A Fresher Makeup for Katharine

Hi Tory,

I had a message from the wonderful Katherine on the MT4MS Facebook page, where she mentioned that she was not a makeup person as such but still got a lot out of the videos and posts. I ran it by her that it might be fun to do more of a no-makeup makeup video and so here we are.

cream products are an absolute boon for non or new makeup wearers

The great thing about makeup is that you really can use as little as or as much as you want and adjust your look accordingly. You don't have to go from a fresh face routine to wearing a full face of makeup - in fact, wearing full foundation for the first time can be really uncomfortable if you're not used to it. Sometimes an approach like this is nice because you can start to dip your toes in the makeup waters and experiment quietly.

costs
£17.53

Like I say in the video - cream products are an absolute boon for non or new makeup wearers. They tend to be really comfortable to wear and extremely easy to use - no practising blending or making cut creases here!

Once you get used to products you can start branching out or building up - maybe adding a primer to the face, or working with stronger colours on the eyes. It's all about fun - so thank you Katherine!

Products Used

• ELF Complete Coverage Concealer in Medium
• NYC Smooth Loose Face Powder in Translucent
• MUA Mascara in Clear
• Maybelline 25HR Color Tattoo in On & On Bronze
• MUA Single Eyeshadow in Shade #15
• MUA Mascara in Black
• MUA Blush Perfection Cream Blusher in Bittersweet
• MUA Intense Kisses in Stolen Kisses
• Prices based on what I paid for the whole look from scratch, and correct at the time of posting

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Makeup Tutorials: The £20 Challenge

Hi Tory,

I will confess - I've resisted the £20 Makeup Challenge (originally the $20 Makeup Challenge, so with the exchange rate we come off a little better), mainly because I couldn't quite get my head around the concept. It's rather like those riddle stories, like the one where you're in the jungle and you have to get three cannonballs over a rope bridge that will only support you and two cannonballs, and you're being chased by warriors, etc. You juggle the cannonballs and thus you are only holding two at any given time. Fair enough - but why do I need to do any of this in the first place and who the hell can juggle cannonballs?

you have gone on holiday and the airport staff have lost ALL of your makeup

Here's the premise for the challenge - you have gone on holiday and the airport staff have lost ALL of your makeup, and you only have £20 to replace the whole face routine including brushes.

costs
£18.99

So what I had a problem with was a) I carry my day makeup in my handbag so presumably the airport staff wrestled the bag away from me, b) if I'm on holiday why have I only got £20 to spend on makeup, and c) what mythical country am I in where I can purchase any brand and/or have Internet items delivered in ten minutes? I may be obsessing a little here, but my Asperger's resisted the tutorial for the longest time. I have suspended my disbelief long enough to put something together for my poverty-stricken, bruise-covered holiday to AmeriEuropasia.

A sidenote: when are Superdrug going to start selling ELF? I demand to know.

Products Used

• MUA Professional BB Cream in Medium Shade 2
• MUA Professional Palette in Glamour Nights
• MUA Professional Palette in Dusk Til Dawn
• MUA Professional Blush Perfection Cream Blusher in Yummy
• MUA Professional Every Lash Mascara in Black
• NYC Lipstick in 410 Plum Rum
• ELF Professional Blending Eye Brush
• Prices based on what I paid for the whole look from scratch, and correct at the time of posting

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

What's in My Cosmetics Bag?

Hi Tory,

Every family dinner, you, me and Mum all get out our respective bags and handbags to do the reapplication of the lipstick ritual and it's always amazing to me how different women are when it comes to makeup storage. I used to be of the "throw in and never find it again variety" but I was stern with myself and finally invested in a cosmetics bag... and then I saw this tag going around YouTube and had to join in.

I try to keep the items in my cosmetics bag to a necessary minimum, working on the premise of touch-ups throughout the day, and a quick face if I stay over at a friend's house. At the moment my go-to lipstick is the MAC one, but in the summer it tends to be a nice bright lipgloss or even a tinted lip balm. You can always ring the changes according to the season and update your look.

I used to be of the "throw in and never find it again variety"

With the size of the bag, it's a good practice to avoid the bigger ones - that way you avoid the temptation to overfill with a bunch of products that you probably won't need on a daily basis, and it makes you really assess what you need, rather than what you want. Your shoulders will thank you!

Of course, the products here are just my own personal preference - you might find that a touch of powder and a lipstick is all you really need. Adapt it and tweak it and play with it for your own needs. Just know that you'll be able to find everything without doing the dreaded root canal thing!

