My Favourite Concealers for every budget!

Following my favourite foundations for every budget is my concealer version! For me concealers are just as important. They hide imperfections and brighten the skin. I have pretty bad dark circles under my eyes some days so I really couldn't live without it. When doing masterclasses I'm always so surprised with the amount of people who say they don't use concealer! By the end it is always one of the first things they are running out to buy along with primer! They are like makeup's secret weapons! 

So like last time I am going to list products in desending order of price! 

1- Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil 

This has to be my favorite I love love love this concealer! It's so great for covering black circles and blemishes. It's a pencil so it's precision application. No brush needed, no dipping into pots or wasting loads of product taking out too much! Simply pair the pencil and work away! So hygienic too! It goes on so silky and then turns matt but not too matt that it makes your skin look dry! I could go on all day lol! This is €15 and is available at all Urban Decay counters in Debanhams and also online! 

2- Rimmel Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer 

This a great illuminating concealer for under the eyes and highlighting areas when contouring. I'm not so mad about it for covering blemishes as it is an illuminating concealer after all so it will only bring attention to what your covering! I use this all the time for highlighting under my eyes it's a really good product from Rimmel! This is €7.99 and is available in Boots and any pharmacy that stocks Rimmel.

3- Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer 

I read about this concealer a while back so when I saw it in Boots in Jervis a few weeks back I'd said I'd give it a go and I was really delighted with it! It has great coverage, it turns matt within a few seconds and stays put! Definitely one of the better 'drugstore' concealers! This is priced at just €6.49 and is worth every cent! As far as I know this is only available in Boots. If you don't live near a boots you can order it online! 

4- Catrice All Round Concealer 

This little palette is brilliant! You get 5 different colours to hide dark circles (Pink), blemishes (Beiges) and redness (Green). These concealers have a really nice creamy texture and pretty good coverage for the price! I would say if you have particularly oily skin then stay away from this product it's just too creamy! I'm pretty sure the last time I bought this it was €3.50 but I know it's definitely under €5 anyway! This is available on the Catrice stand in Penneys and any pharmacy that stocks the brand. 

5- Catrice Camouflage Cream

This is pretty similar to the above product but it's a thicker consistency so your going to get more coverage from it and it's one colour per pot! This is really handy to bring around with you and lasts absolutely ages! This is €3.49 and is also available on the Catrice Stand in Penneys and Selected pharmacies. 

Once again I will probably update this as time goes on and new products are released! 

I hope this helped guys! If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask! 

Thanks for reading :)

Leonie Xx

My Favourite Foundations for every budget!

There are so many foundations out there these days so it can be really hard to know what ones are worth trying! In this post I'll give 5 options, each for different budgets! 

1- Urban Decay Naked Skin 

This foundation is amazing! I only tried this gem recently and am now in love! It's a liquid foundation and is very watery when it is pumped out of the bottle but it's texture on the face is so nice! It looks so light but still has great coverage and is easily build able for a more full on look. This is available in a great range of shades and is €34 available at all Urban Decay Counters and online. I know not everyone likes to spend so much on makeup so the options will get cheaper as we go down! 

2- Inglot YSM 

I've used this foundation for about 6 months now when I'm going somewhere important and also have it in my kit! It's had such a lovely finish almost like velvet, has great coverage, also build able and is long lasting! This is €18 and is available at any Inglot Stand or Store. 

3- L'Oreal True Match

This is a favorite of mine for daytime wear! It's long lasting and really does blend in with your skin! I find it's very similar to the Urban Decay Naked Skin. I'm pretty sure this is priced around €14 but it tends to be on offer a lot! The last time I bought it I got for it for €10 in Shaws! This is available in Boots and any Pharmacy that stocks L'Oreal. 

4- Rimmel Wake Me Up

At the moment the L'Oreal True Match has taken over from this but I always make sure to have a bottle of it as it's my old reliable! It's has a fresh, dewy look to it and really brightens the skin! I have quite an oily t-zone and I find I have to apply powder around this area more frequently when I wear this but otherwise I love it! This is available at all Rimmel stands in Pharmacies and Penneys and is about €8.

5- Catrice Photo Finish

I bought this foundation a while ago just out of curiousity and was impressed considering the price. It has a lovely finish with good coverage but it's lasting power isn't as great as it claims to be so make sure to use a primer and powder to set it other than that I really do like it. This is available on all Catrice stands in selected pharmacies and Penneys and is €6.99. 

That's it for now guys! I'm sure as time goes on I'll be updating this one as there's always new products coming out! 

