Starting Off: Blusher

Blusher is one of the hardest things to get right. There are so many shades to choose from. When I first started using blusher I did not have a clue were to start ! I remember buying the brightest pink I could find and smothering my cheeks with it ! Its safe to say I looked awful. I then moved on to the brightest orange I could find as you can see it just gets worse and worse. So here I shall give you a little guide to blusher and help you make sure it doesn't ruin the beautiful makeup you want to achieve.

First of all choose what type of blusher you would like to use.

There are more available but these I personally think are best for beginners.  

Cream: Use sparingly and blend very well. Cream blushers are very well pigmented so can come out very strong. Best applied with fingers. 

Powder: Best for oily skin. Applies well and can be very pigmented depending on the brand or product you choose.  This is the most commonly used out of all the blushers you can get. Apply with a blusher brush.

Tint: Needs to be applied fast as it drys so quickly. This may take a few goes and need some practice. The tint can go a little streaky and once dried will not budge until you take it of so make sure it is perfect !  

What shade is best for you ? 

Here is just a little brief guide on what to pick just to be safe to start with.  

Pale skin - Light Pinks

Medium Skin- Peachy/orangey shades 

Dark skin - Rosie /dark pink shades

once you pick the blusher you want and the shade you want its time to apply !

First apply all your foundation, concealer etc.

Use a small sized blusher brush to apply. Suck in cheeks to make a fish like face and apply blusher to the apples of the cheeks. 

Make sure you apply a tiny amount at a time ! I can not exaggerate this enough due to how bad mine used to look !

You can always add more if needed. 

Make sure you blend it in well almost as if its not there and its just a natural tinge to your skin.

Then your good to go !

Here are a few of my favs at the moment.

  

                                      Rimmel Stay Blushed              Blsuhers from My Makeup Kit                                                    

                                                       Mac Pink Blush                                  Mac Happy Together                                          

Thanks for reading ! 

Starting Off : Bronzer

 Bronzer  is quite simple and easy to use and so easy to apply. The most important thing to choose for Bronzer is which shade you pick.

Bronzer is mainly used to make your face look more tanned. However it can also be used to contour. Contouring can be used to give an illusion for a new face shape  and create shadows to make the face look slimmer.   

Some people even use bronzer instead of a blusher. I have to admit I am guilty of this when going for a natural day look.

So the types of bronzer you can buy are 

Powder: By far the most common! Best suited for oily combination skin. Can also be used for an eye shadow if you even forget to pack any or run out ! Apply easly with a brush. Matt finish

Liquid: Glossy glowing finish. Blends well with foundation. Can be tricky to get this product perfect. Apply with fingertips or sponge.   

Cream: Used more commonly in winter months. Best suited for dry skin as it helps moisterise. Apply with brush, fingertips or sponge.

How to apply 

( Make sure you have applied foundation and concealer first)

I personally like to apply my bronzer with a brush.  Choose a wide. fluffy brush which is slightly rounded at the top. This will help give an even finish as you don't want patchy dots all over your face.  

Apply The bronzer onto areas that the sun will naturally tan the face. So apply to the top of the forehead, across the cheekbones and along the jawline. Also to help stand at a window with a mirror and see were the light hits your face. 

Apply very little at a time !  Bronzer is very easy to build up but if you apply to much you will have to take it all of and start again !!

Make sure the bronzer is blended in with the rest of your makeup for a smooth none patchy finish.

Here are some I use 

                                                         Kiko Trio Blusher                         Calvin Klien Blusher                                            

                                      M&S Cream Shimmer Bronzer                    N0 7 Mosaic Bronzer                                            

Thanks for reading !

    

Starting Off: Foundation

Foundation has to be the hardest makeup product to get perfect ! 

There are so many to choose from, So many colours, so many textures, so many brands. I could go on and on ! 

In this post I will explain all you need to know and the most important tips about choosing and applying foundation.

What To Pick ?

So first of all you need to know the types of foundation and what they do. 

Here are the main ones which I think are most important to know.

Liquid Foundation - I'm sure most people would agree this is the most popular type of foundation.

The coverage of liquid foundation can vary from light to full.

Great for all skin types but if you do have oily skin look for an oil free based liquid foundation.   

Apply easily  and smoothly using Brush, Sponge or even your fingers. 

Cream Foundation-  The cream foundation gives a very full coverage and if applied wrong can become cakey.

Cream foundation works best with dry skin as it gives a moisterising effect so will help smooth over any dry areas.  Try to avoid if you have oily skin as it will over moisterise you and could make your face very shiny. Also works well with normal skin type. 