Products Used

• Boots Flower Cosmetics Bag (no longer available)
• MUA Professional Eyebrow Kit
• MUA Professional Mosaic Bronzer in Natural Glow
• ELF Complete Coverage Concealer in Medium
• Travalo Perfume Atomizer in Black
• Samantha Chapman Real Techniques Setting Brush
• Boots No 7 Contour Brush
• MUA Professional Every Lash in Black
• Collection 2000 Eye Definer in Black
• Bloom Lip Pencil in Outline (discontinued)
• Rimmel Soft Kohl in White
• MAC Lipstick in Hug Me

One More Thing...

• I would highly recommend trying out the fuller lip technique - loads of people have asked what fillers I'm using!
• Does anyone want a tutorial on making theatrical prosthetics? Happy to do one!
• MUA are expanding their professional range at a rate of knots - going to do some product reviews on those!
• I'm thinking of doing a monthly awards for the best budget products - sound good?

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

I ♥ Drugstore

Hi Tory,

The wonderful Emily of Beauty Broadcast fame did this fun tag video about drugstore brands, likes and dislikes - what we'd call the High Street or the chemist - and I thought I'd join. The whole point of this blog is to get fabulous looks on a bargain, so it's what we know, right?

the whole point of this blog is to get fabulous looks on a bargain, so it's what we know, right?

I'd love to know what everything else thinks too - what are your star products or the ones that you thought were complete duds? As always, you can comment below, do a response video on YouTube or leave a message on the Facebook Page - all the links are in the menu bar above!

The Tag Questions

• What is your favourite drugstore makeup brand?
• What are your favourite face, cheek and lip products?
• Your least favourite product?
• What is the best makeup bargain?
• What is your favourite underdog product - something you love that often gets overlooked?
• Show your best drugstore dupes.
• Drugstore product that isn't worth the hype?

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Morning After Makeup

Hi Tory,

there have been girlie nights with wine and movies, numerous parties, and the occasional missed train

I will confess. I have not always been the pink-cheeked Paragon of Virtue you see before you. (hem hem)

Several years as a journalist, staying up 'til all hours and interviewing drunk rock bands has prevented me from ever joining a nunnery. And, there have been girlie nights with wine and movies, numerous parties, and the occasional missed train. The end result is always the same - wake up on the couch with a crick in my neck and makeup that is a cross between a panda and Alice Cooper.

This is never a good look.

I don't advocate carrying a trunk of cosmetics around with you, particularly not in your neck of the woods of Central London. And although it would be nice to have the Pixiwoo sisters on call for such emergencies, real life isn't like that. (Sam! Nic! Help!) What I tend to do - after a lifetime of practice - is take a small but strategically stocked cosmetics bag with me so that I can fix what needs to be fixed, cover up the results of a hangover, and get myself to the bus stop looking like a human. It's what they now refer to rather euphemistically as The Stride of Pride. ;)

Products Used

• ELF Complete Coverage Concealer in Medium
• MUA Professional Pro-Brow Ultimate Eyebrow Kit
• Sleek Luminous Pressed Powder in LPP01
• MUA Professional Every Lash Mascara in black
• MUA Professional Mosaic Bronzer in Natural Glow
• Collection 2000 Eye Definer in black
• Samantha Chapman Real Techniques Setting Brush
• Boots No 7 Contour Brush
• MAC Lustre Lipstick in Hug Me

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

The Lipstick Series - 20s Vampirella

Hi Tory,

Here's the next tutorial in my Lipstick Series - this time we're going all vampy and 20s with a smoky dark eye and matte burgundy lips for a close-up worthy of Valentino!

this time we're going all vampy and 20s with a smoky dark eye and matte burgundy lips

Products Used

• Bourjois Healthy Mix Gel Foundation in 52
• ELF Complete Coverage Concealer in Medium
• Miss Sporty So Clear Powder 4
• MUA Brow Pencil in Brunette
• Sleek Ink Pot Gel Liner in Dominatrix
• Sleek iDivine Palette in Bad Girl
• Collection 2000 Big Fake Lash in Black
• MUA Blusher in #2
• MUA Lip Boom in LMK

Hugs and kisses,
xx

The Lipstick Series - 60s Bardot Jet Set Thing

Hi Tory,

beautiful people who trotted about the globe having a marvellous time and looking terribly glamorous without appearing to spend much effort

Not so long ago, I bought an assortment of lipsticks and glosses, and realised on closer inspection that each one sparked off a particular decade in my head. This is how The Lipstick Series was born! So, today I'm starting with a 60s nude one that I'm calling That Bardot Jet Set Thing - a look inspired by those St. Tropez beautiful people who trotted about the globe having a marvellous time and looking terribly glamorous without appearing to spend much effort. It's like the earlier structured Mod look of the decade with a slightly slapdash sex kitten, devil-may-care twist.

