My top make up brands…
There are only two rules for makeup:
do what is best for you
do not listen to anyone who says there is only one right way to do makeup
Foundation can be applied well with fingers,brush or sponge. The best method depends on your own preference and the type of foundation. I find that often the best method for me is to use a combination of tools to apply foundation e.g. dab foundation on with fingers, apply with kabuki type brush, take of excess with sponge. You get the gist.
My favourite make up brands:
Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation…
It’s my holy grail foundation. You only need very small amounts to get great coverage. It lasts longer than any foundation I’ve tried. I’ve worn it on for 12 hours and for even more hours after I’ve arrived at my destination and it always holds up.
Dior Amber Diamond Magical Shimmer Powder…
I'm dead sure the formula would not be on par to the stuff we have these days but I think I've built it up to be this otherworldly mythological thing in my mind and will forever cherish this as I still have it and refuse to use it all up. People are even selling this on ebay for £150 as it’s discontinued. Please be careful before purchasing as you may purchase a fake version.
Estée Lauder Sumptious Mascara…
It looks super natural on me and is buildable to an almost falsie level!
Anastasia Bevelery Hills Contour Kit
I personally contour depending on what I feel like that specific day also I want to say that contour may not benefit or not look good on someone with a specific undertone, like I'm more brown/yellow so I lean more towards yellow undertones/neutral and they look better in my opinion and they're the ones that make sense to me right now.
Also I use powder bronzer/contour still. I haven't found any liquid/cream to be more flattering on me or long lasting while with blush I go between the two.
Nars Lipstick - Honolulu Honey
I absolutely love Nars lipstick in Honolulu Honey! It's one of the only colours I feel completely comfortable wearing in public. I love the matte finish, and it goes perfect during the day.
I never hear anyone MUA talk about Honolulu Honey.
Anastasia Bevelery Hills Brow Wiz - Ebony
All the brow pencils I’ve tried look really heavy and intense on me and i end up looking like Helga from Hey Arnold. The Brow Wiz creates a natural, but still defined brow for me, without being too heavy. My sensitive skin can’t hack thread so plucking so I “clean up” of my eyebrows by plucking a few hairs here but I don’t clean them so much that it slims or changes the shape.
Is high end worth it?
I buy high end makeup because I want to have a handful of good quality products. In high end stores, I can ask for a sample of a £50 foundation, take it home, wear it for a few days and see how it really wears on me. I deal with combo/oil skin so longevity is a big factor and high end makeup is more reliable to have a good formula with good longevity (6+ hours). So I spend £50 on the high end foundation I know will work, instead of trying 3 or 4 cheap foundations which might oxidize, might break up after 2 hours, etc.
For products like mascara, eyebrow pencil, etc which need replacing multiple times per year, I'm happy to experiment with L’Oreal Revlon, Elf etc. But blushes, bronzers, lipstick - they last for years so I'd rather have a high end product with high end packaging which doesn't break after a year of use. I also do love NYX lip range.
If you're just starting with makeup, you won't really know what colours or formulas you prefer to wear, so I would buy mini's. High end brands have already started releasing their holiday sets which can be a great buy if you're looking for mascara + eyeliner, lipstick + lipliner, blush + bronzer, etc. A word of warning - Too Faced and Benefit bring out totally different holiday makeup to their regular line, usually with worse formulas, so only buy minis which correspond to the brand's regular range.
