gel liner (which I really liked) dried out and it hasn't been top of my makeup priorities. When I repurchase one, it will undoubtedly live in my makeup bag everyday.

Mascara: I always have two mascaras in my makeup bag. I'll keep a waterproof mascara in there at all times (I'm currently using NYC Showtime Waterproof Mascara) to apply over my normal mascara if necessary or if I want to make it last a bit longer (this isn't scientific fact, just something I like to do!). I then will put in the mascara I am using at the time after I've put it on. I tend to alternate between Benefit's Bad Gal Lash Mascara, George's Lash X-Treme Mascara, and Rimmel Volume Flash Scandal'Eyes Mascara (all in black) depending on the look I want, as I find they all give me different effects.

Read my review of Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara here!
http://beautyimaginarium.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/glamour-and-benefit.html

Read my review of George Lash X-Tend Mascara here!
http://beautyimaginarium.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/george-lash-x-tend-mascara.html




Read Part One of What's In My Makeup Bag? here! http://beautyimaginarium.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/whats-in-my-makeup-bag-1-face.html

Part Three coming soon!

Thanks for reading! xxx

Collection 2000 Waterproof Fast Stroke Eyeliner!

I have been using the 2true Waterproof Eyeliner for a while now and really enjoying it, but when looking over the Collection 2000 products I saw this and remembered that I used to use the Fast Stroke eyeliner all the time a year or so ago, so I picked one of the Waterproof Fast Stroke Eyeliners from the range.

I'm not sure whether it's because it was the waterproof formula instead of the normal one I used to use, or if it has been altered, but I wasn't as smitten with it as I once was.

I like my eyeliner to be completely opaque if I'm wearing a liquid liner look and this didn't deliver that on the first or even the second go. It took quite a lot of going back over, but I'm not sure if that's because I have eyeliner issues and am a bit fussy.

As far as the application, I still like this product. It says it gives you precision and definition, and I do think it's  got a great nib for precise application, and for doing things like flicked liner. You can get a really thick line or a really thin precise one depending on how you angle and use the nib.

I really like the handle for the eyeliner as well. As it is really long, you feel a lot of control over the application. Sometimes when applying it a bit thicker with the edge of the nib, I found that the thinner part of the nib would almost draw a line through what you had just applied where it was removing a bit of the product. I found it lasted well on my eyes, and yet was easily removed, so you aren't left scrubbing at your eyes like I sometimes find with waterproof products.

Overall, I like the effect this eyeliner gives, and I will continue to use it. However, it's not one of my favourites. It takes a lot of building up to create a solid line and definition, but it is good for precision and the waterproof formula does last throughout the day.
Have you tried the Collection 2000 Liquid Liners? If so, I'd love to know what you though!

xxx

Collection 2000 Fast Stroke Eyeliner - £2.99 - http://www.superdrug.com/eyes/collection-2000-fast-stroke-liquid-eyeliner-1/invt/228796/&bklist=

E.L.F Reviews (Part One) - Eyeshadow, Eyeliner, and Lash and Brow Mascara!

So I got a bit carried away and ordered 7 products from the E.L.F website last week. Having never owned an E.L.F product, I was very excited to try them out, and have been incorporating them into my everyday make-up routine since they arrived.

E.L.F Single Eyeshadow in Totally Teal (Retails for £3.75)

I had my reservations about the colour of the free Studio eyeshadow I got with my order.

Don't get me wrong, I love a freebie, however as it's not a colour I would normally wear I was dubious as to whether I'd get any real use out of it, as opposed to if it were more of a neutral shade.
However, the colour is gorgeous and beautifully pigmented, so I have set about finding ways I could use it for different looks. In the summer I sometimes like to have a natural or golden eyeshadow on my lid and line the underneath with a blue or green, and this worked really well for that with a damp liner brush.