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Until next time.. :) 

Leonie Xx 

My Night Time Makeup Routine!

Following My Daytime Routine is my Night Time one! 

This isn't massively different just a few bits here and there and the order.

With daytime makeup I do my skin first but with night time I always start with my eyes first to avoid any risk of fall down. 

Eyes

  As always put a coat of concealer on my eye lid first as my base!

For a night time look I generally tend to go stronger on the eyes with smokey looks using black, dark browns and strong golds, sometimes even brighter colours such as purples and pinks again from my Urban decay Vice 2 Palette which is 48euro. I also like to add pigments on top of shadows to further intensify the colours! I have pigments/Glitter Pots from Inglot (15euro) and Gosh (7.99euro) and absolutely love both but I would have to say I prefer the Inglot ones! Many brands offer these so don't feel you have to stick to these alone! 

If I decide I'm going for a strong lip I'll keep my eye shadow very neutral with colours such as golds, creams on the lid and light browns on the crease/socket as the vampy look really does not suit me!

I highlight under the brow and the corner of my eyes with a white matt or shimmer shadow. You could also use your highlighting powder if you didn't have a suitable shadow!

I then line the upper lash line with my Maybelline Gel Liner (12euro). I wait until after I do my foundation to do the flick as I find I always mess it up with my foundation brush otherwise! I do this by starting at the bottom lash line going up towards the outer edge of my brow as far as I want the flick to be, then turn the brush and bring the line back into the top outer edge and fill in the flick. This is dramatic and long lasting. I use and angled eye liner brush to apply this or the L29 Blank Canvas Cosmetics Brush 7.99qpprox. ( Got it at the Irish Beauty Fair and Love it!)


I always line my waterline with Rimmel Black Kohl and smoke out the bottom by smudging the liner. I also go over all this with my gel liner to make it more dramatic and ensure I stays put! If black is too harsh for you they have many other colours available such as White. I can't remember exactly how much the Rimmel Pencil costs but they are definitely under 6euro.

  Next I curl my lashes with my No.7 eyelash curler as eyelashes go on so much better after.

I then put on my Bourjois Clubbing Volume Mascara in Ultra black (12 Euro Approx).

 My eyelashes are the next step! I always use strip, I personally find them much more effective! My favorites would be Kiss and Eylure. The glue with these brands are pretty good but I use Duo Glue (6euro). I just love it. It sticks so quickly, isn't messy and literally lasts until you take them off! There's no lifting in the corners thankfully as that is one thing I cant stand! 

I then wipe under my eyes to clean off any fall down that may have occured! 

Face 

  As always I apply primer first! I like to apply it with my hands but If you rather a brush work away! I can't live without Primer! I wrote a blog post on this a few weeks ago, link should be on the right hand side! 

Next step is my foundation which is Inglot YSM in 52 and Inglot Face and Body Bronzer in 95 mixed.  There's a nice Shimmer to the Face and Body Bronzer when it's mixed so it gives that dewy look .I use an F20 HD Brush from Blank canvas Cosmetics (Review on this also to the right) I apply the foundation in a downward circular motion until it is all blended into the skin.



I'll then look and see what  I need to conceal further. As I've mentioned before black circles under my eyes are the first thing I go to. I always go around my nose as I tend to have a bit of redness and if I have any blemishes or anything I'll of course cover them! When covering spots the best way to do it is dab the top of it with your brush and go around.

Next will be my cream/liquid contour. You can use a concealer palette or just a cream/liquid concealer/foundation two shades darker than your normal foundation. I use my Crownbrush Concealer Palette a lot but also use foundation sometimes and feel its nearly more effective! I apply this under my cheekbones from the opening of my ear to the bottom of the apple of my cheeks in a diagional line across, on my temples and along my hair line on my forehead, down the sides of my nose, down along my jaw line and on the bottom of my chin. 

I then apply my liquid/cream concealer to illuminate areas I would to draw attention to. I'll apply some under my eyes down the side of my nose, along the contour you've just applied, to the bottom of the nose, go back up diagonally until you reach the corner of your eyes and fill in that area. They should look like a triangle! I'll put some over my eyebrows, down from the bottom of my nose, up past the bridge and up onto my forehead into a fan, on my cupids bow (just over my lip), under my lip and between the two contours on your cheek and jaw bone. I use the Catrice Illuminating Concealer and love it! This costs under 5euro.

( I'll get a picture up this weekend of my contouring and highlighting before blending so you can see if your still unsure! )

I then get my F26 Blank Canvas Brush which is the smaller version of the F20 and blend it all in.

