Challenge : 10 in 10

Today's challenge was to complete my make up using only 10 products, and take only 10 minutes to do it. Sounds simple enough to most people but my mascara alone takes 10 minutes usually! The more time I have in the mornings, the longer I take to get ready. I find putting make up on to be quite therapeutic so I make the most of it, but really, I take an age to get ready! I don't know how many times I've told Mr Lollipop "I'll only be 10 minutes honey" and half an hour later he's pacing outside the bedroom with steam coming from his ears. Oops!

The 10 products I chose:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - 51 Vanilla

Benefit Erase Paste - No 2 Medium

MAC MSF Natural - Light 

Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil - the shade has rubbed off

Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick - Galactic Mauve

YSL Golden Gloss - Golden Lavender

Diorshow Extase Mascara - Black

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow - Tattle Tale

Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner - Baked

Sleek MakeUP Shimmer Blush - Sunrise

And the look:

I tried to choose products that gave maximum effect with minimum effort, so I chose to have my new favourite deeper lip combination, and keep my eyes quite simple with subtle bronze definition. I do quite like it, it's a tamer, less fussy version of my current everyday look anyway - the only difference is my eyes are usually a bit more golden/bronzed. In the picture where I'm looking down it's a little bit too pale and cream for what I'm used to - I like a more defined crease because of my hooded lids. I still think it's pretty though. I didn't blend my blush very well either - but hey, I was against the clock! Speaking of which, how did I do for time? 

Yeah I went over, but only by a few seconds so it still counts in my eyes... hehe.

Have a go! It's quite fun and it's nice to know that I can get ready in a rush if I wake up late or something. Or it could become my everyday look, which means more sleepy time. Everybody would be happy with that, I think!

xoxo

Blue challenge - a week of FOTD's

Since I got my Urban Decay Naked palette, I haven't worn anything else, so that combined with the fact that I haven't set myself a colour challenge since the Purple Week that I completed in January (feels like last week!) convinced me to delve into my collection. The challenge that I set myself was to wear blue, and I was inspired by the blue hues in my favourite pieces of jewellery. Obviously I can't wear blue lips and cheeks, so I had to try and incorporate different kinds of blue into my everyday eye make up. Scary!

Everyday I used:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - 51

Garnier Tinted Eye Roll-On - Fair

YSL Touche Eclat

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - Light
NARS Bronzer - Laguna

Collection 2000 Eyebrow Pencil - Blonde

Collection 2000 Mascara - Clear (as brow gel)

MONDAY

EYES

UDPP

MAC Eyeshadow - Grain

MAC Pigment - Vanilla

Benefit Lust Duster - Nugget

Bourjois Bronzing Powder - 52 (the chocolate one)

Urban Decay Liquid Eyeliner - Minx

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara - Black

CHEEKS

MAC Blush Ombre - Ripe Peach

MAC MSF - By Candlelight

LIPS

NYX Lipstick - Summer Love

Bourjois 3D Effect Lipgloss - Brun Poetic

TUESDAY

EYES

UDPP

MAC Shadestick - Sea Me

MAC Pigments - Tan / Vanilla

Urban Decay Eyeshadow - Flipside

Collection 2000 Glitter Eyeliner - Le Freak

Max Factor Masterpiece Waterproof Mascara - Black

CHEEKS

MAC Cream Colour Base - Pearl / Hush

MAC Blush - Instant Chic

MAC MSF - By Candlelight

LIPS

MAC Dazzleglass - Sugarrimmed

GOSH Cool Lip Jam - Blue

WEDNESDAY

EYES

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow - Tattle Tale

Urban Decay Get Baked Palette - Baked / Half Baked / Twice Baked / Flipside

MAC Eyeshadows - Brule / Dazzlelight

MAC Pigment - Vanilla

Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner - Electric

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara - Black

CHEEKS

MAC MSF - Stereo Rose

LIPS

MAC Lipglass - Florabundance

THURSDAY

EYES
UDPP
MAC Pigment - Vanilla
MAC Eyeshadow - Patina
Sleek Sunset Palette - The blue colour
Sleek Circus Palette - The turquoise colour and the navy colour
MAC Pearlglide Eyeliner - Industrial
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner - Baked
L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara - Black
CHEEKS
MAC Cream Colour Base - Hush
Bobbi Brown Shimmerbrick - Bronze
Prestige Sun Baked Minerals - 03 Pure Shimmer
LIPS
MAC Lipstick - Cute-ster
Benefit Lipgloss - Zone Out

