LIPTEMBER CHALLENGE // DAY 3

Yes To Carrots Color Balm in Soft Plum

The newbie - Yes To Carrots Color Balm in Soft Plum. Yup, another pre-work selfie (a quick snap I took before dashing out the door!)... I enjoy wearing tinted lip balms to work more than lipstick because then I can be sure that it won't fade weirdly or rub off onto my teeth when talking to customers! Because I'm often not able to keep tabs on how my lippie is wearing throughout the shift, I prefer something that I know will be reliable and won't end up looking less-than-pleasant after a few hours, or require touchups. Also, I despise getting lipstick around the top of my water bottle (it's just a pain to clean).

#FOTD

This tinted balm is not as moisturising as I'd prefer, but I like that it gives a sheer wash of colour that's nicer than bare lips. It lasts well enough without eating or drinking, though it's not the most long lasting of the bunch. I think it'd be a good pick for warmer weather, when lips don't require as much hydration (though I suppose the colour could be classified as more autumnal). The Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm (see Day 1), on the other hand, while lovely and moisturising in the cooler weather, can get a little bit 'melty' in warmer weather. Not that it's a bad thing, but just an FYI.

What's on my face?

The other stuff I used:
- Mecca Cosmetica In a Good Light
- NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard
- Wet'N'Wild Comfort Zone Palette - Light brown shade from the left side applied with Manicare Eyeshadow Brush
- MAC Fluidline in Black Track applied with Ecotools Angled Eyeliner Brush
- Clinique Cheek Pop in 03 Berry Pop applied with Real Techniques Stippling Brush
- Yes To Carrots Color Balm in Soft Plum


Hope you're all having a great week so far! (And sorry that I'm a bit behind! :|) x

HAULAGE // BLOG SALE (+ SWATCHES)

So a while ago I went a bit nuts on Ria's makeup sale site - you can check it out here.
I've used a few of them already, but haven't properly tested out all of them.

Cue haulage...

FACE:
bareMinerals Correcting Concealer in Medium 2 - a creamy concealer with SPF 20

CHEEKS:
Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty - a bright strawberry pink
NYX Powder Blush in Desert Rose - a mauvey-pinky-rose

EYES:
TheBalm Batter Up Creaseless Cream Shadow in Triple Play Mae - a warm cocoa brown, and Grand Slam Pam - a browned-lilac

Wet'n'Wild Comfort Zone Palette - a palette of neutral-ish, cool-toned, buttery powder eyeshadows.

Browbone shades

Eyelid shades (left eyelid shade is more of a shell pink in person)

Crease shades (the left shade is more of an olive brown)

Definer shades (the right shade is darker in person, and the left shade is a pretty duo-chrome)

Urban Decay Primer Potion sample
Kevyn Aucoin eyelash curler

LIPS:
NYX Black Label Lipstick in 105 Cherry - a cream-finish, pink-based red

Have you tried any of these before?
Did you love them or loathe them?

#FOTD 1 //

Please excuse the 'sick' face...

While my FOTD's are generally very simple and natural-looking (partly due to lack of time and partly due to laziness), today I had extra time on my hands to play around and experiment. As a self-confessed eyeshadow noob, I usually avoid using eyeshadow and 'smoky eyes' - especially as it often seems to attract comments from my mother about how much I resemble a drug addict or a panda (read: smoky eye gone terribly wrong). I focused on eyes today and kept the rest of the face quite neutral (and realised how out of practise I was, while attempting winged eyeliner).

The breakdown:
FACE:
- MAC Face and Body Foundation (Shade C3) applied with fingers
- MAC Select Cover Up Concealer applied under eyes and over blemishes with Ecotools Deluxe Concealer Brush

CHEEKS:
- Clinique Cheek Pop in 01 Ginger Pop applied on apples of cheeks with Ecotools Tapered Blush Brush
- Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronze Universel used to contour; applied with RealTechniques Expert Face Brush

EYES:
- Wet'N'Wild Comfort Zone Palette (left side) following the 'instructions'; applied with Ecotools eye brushes and the random Manicare brush...
- Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner to draw the wing

LIPS:
- Just a slick of Nivea Lip Butter (Caramel Cream)

What do your 'experimental' FOTD's consist of?
Do you have any eyeshadow tips for me?