I'll then powder my whole face to set everything I've just applied. I use Inglot 22euro setting powder or Mac Studio Fix 34euro.


Next will be my powder contour! I'll simply go over everything I cream contoured with my Kardashian Beauty Cabana Bronzer 17.00e approx. using the F28 from Blank Canvas and I LOVE it!

Powder Highlighting is next once again go over everything you did before except for under the eyes. Instead get your setting powder and just press powder over it this will have a really nice brightening effect but isn't too much! Urban Decay Flushed Palette, 29euro. Some people find this too shimmery but I love it! A nice alernative is the Catrice illuminating powder- cheap and cheerful costing no more than 5euro.


I then put my blush on the apples of my cheeks and outwards. I use the blush out of the Flush palette mentioned above a lot. I also love a coral colour for my cheeks these days! I've been using NYX Cinnamon and I love it! I mix both of these a lot and love the colour it gives!

          I then go back over my face lightly with my F20 brush to blend in any harsh lines!

Eyebrows

I always use the Catrice Eyebrow pencil to fill in my eyebrows and I love it! This costs 3.49euro the last time I bought this! It lasts so long such a bargain! I also use Essence Eye Brow Gel to set my brows this is no more than 4 euro!
 

Lips

 I like to go over my lips with my F20 foundation brush to block out the colour and then line my lips in whatever colour I might be wearing. Some people just line the outside of their lips but I like to fill the whole lip in as it gives the lips a sharper look, it also makes the colour last longer and look more vibrant. I use the Rimmel (under 6 euro)and Catrice Lip liner pencils (under 3 Euro).

My decision on whether to wear lipstick or lipgloss normally depends on what colour I'm wearing. If it's a strong lip I'll use a lipstick but if its neutral I'll use gloss. 

I absolutely love Kate Moss Lippies by Rimmel (under 6 euro) their pigmentation and lasting ability is brilliant! When it comes to Lippies I use Kardashian Beauty all the time! Their Week of Kisses set which includes 7 different Shades is so nice! Its 15.49 and is available at www.feelunique.com!

As I was saying at the start of this post, I wouldn't pair a smokey eye with a strong lip it would always be a light pink/nude gloss. 

Well that's it guys hope I made it easy enough to understand! Let me know if you have any questions or have any blog requests! :)

Leonie xx

Primers :)

When it comes to makeup primers I cannot sing their praises enough! They have only really become popular in recent years but now they're everywhere! As a makeup artist I use primer all the time and many people ask me what it is I'm using and what it does etc so I've decided to explain they're purpose, benefits and recommend one from 3 price ranges so there's one for every budget!

Primer smooths out skin, conceals fine lines and open pores, evens out skin pigmentation and helps to keep your makeup in place for much longer. What's not to love?! It's crazy to think that one of our most useful makeup products is invisible yet does wonders! 

Benefit Porefessional - €34.00

This Primer is definitely one of the best available right now! It's ability to fill in fine lines and open pores is pretty amazing, it almost gives an airbrushed look! I have combination skin and I find my T-zone can get quite oily after a few hours but when I use Benefit's Porefessional I really notice the difference. I know it seems very pricey but it is quite concentrated so you literally need less than a pea sized amount of it.

The primer has a pale beige tint to it at first but once rubbed in it becomes transparent. I use this on many clients and find it suits most skin types, tones and ages.


This product is available on any Benefit stand in Sam McCauley and Debenhams stores or online.

Inglot Under Makeup Base -€22.00

This primer gives a smooth, silky finish almost like velvet allowing makeup to glide on due to it's silicone consistency. It is also great for filling in fine lines and pores and is great for oily skin! 

I would say to be very careful with how much you use as too much will have the opposite effect and give an oily, greasy appearance and your foundation will slip right off your face so once again, less than a pea sized amount. You shouldn't be able to see it on your face but you will be able to feel it! 

This product is suitable for all skin types, tones and ages. It is available from Inglot Stores which are mostly based in Dublin.

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer 002- €8.85

I have always been a fan of Rimmel and there's no exception when it comes to their Fix and Perfect Primer. It is a silicone based gel formula that is designed to mask fine lines, help conceal open pores and even out skin.

This product is a great budget friendly option. What I really like about this one is it's brightening effect! You might decide you don't need makeup at all after use!

This Primer is available from any Rimmel stand which are in most Pharmacies!

If you have very dry skin I would recommend one of the first two mentioned as the Rimmel one is more suited to combination and oily skin! 

Well there you go guys hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any further questions or have any particular skin needs and are not sure what to use give me a shout!

Thanks for reading!

Leonie xx