FRIDAY

 

EYES
Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow - Tattle Tale

Urban Decay Eyeshadows - Ransom / Peace
MAC Eyeshadows - Patina / Dazzlelight / Lotusland / Playful / Deep Truth / Nanogold
Benefit Lust Duster - Cloud 9
MAC Pigment - Vanilla

MAC Pearlglide Eyeliner - Industrial 
L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara - Black

CHEEKS
MAC Blush - Sunbasque
MAC Cream Colour Base - Hush
MAC MSF - By Candlelight

LIPS
YSL Rouge Volupte - 2 Sensual Silk
MAC Lipglass - Icescape

SATURDAY

EYES

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow - Tattle Tale
MAC Eyeshadows - Brule / Dazzlelight / Bitter / Goin' Bananas / Deep Truth
Urban Decay Eyeshadows - Grafitti / Peace
Urban Decay Glitter Eyeliner - Air Guitar
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner - Electric
Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Mascara - Black
CHEEKS
MAC Blush - Peachykeen
LIPS
MAC Lipglass - Splendid

SUNDAY

EYES
Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow - Tattle Tale
Urban Decay Naked Palette - Naked
Sleek Circus Palette - The deep navy colour
MAC Pearlglide Eyeliner - Industrial
L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara - Black
CHEEKS
MAC MSF - Stereo Rose
LIPS
YSL Rouge Volupte - 2 Sensual Silk
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss - Peach Petal

My favourite looks were Monday and Sunday, which says a lot about me I think - the simpler the better! I don't think I'm ever going to be one of those girls who go wild for colours. I have a friend who can't abide neutral eyeshadows - she wonders what the point of them is - but I am not that girl. I adore neutrals, and actually find it difficult and a chore to wear coloured eyeshadows. Yes, make up is supposed to be fun, but it is also supposed to make you feel beautiful and confident, something I struggled with on some days! Kudos to you if you rock colour everyday - it's damn hard!

xoxo

Purple challenge - a week of FOTD's

I've been browsing weheartit and tumblr for some inspiration, and lots of the prettiest pictures I've saved feature the colour purple. I take no credit for the following pretty pictures - I found them on the aforementioned websites :)

So, last week I decided to challenge myself to get over my fear of wearing colours, and I decided to wear purple make up. All week. I don't mean only purple, I just had to make sure I incorporated something purple into my look.

I don't have a lot of purple/plum/lilac/lavender make up items, but I did manage to find something purple everyday. Woohoo! Here is my week of looks, with the purple items highlighted in... erm... purple! In all pictures I used:

• Revlon Colorstay Foundation, 150 Buff (normal/dry skin)
  
• MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15 / NC20
• Collection 2000 Eyebrow Pencil - Blonde
• Max Factor Masterpiece Waterproof Black Mascara
• Benefit Bronzer - Hoola
• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish - By Candelight
• UDPP
  

 

SUNDAY

I kick-started the challenge with a goldy-purpley smokey type of look, and I felt so pretty all day long. I loved it! It was also a rare occasion where I used black eyeliner and actually liked it! I often feel that black is too harsh against my skintone and eye colour, but it worked. This was my favourite look of the week by miles. I'm definitely going to wear this one more!

