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| This is my personal make-up box and bag. I have an identical box with supplies for doing other people's make-up, and although I often use my products on other people, I like to keep my favourites all together. This is certainly not all my make-up - I often find I'm filling this up with products I don't use regularly anymore, so I move them into my drawers. |
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| Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner. I recently discovered this product and have been using it daily. It's quite acidic/alcoholic and has a strong smell (which I strangely like), and can really feel it dry up the oil on the surface of my skin when I wipe it on with a cotton circle. I have combination skin - an oily t-zone (forehead, nose, chin) and normal cheeks/under-eyes. I use this product all over, when I wake up, to remove oil that has built up over-night. DO NOT USE THIS ON YOUR EYES. It doesn't say so on the bottle, but when you smell it/feel it on your skin, instincts kick in and tell you it will burn. Anyway - I haven't really made this sound appealing, but it is awesome. If you think you've taken your make-up off well and cleansed well the night before, think again! This stuff will really finish off that cleaning process before you start slapping it on again. It doesn't leave any residue either. |
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| Shiseido Pureness matifying oil-free moisturising fluid. I use this again to give my skin a nice even base to do my make-up. It helps to keep the oily areas in check (but ultimately nothing can completely prevent this all day) and dries completely. My skin doesn't take well to thick or creamy/oily moisturisers. They don't ever soak in completely. I haven't been using primer for a long time, because I haven't found one that works. I did buy the Illamasqua matte primer, and it was ok, but I decided to keep it for nights out only because it almost has a PVC glue texture to it and I don't think I want that on my skin all day. |
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| One the moisturiser has dried completely it's time for foundation. I recently became obsessed with Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation. It's meant to be a foundation, concealer, moisturiser all in one type of product, and it's awesome. I'm mainly impressed with its light-medium coverage, thin weight and colour match to my skin. Priced at $68 - not to impressed. I did buy my first tube at the Illamasqua counter in Myer Sydney City, but then bought a second one for when it runs out from the Illamasqua website for about $45. You can also buy this brand on asos and get free shipping. I would recommend having the Illamasqua staff give you a trial and help you pick you colour, maybe even ask for a sample - then you can buy it online. They have way more shades than most brands and the shades are blendable. For this look, I applied the skin base in shade No. 6 with a Manicare precision blending sponge. When I was in HK I bought the heavily-popular "Beauty Blender", and it was great and soft, but one day the point just disintegrated and I threw it out. Considering it cost $24, this was pretty disappointing. The manicare sponge is just as good, if not better because it is harder/sturdier and so I bought a new one to use for other people's make-up. I think this was about $5 from Priceline. I spread the foundation out with the sponge and then blot/stipple it to blend it in - I do my whole face and neck, but not my eyelids. |
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| As you can see - it's hard to tell I even have any foundation on, but if you'd seen me before, you'd know ;) |
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| Rimmel Match Perfection concealer in Ivory. This step is optional, as sometimes the skin base is enough to cover my dark under-eyes and a few blemishes. Today I wanted that extra kick, so I used this under my eyes and on a few spots. This is 1-2 shades lighter than my foundation to brighten the eyes. |
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| Nude by Nature Mineral Finishing Veil. For a while I was using this entire product range, but in the end it really didn't give me the liquid-esque coverage I was after. I still use the finishing veil to set my foundation/concealer. For this look, I tap some out into the lid and using a small kabuki brush in a circular motion I brush this all over my face (lightly, minimal pressure to prevent "drag marks") avoiding eyelids. I use this on my neck and collarbones to make sure my face matches the rest of me. |
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| Lime Crime Makeup's Candy Eyed eyeshadow primer - I use this product every single day and it makes any eyeshadow or liner pretty much 99% smudge-proof, water-proof - basically your eyeshadow will stay intact all day and night until you remove it thoroughly with eye make-up remover (oil-based works best) For this look, I apply a thin layer to my upper eyelid all the way up to the eyebrow and out to my temple - basically anywhere I want the eyeshadow to stay out and that has a tendency to become oily. No need to use this below the eye. |
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| Illamasqua 4-colour Liquid Metal Palette. I used the colour bottom left - Phenomena. This cream can be used on its own as a base for eyeshadow, but as my eyeshadow always creases without the Lime Crime Candy-eyed eyeshadow helper, I used this afterwards (while the helper was still moist). For this look, I just dabbed this on with my fingers (keeping it above the crease, just into the socket of my eye and blending it up and out a little lighter on the brow bone.  |
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| Lime Crime Makeup loose eyeshadow dust in Mirror Mirror. Such a nice mid-silver colour - the main colour used in this look. For this look, I used the rounded blending brush below to apply a decent amount on top of the Illamasqua silver cream (into the crease) and up to the brow bone and blending out to the temple. |
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| I then used a smaller flat, round-edge brush to apply Lime Crime Cupcake Thief to the lower eyelid (this should still be blank) |
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| Then I used Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Ironic to the outer socket to add depth with a slightly darker shade of silver. |
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| I also used the smaller brush to add the pink and silver Lime crime under my eyes to join up to the upper lid. |
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| Next I use a MAC angled eyeliner brush and the above neutrals/browns palette from eBay to fill in my brows. |
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| Revlon brow gel - purchased about 6 of these on eBay from the UK for about $5 each. It is clear, but this one has been used, hence the beigey colour it has become - seriously though, this is a great way to keep brows in place all day. Use sparingly or it will dry and flake off. |
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| Natio - Peach Glow. Lastly, a brush of this with a MAC large blush brush onto my cheekbones and apples of my cheeks. |
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| I still have my hair tied up with a clip and held back with these nifty velcro things I got as a gift with purchase from sasa.com |
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| Hair down and VOILA! |