Applies well but be careful not to apply to much as this foundation is very thick. Use a brush or Sponge, can also blend with fingers. 

Mouse Foundation-    Gives a smooth medium coverage but is build-able to full coverage. 

Mouse foundation is actually liquid foundation that had been whipped with air to give the mouse texture. This should make the foundation easier and smoother to apply. 

Works well for dry and mature skin as it does not cake up around fine lines and patchy/flaky sections of the face.

Apply with sponge, brush or fingers.   

Mineral/Powder Foundations- Gives a light  to medium coverage with a matt finish. 

Good for oily skin types. Also good for sensitive skin as these foundations do not have as many added ingredients. 

Apply with sponge or Brush. 

So after you have picked the foundation that suits you best make sure you choose the correct shade.
I cant stress enough when choosing a shade do not test the colour to the back of your hand ! 
Places to test the foundation for the best match are

Middle of face
Jaw line
 Top of Chest area 

please stick with these 3 areas as you will get the closest match. 
I prefer to test around the jaw line as this is the most tell tale place when a foundation is the wrong colour. 

Also make sure you are testing the foundation on clean skin not over the top of other makeup. 

How to apply ?

This is how I personally apply my foundation do what feels best for you. 
There are many different ways of applying foundation.
There are no wrong ways ! 

first of all apply a moisteriser or primer to give a nice smooth base to the makeup . It honestly does make a big difference and will make your foundation look much more fresh and smooth.

Using a brush apply foundation to the center of the face and apply outwards. Apply a little product at a time. You can build up if needed. You will be surprised how far a little foundation can go and you don't want to appear cakey ! Make sure to blend around Jawline, Neck and even around the ears ! Many people forget around the ears. This will give you an even complexion throughout.

Just make sure you blend blend blend !!

Its as simple as that ! 

Here are a few foundations I have tried and tested out. 

Clinique Anti Blemish £24

Mac Studio Fix £21.50

Maybelline Fit Me £7.99 

Let me know if you have any questions !
Hope you enjoy !
Thanks for reading 

Starting Off: Concealer

Entering the world of concealers can be very very confusing. There are hundreds of shades and even green and purple shades !
 Also to add to the confusion most of them look like lipsticks. 

So concealers are available in 3 main types liquid, powder and solid. 

So first of all decide which one will suit you better. 

Liquid: Good for large areas. Works well covering acne, dark circles under the eyes and blemishes. This concealer I find is the easiest to blend.  

Powder: This gives the least coverage out if the 3 types. This is good for a little touch up on skin with hardley any blemishes and slight dark circles under the eyes. 

Solid: This is the concealer that usually comes in a lipstick form. It offers the most coverage out if the 3 but is by far the hardest to blend. This concealer works best for scares and large dark blemishes. I wouldn't reccomend putting this under eyes as it can irritate sensitive areas. Also as its hard to blend you will notice the build up.

The next tricky thing to choose is what shade is best for you. Take into consideration what it is you want to cover as it may be best to have different shades for different problem areas.

I personally try to steer clear of light concealers many people think the lighter the concealer the more likely it will hide dark areas and blemishes. I find when people apply concealer that is too light you then have light patches which can actually look worse!

So here is a little guide to what each shade does.

Orange/warm: The orange within the shade takes away the blue tones from the skin which is what forms the dark grey areas within the skin. This also is the best shade for hiding veins!  Warm tones are the best for hiding dark circles the colour is strong enough to cover the grey and give a fleshy tone. This instantly brightens the darker areas.

Yellow: The yellow shade takes away from the purple tones within the skin. Again this shade is good for reducing dark areas. Also this would be the best shade for covering up bruises.

Green:  This shade takes away redness so is great for blemishes, rosacea and scares.

Purple: This shade takes away the yellow tones in this skin. This shade also makes your complexion appear brighter.

Here is another guide that I personally use when applying concealer

( Remember everyone is different there is no right or wrong way. Do what ever way you are most comfortable with)

1. Apply foundation all over. ( foundation will cover most imperfections !)

2. Then look for imperfections.

3. Apply the correct shade.
4. Use a concealer brush to softly apply. You can use your finger if you do not have one.
5. Pat and Dab onto the area needed do not rub concealer in. (Especially around eyes as the skin is very delicate)
6. Blend around the edges of the concealer to make sure you don't have an obvious color change.

Always apply with a thin layer. You can build up coverage. If you apply to much you don't want to have to take all the concealer and foundation of and start all over again.