I used:
Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow - Samba-dy Loves Me
MAC eyeshadows - Trax / Nocturnelle / Nanogold / Dazzlelight
Barry M Dazzle Dust - 3 Pink Gold
Sleek Sunset Palette - the goldy colour underneath the orange
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner - Lust
MAC Blush - Sunbasque
MAC Dazzleglass - Sugarrimmed

MONDAY

  

Monday is a work day, so I don't like to go too mad with my make-up. It's not that it's not allowed, I mean one of my colleagues goes all out bright colours... I just feel more professional with less in-your-face looks. These photos were taken at the end of the day, so the lighting is rubbish and you can't see the full look. It was quite pretty though.

I used:

MAC Eyeshadows - Blanc Type / Nocturnelle (as an eyeliner) / Retrospeck
Urban Decay Eyeshadow - Underground

Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner - Lust

MAC Blush - Sunbasque 

MAC Lipstick - Lavender Whip

TUESDAY 

Another work day. I wasn't convinced about this look. The eyes were either too dark, or not dark enough. I can't make up my mind! Needed brightening up a little I think... This is the only awful picture I could get before my batteries died. Boo hiss to my camera!

I used:
MAC Eyeshadows - All That Glitters / Trax / Blanc Type
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner - 1999
MAC Blush - On A Mission
MAC Lipstick - Hue

WEDNESDAY

I wanted a little wash of colour today, so I used Lotusland over my lid. Before this challenge I relegated it to my 'hardly used' palette because it seemed a little bit too pinky for my liking, but I loved it today. The lipgloss was a clearish gloss, but it had a neon violet sheen to it. It's so hard to catch the violet sheen in pictures, so it just looks like a normal clear gloss. Strange but fab! I applied more mascara after the close up picture but my camera batteries had run out so I couldn't take anymore photos.

I used:
MAC Eyeshadows - Dazzlelight / All That Glitters / Lotusland
MAC Blush - Peachykeen
GOSH Cool Lip Jam - 100

 

THURSDAY

My day off day, so I went for something a little different. I quite like this one! Softwash Grey is my favourite MAC pigment ever. I love the purpley-silver sheen. I put it over a purple base to make it pop a bit more, and I looooove the end result - though Smoke & Diamonds looks a little green in the close up picture. Must be rubbish lighting because it looks fab and goldy/grey really!

I used:

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow - Skinny Jeans

MAC Eyeshadows - Smoke & Diamonds / Retrospeck / Dazzlelight

MAC Pigment - Softwash Grey
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner - Lust
 MAC Blacktrack Fluidline

MAC Blushes - Blushbaby / Peachykeen
 Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick - 605 Precious Beige

Benefit Lipgloss - Zone Out

FRIDAY 

Another work day. And I slept late. Boo. I id a super basic face with nothing but mascara on my eyes and foundation/concealer/bronzer. I did wear something purple though - I wore Barry M Lip Paint in 129 Palest Lavender. LOVE! The look wasn't worthy of pictures since it was so basic, which is good since I didn't have time to take any!

SATURDAY

No work today (wooo!) and I'm starting to get bored of purple. I'm definitely bored of subtle, so I was itching to do something more vibrant. My plans for the day were mow the lawn and walk the dog down the beach, so I did something fairly vibrant but still wearable. I was shocked actually at just how wearable it was!

I used:

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow - Flying Down To
Urban Decay Eyeshadow - Underground / Ransom
Sleek Sunset Palette - The lightest pink shade in the palette (underneath the blue)
MAC Eyeshadows - Blanc Type / Dazzlelight
MAC Pigment - Softwash Grey
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner - Lust
MAC Blush - Peachykeen
MAC Lipstick - Pure Rose
Benefit Lipgloss - Zone Out

Overall I really enjoyed this challenge, but I got a bit bored of it by the end - purely because I had a solid week of purple, rather than a purple day here or there. One of the very first eyeshadows I wore aged 13 was a purple one from Rimmel, called Heather. I think I just grew out of wearing purple, but after this week I've realised I should definitely wear it more. Colour can be totally wearable for work and things :) Let me know if you are going to embark on a challenge of your own!

xoxo