It's very buildable, so you can use it for a wash of teal over the lid, or for a really dramatic heavy eye look. It says on the packaging that the product is crease and fade resistant. I haven't worn it all over the lid for a long enough period of time to really test this, but it did last well as a liner, and there was no fall-out from it, despite it being pigmented. If the product really is crease and fade resistant, it would be fantastic for make-up looks for nights out. It can also be applied wet for a more intense and longer lasting colour.

From the website, the other shades in this range all look beautiful as well, and I'd definitely be keen to try this product in one of the softer colours as I really like the consistency and pigment of the product, as well as how well it applies.

E.L.F Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Black (Retails for £1.50)

I've never been a huge fan of eyeliner pens. While they are good for precise application and don't give you the leaking or smudging problems that some pencils or liquid liners do, I've always found the nib to dry out quickly or the colour to just not have the intensity or be as opaque as I'd like. I'm willing to accept this is probably just me being fussy. When I wear eyeliner on my upper lashline I like it to be very defined and opaque, not necessarily thick, but I just don't like the look of smudgey eyeliner or undefined liner on me.

But I thought it was time me and eyeliner pens tried to settle our differences. As (hopefully) summertime approaches, I won't always want to be wearing a lot of make-up, and while I love the liquid liner look, it might tend to look a bit heavy for everyday when I'm not out and about doing anything special. It also appealed to me that this pen is waterproof as in the warmer weather I am a big fan of waterproof eye products that you don't have to worry about melting off of your face or transferring.

The nib for this pen is fantastic. It's really thin so you are able to achieve a great eyeliner flick, and you can build it to be as thin or thick a line as you fancy. When I applied this eyeliner, it stayed in place all day, and it stayed put through some tricky eyeliner odds.

However, I did find it quite hard to make my liner as intense as I like it, but as I've said I bought this for the days when I don't really want that look, so I think it's something I'd get used to. But if you are looking for a good intense solid eyeliner line, I wouldn't buy this product for that.
If you like subtle but defined, then I think this product could really be for you, and it is fantastic for that look.

E.L.F Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara

I really love having my eyebrows well shaped and defined. I feel like good eyebrows really pull a make-up look together. I use a No7 Amazing Eyes Pencil in number 10 Brown to lightly fill in and shape my brows, but have often found that sometimes the hairs will fall out of place. I have in the past used a tiny bit of Vaseline over them to keep them in place, but it's not very resistant, so I have been wanting to buy a clear mascara for a while.

It's been one of those products that hasn't been top of my list, so I always forget it when shopping, however I am so glad I finally bought one. I think it is brilliant and is now a necessary step in finishing my make-up off. The packaging says the formula has protein conditioning properties, but doesn't describe what that does. It could possibly help promote the growth of lashes and eyebrows, but I couldn't be certain.

The product has one end for lashes and one for brows. While I'm sure the lashes end would work just as well for brows and vice versa should you run out of mascara. The brow wand is slightly thicker than the lashes wand, and isn't tapered. It applies perfectly to the brows and allows them to be shaped however you want them.

The formula dries fully, so you feel really assured that your brows won't be moving, and it doesn't leave them looking glossy, coated in product, or anything that would make them look unnatural. The mascara has worked really well for me both over colour I've used for my brows and just on them naturally for a simpler, more everyday look.

I have also been using the clear lash mascara for my bottom lashes. I often find putting black mascara on my lower lashes can look a bit much on me for the daytime, and can make them look a bit long and spidery. So this was a great alternative to define them, whilst looking natural. It would also work really well over black mascara if you wanted to experiement with glossy looking lashes.

This product is a firm favourite of mine and I will be repurchasing when I run out!



Hope you enjoy reading! So far I am really pleased with my E.L.F buys and definitely think, with the prices and the variety, that I could be onto a new personal favourite brand!

xxx

Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara - £1.50 - http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~12.htm
Waterproof Eyeliner Pen - £1.50 - http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~101.htm
Studio Single Eyeshadow - £3.75 - http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~145.htm

Mini E.L.F Haul!