Here are a few that I use

Rimmel Hide The Blemish £3.99                    Witch Concelaer £4.99                            Clinique Airbrush £18.00                                                                            

For one last special tip from me I will tell you a makeup artist secret.
When dealing with really dark grey areas on the face under eyes etc and dark skin, Apply a very small amount of bright red lipstick to the area and mix in with the concealer. Make sure it is a warm orange based red to warm the concealer and this will completely remove the grey area !
This is also great to use when covering tattoos.


Hope this post helped you out.

Starting Off: Skincare

Everyone will have their very own skincare routine. When your first starting to experiment with skincare products it can be a bit scary as there is soooo many different brands, items, textures, smells  and so much more to take into consideration.

The main items to include within a skincare routine I think (as everyone is different) are 

• Cleanser 
• Exfoliator 
• Toner
• Moisturiser 

Another great thing to use is Makeup wipes ! They are so quick and easy to remove make up but I warn you now are so so so drying for your skin ! 

What Does It Do ? 

• Cleanser  : Cleans away dirt,oils and removes makeup leaving your face feeling fresh and clean.
• Exfoliator : Removes dry dead skin, impurities and grease . Helps to unblock pores and can also improve the pigmentation of the skin   
• Toner : Takes away any left over makeup and dirt after cleansing. Prepares the skin for moisturiser. Some Toners can even minimize pore size !  
• Moisturiser :   Moisturises the skin to keep it soft and dewy. Stops the skin from drying out and is also a great base for when applying makeup. 

How Do I Use It ?

• Cleanser :

 You should always look at the directions given with the cleanser you buy as some can be slightly different. I am going to base mine on Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. 
You apply one pump of product into your hand and apply all over face.

Then using the cloth that comes with the cleanser run under warm water.

Then wipe of all cleanser on the face.

Its as simple as that !   

• Exfoliator 

Again make sure you read the directions that come with the product !

you should only use this once a week as if you over exfoliate your face can become red and sore.

Apply a small amount to hand and then place on your troublesome areas for dry skin and blocked pores.

This would usually be Forehead,Nose,Cheeks and Chin . 

Try not to get this product near your eyes

Rub the product into your skin gently with small circular motions. 

If you find that it hurts you are doing it to hard ! 

Then wash of with warm water

• Toner

To tone you should apply a small amount to a cotton wool pad and then apply all over the face. 

Again be careful around the  eyes.

Never apply too much to the cotton wool pad you don't want to waste any product. If you feel you need to add more to the cotton pad that's fine but you cant take it away !  

• Moisturiser

Just apply either from the pot or tube into your hands and straight on to the face.
Again apply a little at a time as you don't want to waste any product.

What do you recommend ?

There are so many different types of skincare products. You can buy a skin care range that is perfect for you and your skin needs. The main skin types are Dry, Oily, Combination and sensitive so look out for the products that suit your skin type best. 

I have very bad dry/sensitive skin so all my skin care products are Liz Earle 

Liz Earl is quite expensive when your young but its a great idea to ask for these products for Christmas and birthday presents. They last along time so you don't need to replace them very often

once you find something that suits your skin you should stick to it. You will have to keep trying products until you find the perfect one for you. 

Here are some cleansers I have tried out

                   Liz Earle £ 14.75                        Soap & Glory £8.00                   Boots Essentials £1.50      

Here are some toners I have tried out 

                  Simple Facial Toner £2.99              Liz Earle Skin Tonic £13.25           

Please click the links under each picture if you would like to buy any products 

                               

If you have any more questions please leave your comments below ! 

Thanks for reading I hope this helps ! 

The Starting Off Project (#theSOproject)

I have recently been looking to start a series post but could not think of any good ideas. Luckily for me +Stephanie Mapplebeck  has come up with an amazing idea which is The Starting Off Project.
So I am happy to say I am going to be taking part ! 

When I was first starting to experiment with makeup and beauty products I did not have a clue where to start ! And I am pretty sure this is the case for every teenager out there.

So this is a great chance for beauty bloggers to share their wisdom on all products, brands, makeup tools, makeup tips and so so so much more !

So the series will start at 6pm on Tuesday 27th of August and run for a total of 10 weeks. Each week a new topic will be uploaded for bloggers all over to share their information.

This is a great chance for bloggers to also share tips and tricks with anyone interested in beauty. I know I am very excited to read others posts too to find out all about other beauty products, brands  tips and tricks ! So don't feel that the posts are only aimed at teenagers !

I am really looking forward to starting this project and can't wait for Tuesday to come round !

I hope you will enjoy The Starting Off Project as much as I will and find the information useful.

For more information on The Starting Off Project please visit Steph's Blog. 

Also search #theSOproject on twitter to find others participating !

Thanks for reading !