As you may or may not have noticed, on a day-to-day basis I do have a certain look I tend to gravitate towards. So I thought I'd talk you through some of my favourite products for creating that look.
Semi-Matte Medium Coverage Base
Sometimes I do go for a bb cream or tinted moisturiser, but more often than not my go-to base is a sort of satin finish and a medium coverage that's easy to build on. I have combination skin so I feel like something that's semi-matte keeps my shine at bay without clinging to any dry patches. I prefer a medium coverage because it evens out my skin tone and makes everything look more flawless without masking the skin or looking too heavy. This kind of base also lasts pretty well on my skin throughout my typical day.
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation | £31 | post
Obviously I have to start with my Holy Grail! This is probably the least matte of the bunch and I would definitely describe it as satin, with medium coverage (not sheer or glowing in any usual sense of the words!) The formula is so different to anything else I really own but it sits beautifully on the skin and it gives that matte radiance I really love. If you're after something shine-free without any dewiness but not something too drying or flat then this is for you.
Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Makeup | £29.50 | post
I do love the original Double Wear for an evening look but it's a bit full coverage for me in the daytime. However this still gives a pretty matte finish, is super long-lasting and looks very flawless on the skin. It's definitely still not a light coverage, it's medium but feels very different on the skin to Sheer Glow. It love the coverage it gives without feeling heavy on my skin.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation | £29.50 | post
I think this has been a bit of a marmite for the blogging community as it's definitely a semi-matte formula so is probably better suited to oily and combination skin types. I do have that skin type and like a nice amount of coverage, so it works for me! What I love about this is that the coverage is so easy to sheer out or build up, yet it still sits quite naturally on the skin.
Sheeny Golden Highlight
Depending on the time of year, I do flirt with peach, bronze or pearlier tones but my favourite highlighting shade is a true gold. I much prefer a metallic sheen to a glittery look and though I sometimes go for cream formulas, my favourites do tend to be powder.
The Balm Mary Lou Manizer | £17.50 | post
This is the lightest, most vibrant gold shade and it isn't for shrinking violets! During the day I often apply it with a fan brush for a more subtle look, but for the night time I go all out with this. It has such a soft texture; probably the nicest and most easy to blend in of the bunch.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Illuminator in So Hollywood | £28 | post
I think this Limited Edition shade may be gone for good, so sorry! But I couldn't not include this as it's become one of my most reached-for highlighters. It's a stunning true gold shade that swatches like liquid metal. As with all of these, it's nothing glittery and actually gives quite a nice, subtle glow to the skin.
Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator in Gilded Honey | £21 | post
This is a super-compact golden highlight with a pretty swirl effect. It's probably the deepest gold shade out of these and as the name suggests, there are definitely honey undertones to this. It isn't the softest texture in the world but it's lovely and pigmented. I definitely think I'll be using this even more in the summer months.
Nude-Mauve Cheeks
I've never really been one for bold cheeks (it just doesn't seem to look quite right on me) and pastel pinks don't look right on my skin tone. My favourite everyday cheek shades are these sort of dusky pink/mauve nude colours. They don't detract from or look too much with bold eyes or lips and work nicely for an everyday face, adding a natural flush of colour. Again, powder formulas tend to last best on my skin so all my picks fit into that category.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure | £28 | post
This is a regular on my blog, so I won't bang on about it too much! I love the formula as it's nice and pigmented and applies to my cheeks really easily with no patchiness. It gives a gorgeous glitter-free glow to my skin and lasts all day without going patchy. What I love about this is that although it's quite mauve in colour, it has enough of a plum tone to look vibrant as opposed to greyish on the skin.
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed | $28 | post
This is a more vibrant, matte version of Mood Exposure. I'm generally not a big matte blusher wearer as I find them tricky to apply and that they often go patchy on my skin. However this isn't dry or chalky at all and applies easily to my skin and has some serious staying power.
Too Faced Love Flush Blush in Baby Love | £25
This is the latest addition to my mauve-pink blusher collection. This is probably the most nude-toned out of the lot with a slightly more pastel peach undertone. It also has a very fine glitter to it, which I don't mind too much. The texture is very soft so I have no problems with applying this.
Bronze-Brown Eyes
Although I'm stepping out of my comfort zone more and more these days, I do love me some bronze-brown eyeshadow! I love it because I find the shimmery formula easy to apply and if you're in a rush they work nicely as an all-over lid colour. They're flattering on most skin tones and are work-appropriate too. I like to use both cream and powder formulas, depending on how late I'm running in the morning!
By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon | £29 | post
When I have two minutes to get out of the door, I reach for this. It's a bronze shade that's not too warm or too cool in tone and goes with just about any makeup look. It's a cream eyeshadow stick that's incredibly creamy and pigmented so can be applied across the lid, blended out imprecisely and taken under the eye as a liner, all within a few seconds! Once it sets in place it doesn't crease or budge on my eyelids. For a cheaper option, check out KIKO's dupes.
Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On & On Bronze | £4.99 | post
A slightly lighter-coloured option and one that comes in a pot is Maybelline's On & On Bronze. Plus it's an absolute steal at under a fiver! This is the longest-lasting eyeshadow in my stash and has lasted me 24 hours before and has withstood 100 degree heat. Like Bronze Moon, it looks so dewy and multifaceted on the eyelids that it looks like you made way more effort than you did.
MAC Eyeshadow Pan in Woodwinked | £10 | post
This is the warmest colour of the bunch; it's definitely got more of an antiqued gold vibe to it. The MAC eyeshadow formula isn't particularly buttery (it's quite 'solid' in texture) but has great wear-time and colour payoff. This is gorgeous all over the lid on its own or as a base with a gold highlight in the inner corner and a medium matte brown in the crease.
Makeup Geek Eyeshadow Pan in Homecoming | £4.95 | post
I am still well and truly obsessed with my Makeup Geek eyeshadows and Homecoming is the one that seems to make it into all my more neutral, everyday eye looks. This is a slightly cooler option than Woodwinked and is that perfect bronze lid colour. The texture, pigmentation and wear-time of this (and all my other Makeup Geek shadows) is just incredible and beats out products twice as expensive.
Urban Decay Naked Palette | £38 | post
The entire Urban Decay Naked 1 palette is perfect for a bronze-brown eye, whether it's for an everyday look or a smoky evening vibe. The shade Smog has to be my favourite in this palette that fits in with this colour theme. I probably don't have to tell you but Urban Decay has my favourite eyeshadow formula; the pigmentation, the texture, the longevity... I could go on as they're just perfect!
Rosy, Deep Pink Lips
For a work day or a day-to-evening look a deep pink or rose coloured lip is perfect, so it's what I tend to wear a lot. It depends on where I'm going and what I've done with the rest of my face, but I have both sheerer and more matte options I like to wear.
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Petal | £19 | post
For an off-duty tinted moisturiser kind of day when I want a natural look, I go for this. It's a 2-in-1 as I love this as a nourishing lip balm formula but it's also such a pretty rosy shade to throw on without thinking about it.
Revlon Lip Butter in Pink Truffle | £7.99 | post
This is a bit of a drugstore, slightly more pigmented alternative to Petal (though unfortunately without the gorgeous, hydrating lip balm formula). It still feels nice and hydrating though and again adds a nice everyday rosy bit of colour that goes with just about anything.
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Cannes | £5.50 | post
I'm officially obsessed with NYX's matte lip creams! They're so creamy and non-drying but still give a matte finish and last for hours. Cannes is my favourite deep pink-nude shade that's great for everyday wear, especially if I'm going out for dinner or drinks straight from work.
MAC Matte Lipstick in Mehr | £15.50 | post
This is the shade that kicked off my obsession with a deep pink lip. It's more than a nude but less than a colour, which is what I love about it. The formula feels very creamy and doesn't dry my lips out at all.
Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita | £19 | post
I love the formula of this; it's matte but glides onto my lips and doesn't cling to dry patches. The shade is quite unique as it's definitely a shade of rose but is a little more vibrant than the others. This is perfect for nights out when you want to play up your eyes or cheeks and want something noticeable but not too attention-grabbing.
Long Lashes
My eyelashes are fairly dark and curly anyway and volume has never been my #1 concern. Mascara is so personal but I'm all about long, feathery lashes and I generally find that curved, rubber wands are perfect for creating that look.
L'Oreal False Lash Flutter Mascara | £10.99
Thank you to Porcelain Beauty for making me buy this, as I really love it! I just picked up the new version as I've had this a few months, so I'll let you know how it measures up. However the original is fantastic, and it gives me that fluttery, defined look I love.
Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara | £7.99 | post
This is my holy grail mascara as it does give me that little bit of volume but also gives gorgeous length and curl that lasts me all day long. It's a great day-to-evening option as it gives you some impact but doesn't look OTT at all.
Benefit Roller Lash Mascara | £19.50 | post
For me this is a dialled-down version of Lash Sensational, not quite giving as much in terms of volume but definitely delivering on the length and separation. It's a great everyday option for work.
Winged Liner
Winged liner is one of those things I don't feel like my makeup is complete without! I like a pen applicator with a nib that's not scratchy but is the right shape and size for winged liner. I have quite oily eyelids so a non-transferring formula is essential. I also hate it when they run out after a couple of weeks so a black, inky, pigmented formula is what I look for.
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner | £14.50
I think this is starting to take over from Supercat as my favourite eyeliner! I love the thin, precise nib and the long-wearing formula. It's also lasted me absolutely months and is still going strong!
Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner | £6
This is my option for a slightly fatter liner. I like the slightly more matte finish it has in comparison to the Stila liner but really, they're both great and tick all the boxes for me.
What's your signature makeup look and favourite products to create it with?
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