style my make up!!!

intouch44

I've decided to treat myself to some new decent make up but am a bit clueless as to where to start so I've two questions:

1. What are the basics every girl should have in her make up bag?

2. What colours/shades should I be going for (lips/cheeks/eyes)
I've light brown hair and blue eyes

Thanks everyone!!!

glitterbug86

It depends on what kind of makeup look you like and what you already have. Also do you like neutral or brighter makeup? I think everyone should have some basic neutral shadows which are good for day time and darker neutrals can look more dramatic for night. I will run through below what I think the essentials are, you will prob already have some of them. I won't really mention specific brands or products as I don't know how much you want to spend, which items you actually want or some of the specifics like what coverage in foundation you want etc.

Face:
Foundation - need to get this right as if you don't have a good base the rest wont look right. Important to choose the right shade and coverage for your particular skin type
Powder - to set
Blush - some shade of pink suits most people but you didn't mention your skin tone
Optional:
Bronzer - a fairly matte one to contour or bronze
Highlight - liquid or powder

Eyes:
Eyeshadows - depends on what you like but I'd suggest the urban decay naked palette for a good selection of neutrals or making your own mac quad with 2 lid colours, 1 matte medium-dark brown crease colour and 1 matte creamy white highlight colour.
Black Pencil Liner
Black Mascara
Optional:
Primer - to help the shadows last longer. UD naked palette comes with a mini one
Black Liquid Liner / Black Gel Liner and a brush - more dramatic than pencil
Brow Pencil / Angle brush to use shadow in brows / Clear brow gel - To define eyebrows

Lips:
Lipstick - Nude, pink or red if you like bold lips
Lipgloss - Corresponding to lipstick or light pink suits most
Optional:
Lip Pencil - To line

Brushes:
Eye blender - Mac 217 if going for something higher end or No7 do a copy for cheaper.
Blush Brush - Standard medium size
Optional: There are tonnes of optional brushes but heres a few..
Foundation Brush - Flat or a duo fibre one eg. Mac 190 or 187
Angled blush brush - For contouring or blush eg. Mac 168
Eyeshadow Paddle Brush - For packing on eyeshadow instead of a sponge tip applicator eg. Mac 239
Pencil Brush - For small eye detail or under the eye eg Mac 219

intouch44

Thanks for that Glitterbug, I use Estee Lauder Double Wear 'Fresco' (for daytime) at the minute and find that suits my skin, generally my daytime look is foundation, blusher and mascara.
I'd like to freshen this look up a bit perhaps without a touch of eyeshadow. I like the natural look for day time.

Night time is where I struggle, I use Ivory Beige in the Double Wear range but get a bit stuck when it comes to eye colours and eye liner especially, black is an enemy of mine I really struggle to put this on and often leave it off cos I just can't get it right which is a pity because I think it makes a massive difference to your eyes

glitterbug86

How about trying a highlighter to freshen up your day time look? It would give you more of a glow without putting anything on the eyes or being overly obvious. I assume because you use Fresco in the DW you are neutral toned rather than pinkish or yellowy? If so, I would guess you could get away with both pink or yellow based highlighters. I also wear ELDW but am paler than you and pink toned and I love benefit high beam. It is a cool toned pale pink/silver liquid highlighter (comes in a bottle like a nail varnish). Some darker skins find it too pale but I would say it would look nice on you. They also have moon beam which is more yellowy/peach and some darker skinned people like. You dot it along your cheeckbone and gently pat it out until blended. Don't press hard or it will lift your double wear.



Some people use the mac cream colour bases to highlight (eg pearl, luna) but I don't think that would last the day the way high beam does. The best known powder highlighter I think is Nars Albatross. I very recently got it and it looks quite white in the pan but applies a nice yellow golden colour. Some eyeshadows work well as powder highlighters too eg. mac shroom.



Apart from that, maybe just trying switching up your blush.