I had never bought anything from the E.L.F range before, but knowing how popular and purse friendly they are, I thought I'd have a look for a few alternatives for the items in my make-up bag that I was running low on.

Over the weekend, the E.L.F Facebook page had discount codes for free delivery when you spend £10 and also a code to get either an eye shadow from either their Studio or Mineral ranges. I probably wasn't originally going to spend £10, but with delivery normally at £2.95 I thought it was worthwhile to take advantage of this offer.

The main item I was after was a new concealer. I bought the Tone Correcting Concealer in Rosy Beige (£1.50). I normally would have bought the shade Ivory, but it was out of stock and I thought this shade would probably be fine when I am slightly more tanned or even just to use under my eyes.

The next item I went for is the Waterproof Eyeliner Pen (£1.50). I normally use liquid or gel eyeliners as I normally like quite defined eyes, and also I find that pens can dry up pretty quickly. However, I thought this would be great for when I wanted a thinner line and I also love that it's waterproof, so fingers crossed it doesn't dry up too quickly!

I'm a big fan of good eyebrows, and rarely, even on the most minimal of make-up looks, will I go out without my brows filled in a defined a bit. I really like to have a definite shape to my brows so I bought the Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara (£1.50) to keep them in place on nights out or long days, or to just help define them without using a product like a brow pencil or eye shadow to fill them in.

I then wanted a cream eye shadow for the summertime for a more natural, glowing look, so I bought one of the new E.L.F Duo Eye Shadow Creams in 'Sugar Cookie' (£1.50), a shimmery gold colour on one side and a frosted pinky peach colour on the other. I'm very excited to try this as the colours look gorgeous, although there is a bit less product in the pot than I expected.

For quite a while I had wanted a good contour brush, and most people seem to think that the angled brushes are best for the job so I bought the Professional Bronzing Brush (£1.50). Although it's had some mixed reviews, I've never had a good brush suitable for contouring really so I'm excited to see how it works and what effect it gives.

At this point my basket was at £7.50 so I wanted something around £2.50 or more to qualify for the free delivery and eye shadow. I went for a nail polish as I love nail polish and am always keen to try new colours and formulas. I didn't have any pink colours, so I decided to buy Passion Pink (£2.50). I actually prefer the colour a lot more in real life than the one shown on the website. It's a lot brighter in real life and from the bottle it seems to have a beautiful metallic gold running through it.

For the free eye shadow I opted for a Studio shadow but you couldn't select a colour so it was a bit of a lucky dip. I was sent the Single Eyeshadow in the colour Totally Teal. I'm not too excited about the colour, not because it's not pretty, it's a lovely vibrant teal, but I just would have preferred a more wearable shade. But in the summer I may use it to line my lower lashes so hopefully it will get some use.

I'm looking forward to trying and reviewing my purchases and hope they're a good quality for their brilliant price!

xxx

All products bought from eyeslipsface.co.uk

(Sorry for the poor photo quality, my camera on my phone has decided to hate me!)

Beauty Bargain Hunting...

Is it just me or do all your beauty essentials seem to run out at the same time?
Although these must-haves might not be pricey individually, when you have to buy a handful of things at once, it can easily add up. So when I began to run low on a few things lately I thought I'd give some cheaper alternatives a go.

NYC All Day Long Smooth Skin foundation - £3.99 from Superdrug  
NYC Showtime Volumising Waterproof Mascara - £1.99 from Superdrug
2true Effortless Waterproof Eyeliner - £1.99 from Superdrug
Superdrug Vitamin E Skincare SPF 15 Moisturising Day Cream - £2.99 from Superdrug


A new foundation, mascara, eyeliner and moisturiser for less than £11 isn't bad at all. So I'm going to give these a go in my everyday routine and see how we get along. I don't expect miracles from cheaper brands but fingers crossed for some good results! 


Let me know if you've tried any of these and what you thought, or if there's any other cheaper brands you'd recommend!


xxx