Products Used

• MUA Professional Beauty Balm in Shade 2 Medium
• ELF Complete Coverage Concealer in Medium
• MUA Professional Eye Primer
• MUA Brow Pencil in Brunette
• MUA Professional Palette in Glamour Nights
• Sleek Ink Pot Gel Liner in Dominatrix
• MUA Bronzer in Shade 2
• MUA Out There Lips Plumping Lipgloss in Nude

Hugs and kisses,
xx

June Makeup Haul!

Hi Tory,

I've been doing some digging in the mark down bins in Superdrug as well as regular shopping and came up with some tasty bargains for this month's haul!

So first off, I'm dyeing my hair - REALLY dyeing my hair! Bleaching underneath and then colouring it purple (hence this purchase), and then dark chocolate brown on the layer above so I get this funky, punky two tone thing going on. I'll be photographing the process as well, don't worry!

Collection 2000 have brought out four gel eyeliners at a really affordable price of £4.99 each. Along with the standard black and brown, they also do a pale gold, and this GORGEOUS teal which I just had to buy, a) because it's beautiful, and b) so that I can show you how to do a great smoky eye using a gel liner. ;) I'm really impressed with the texture of these gels, and the staying power is tremendous.

Again from Collection 2000, I got these twist up eye definers, which go on like a gel and last for a really long time - they are excellent for tight lining and highly pigmented - plus they're a bargain at only £1.99 each!

I needed all my how to tips on repairing eyeshadows for these bad boys... but it was worth it! TWO Sleek palettes - Bad Girl, and Oh So Special - and ONE MUA Professional palette in Starry Night, and all of them half price. :: (I spent £8.98 on the three as opposed to £16.98.) I am currently OBSESSED with the Sleek Bad Girl palette - all these fab black black blacks shot through with intense colour. Tutorials ahoy!

And last, but by no mean least, I finally got the E.L.F. bug, and it was definitely worth it. :) Two wonderfully creamy concealer palettes (I got the medium and the dark, just waiting on the light to come back into stock), and two really nice brushes - the sponge smudger and their blending brush. All really affordable and pretty good quality, plus the delivery was quick! (I also bought an art brush, which I'm using for makeup and I'm doing a special tutorial on that later)

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

April/May Annie Haul!

Hi Tory,

It's time for a mini haul - and this time I thought I'd do it in a pictorial style with some quick notes and links - enjoy!

This is a before shot to show you the condition that some of the half-price, damaged palettes were in when I bought them... applied the surgical spirit trick and got myself several bargains. (Yes, some of the shadows are missing - but half price is half price!)

Here's the after shot of the MUA Professional Palette in Starry Night, Sleek i-Divine Palettes in 658 Oh So Special, and 596 Bad Girl. All half price!

Two Collection 2000 Eye Definer Lasting Colour wands in Black and Brown - both are fantastic for tight lining and waterlining as they go on smoothly and don't shift, smudge, smear or dissolve.

I'm a sucker for gel liners, particularly coloured ones, as you can do some really outstanding smoky eye work using a gel liner as a base, so I was pleased to find that Collection 2000 have started doing ones in gold and this gorgeous teal - expect some tutorials!

I also FINALLY succumbed to e.l.f. and got the medium and the dark Complete Coverage Concealer sets, the Professional Blending Eye Brush, and the Professional Smudge Eye Sponge (plus a Daler Rowney art brush for some push eyeliner work - another tutorial to follow...!).

And finally... I've decided to go back to purple with my hair again, so I got a streaking kit from Superdrug. After two weeks of persistent health issues, I figured it was groovy cheering up time. Yay!

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Matte and Gloss French Manicure

Hi Tory,

I've been seeing celebs sporting a matte and gloss French manicure for a while now and wanted to give it a go, and it's SO easy to do yet really effective, so here's a quick tutorial on how to get the look. I've used black nail polish but you could just as easily use any dark colour and get the same impact - a chocolate, navy, dark green or purple would work just as well.

you could just as easily use any dark colour and get the same impact

Products Used

• MUA Nail Varnish in Shade 2
• ELF Matte Finisher
• Ciate Speed Coat - Fast Drying Top Coat

Give it a go and try out some different dark colours too!

Hugs and kisses,
xxx