For night time, what have you tried but struggle with on the eyes? Have you tried a simple dark brown smokey eye? What are you using to apply and blend? A decent blending brush is really important. Also, what black eyeliner do you use? Pencil is easiest for most people. If you're already using a pencil then which one and what do you find goes wrong?

intouch44

Again thanks for all that Glitterbug- feel like I have my own personal stylist now
Whenever I try brown tones on my eyes I find I end up looking like I've sore eyes or something!! I've tried both Rimmel and boujois black eyeliner but neither have looked good (tbh I would say it's my hand thats the problem not the pencil ) It usually looks like i've gotten everywhere except the part of my eye I was aiming for!!
Was considering trying the benefit smokey eyed kit?

Larianne

intouch44 wrote: »

Thanks for that Glitterbug, I use Estee Lauder Double Wear 'Fresco' (for daytime) at the minute and find that suits my skin, generally my daytime look is foundation, blusher and mascara.
I'd like to freshen this look up a bit perhaps without a touch of eyeshadow. I like the natural look for day time.

Night time is where I struggle, I use Ivory Beige in the Double Wear range but get a bit stuck when it comes to eye colours and eye liner especially, black is an enemy of mine I really struggle to put this on and often leave it off cos I just can't get it right which is a pity because I think it makes a massive difference to your eyes

Do you wear a powder blush? Try switching to a cream blush which will give you a more dewy look. MAC cream blushers are lovely. 'Lilicent' and 'Blossoming' are beautiful shades. Not strong for day time. If you're not sure about creams, you could try cheaper alternatives - Maybelline's Dream Mousse Blushers are gorgeous. Actually these might be easier for you to apply then the MAC blush. Cheaper again would be the Essence Ballerina Backstage Collection Blush Soufflé. I haven't tried it but it's only €3 !

I agree with Glitterbug on the high beam. Great for highlighting cheeks and brow bones. Gives you a lift.

I'd say the browns you are using for eye-shadows have too much red tones in them. Go for ones that are more on the gold/yellow side. Also, make sure to put a neutral base colour over the eyelids to even out your skin tone.

Getting your eye-liner right takes a lot of practice! It's the one thing that I spend time on doing. Don't rush it. If you have a slanted brush, I'd suggest firstly making the line out with a brown eye-shadow and then going over with the eye-liner.

I usually lean my elbow on the desk to make my arm steady when applying eye-liner.

glitterbug86

Hmm dunno why that's happening with the browns, I would have thought they were a safe bet for everyone. Maybe you used red/warm toned browns which wern't blended properly or your liner/mascara wasn't polished looking (no offense) causing the overall eye area to look red and sore. I think the bourjois black pencil is one of the better cheaper pencils. Lean your elbow on something while you're doing it if you're not already doing it that way. Maybe you could try using black or dark brown matte shadow on an angled brush instead which might be easier as you push it against the lashes. And if you do it unevenly it wont look so bad since its shadow and will look more diffused/smokey than uneven pencil. I haven't used the benefit smokey eye kit but looking at it I think you get more for your money with the Urban Decay Naked Palette. They are just 50 cent in the difference on debenhams.ie. The benefit one does have a good rating of 4.0 on makeupalley but there are only 27 reviews. The naked palette is scored 4.6 with 1021 reviews. I would personally either go for that or else build a mac quad with some thing like this:
- Satin taupe (v popular frost lid colour, taupe with a purple hue)
- Woodwinked (v popular veluxe pearl lid colour, multidimensional golden brown (non red)
- Espresso (cool toned dark brown matte crease colour, no warmth) OR Carbon (matte black)
- Blanc Type (creamy off-white matte highlight colour) OR Shroom (a creamy off white satin non-matte alternative)

glitterbug86

Lol I just basically repeated everything you said Larianne, but 3 minutes later

slowmoe

If you think you will be spending more than 25 on each counter, then definitely book in for a makeover so you can try out a load of products and pick up some tips from the mua.

Larianne

glitterbug86 wrote: »

Lol I just basically repeated everything you said Larianne, but 3 minutes later

No, I never mentioned mymostfavouriteeyeshadoweverthatpracticallysuitseveryoneandifyoudon'tlikeityou'reaweirdo MACs Woodwinked!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :pac:

High Five!

intouch44

Some great advice and recommendations there thanks ladies!
I've decided I'll def invest in the high beam and the naked urban decay palette it looks really pretty
on the issue of eye liner is there a certain brand ye'd recommend? I wouldn't mind paying extra if it worked!!!

Larianne

With eyeliners I think it's personal preference. I like using MACs fluidline (gel liner) with a slanted brush. I thought Gosh did a cheaper version but I can't find it on the website.

Others prefer the pencil tip liquid liners (which I can't use! ), then others prefer pencils.

Practice makes perfect. Have some cotton buds dipped in eye make-up remover handy for mistakes.

glitterbug86

Larianne wrote: »

No, I never mentioned mymostfavouriteeyeshadoweverthatpracticallysuitseveryoneandifyoudon'tlikeityou'reaweirdo MACs Woodwinked!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :pac:

High Five!

Lol, high five!

intouch44 wrote: »

Some great advice and recommendations there thanks ladies!
I've decided I'll def invest in the high beam and the naked urban decay palette it looks really pretty
on the issue of eye liner is there a certain brand ye'd recommend? I wouldn't mind paying extra if it worked!!!

Yay I hope you like them!

I don't know of any really good pencils.. I heard the urban decay one in zero was good and got it but don't really find it any better than my bourjois one.

I also like gel eyeliner (mac fluidline in blacktrack) with an angled brush (mac 263). I find the angled brush much easier to use than a skinny pointed brush (mac 209). Some people are the complete opposite though. I would just worry that you'd really struggle with the gel liners since you have trouble with pencils.. wouldn't want you to waste your money. I think essence do one now with an angled brush. Essence is super cheap so would be worth trying and if you like it then maybe you could invest in a better one. Maybelline also do one.


Like Larianne, I can't use the skinny liquid liners either. I find the stubby tipped ones (eg. collection 2000) easier to use but the effect of gel liner is nicer.

booboo88

intouch44 wrote: »

Thanks for that Glitterbug, I use Estee Lauder Double Wear 'Fresco' (for daytime) at the minute and find that suits my skin, generally my daytime look is foundation, blusher and mascara.
I'd like to freshen this look up a bit perhaps without a touch of eyeshadow. I like the natural look for day time.

Night time is where I struggle, I use Ivory Beige in the Double Wear range but get a bit stuck when it comes to eye colours and eye liner especially, black is an enemy of mine I really struggle to put this on and often leave it off cos I just can't get it right which is a pity because I think it makes a massive difference to your eyes

i have the same problem, the tears just stream down my face when i try and put eye liner on might give the gel liner a go tho

lainey316

I was going to say much the same on the browns- must have too much red in them. I just want to add MAC Patina to the list - it's kind of like a lighter satin taupe, I find it super useful. If you can get a MAC greasepaint stick in dirty, Patina blended over it is the ultimate easy rock chick eye - LOVE it. But also great for day.

Lately I've been wearing Retrospeck with Tempting in the crease A LOT. Nearly neutral, but so much more...

If I had to say 4 MAC shadows for everyone and anyone - Shroom, Vex, Satin Taupe and Patina would be it. But I'd really want to add Carbon in there - tho you can probably get a cheaper version.

For liner during teh day I often use a shadow with an angle brush -usually Bobbi Brown Espresso. Day or night, MAC technakohls are my favoured pencil style liners - graphblack or photogravure - every thing else tends to smudge. These do not budge.

intouch44

I bought the high beam and the urban decay naked palette and I love them thanks everyone for the advice
I'll keep practising with the eye liner and hopefully practise will make perfect!!

glitterbug86

So glad you like them, hope you get heaps of use out of them!

CluelessGirl

I am thinking of doing the same thing!

Thanks for all the advice given in this thread.

Do you have to make appointments to go to make up counters or can you just walk in?

Debenhams do a great range of stuff. I hope I choose the right counter/brand now!

Do you have to pay for a trial?

Intouch how is your new look coming along?