I’m finally starting to feel festive! Woohoo!!! Although it’s taken a while, as I’ve been having a tough time with PTSD, I’m starting to feel it now. Lissie and I have our Christmas t-shirts (almost) ready for Happy Sling Lady‘s Edgbaston (Monday) and Solihull (Tuesday) libraries. I’m making progress with Christmas shopping and we know where we’re spending Christmas day. It’s fair to say that the next two weeks are going to be super busy! It’s also worth noting that I like to start packing 2 weeks in advance of going anywhere, at any time of the year. It’s one of the few pacing strategies I’ve managed to stick to. I don’t wear makeup often now that I’m a Mum and, when I do, it’s minimal. I want to make an effort over the Christmas period. Not full face of makeup level effort, but adding in a touch of eyeshadow, blusher and more noticeable colour on my lips. So, I started my packing with my festive makeup bag and thought I’d share with you what I’ll be using!
All products marked with * have been gifted to me for consideration. More information can be found in my full disclaimer.
Festive Makeup Bag: Base Products
I’m keeping it simple and low key with my base products. I’m very lucky to have good skin that doesn’t need much makeup to cover the small areas of discolouration. be saving time and using my MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Light Plus. Applied with a buffing brush, this gives me the coverage I need to look put together. I’ll have my Benefit Porefessional with me too, for days where I don’t have the time or energy to put on a base. This is a product in my 2019 project pan, which I’m looking forward to updating you on at the end of the month.
I’m not so lucky in the under eye area. Chronic illness, a lack of sleep and genetics means that my under eye area looks dark even at the best of times. I’m probably always going to be tweaking my under eye routine in the hope of one day finally cracking that ‘actually got enough sleep last night look’. In the mean time, I think I’ve found a combination that I’m pretty happy with.
I was THRILLED when I saw that Maybelline had increased their shade range of their Instant Anti-Age Eraser. I first tried it when there were only three shades. I LOVED the concealer, but the lightest shade was still WAY too dark for me. I tried to persevere, but just couldn’t make the shade work for me. I recently picked up the shade Warm Light and it’s perfect for me! If you want to know my thoughts on this concealer, check out my Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Eye Concealer review.
As my under eyes are darker than the night’s sky, I’ve also been adding a touch of my Collection Illuminating Touch Concealer in the shade Natural 2. I use this around the edge of my under eyes, where the under eyes meet the very top of my cheek bones. I hope I’ve described that ok. My Collection concealer is also in my project pan.
To set my concealer, I’m currently using the Revolution Pro Hydra Matte Translucent Setting Powder*. I have to admit that I don’t tend to opt for loose powders, because I’m clumsy. Saying this, I’ve found that packaging makes this product easy to use and so far, I’ve not spilt any! Given that NARS have opted to sell in China and recinded their cruelty free status, I’m on the hunt for a setting powder to replace my NARS Translucent Crystal Pressed Powder once it’s used up. This may just be that product!
As a side note, while I don’t use exclusively cruelty free products, I am trying to choose cruelty free where possible. I feel that NARS’ decision is a step backwards and this is not something I want to support.
Festive Makeup Bag: Eyes
Eyeshadow primer is a must for me. Even more so as I’ve got older. If you’ve read my GOSH Eye Shadow Primer Review, you’ll know just how much I love this eyeshadow primer. So much so that I’ve passed my MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot on to a friend (find out more about why in my MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot Review). So the first eye product in my festive makeup bag is my GOSH Eye Shadow Primer*.
I don’t want to go overboard with packing eyeshadow, only to end up feeling overwhelmed by choice and not using any as a result. So, I’ve put one eyeshadow palette in my festive makeup bag, the newest addition – the Revolution Pro Earth and Stone palette*. This has a great combination of shades that will allow me to create anything from a simple, single wash of colour on my lids to a full smokey eye (one can hope, right?!). I can see myself choosing Majesty (gold) or Ore (rose gold) as my lid colour on Christmas day, with a little of Ground (warm light pinky brown) or Lagoon (cool light brown) in my crease.
My mascara of choice is my Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara. This mascara works brilliantly to lift, thicken and hold a curl in my stubborn, straight lashes. Check out my Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara Review if you want to know more about why I love this product!
For my eyebrows, I’ll be using my NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Ash Brown. This is such a great product and one I’m going to need to repurchase in the not too distant future. I’ll also be using my Browhaus Classic Brow Lead*. To be completely honest, I’m only including this because I’m trying to use it up in my project pan and I’m stubborn. You can find out more of my thoughts in my Browhaus Classic Brow Lead Review. The short version is that it just isn’t the right colour for my brows. So I’ve been using it in the body of my brows. To set my brows in place, I have my clear Rimmel Brow This Way. This will need to be repurchased or replaced soon too.
Festive Makeup Bag: Cheeks
I’m going to let you into a secret – I don’t think I’ve worn blusher at all in 2019. The exception to this may be in the Woven Wings photoshoot Elise and I were part of in April. I can’t remember.
As a result, I didn’t want to be packing lots of blushers. For the same reason I didn’t want to pack multiple eyeshadow options. So, I’ve settled on my NARS Adult Content Cheek Palette. This has two of my favourite blusher shades in it – Deep Throat and Zen. I feel like every lip colour would work with one of these two blushes. It also has a light pink shade, which I might use with a light hand. We’ll see…
I may be being a little ambitious, but I’ve also added a contouring palette into my festive makeup bag. Contouring itself won’t happen, but I may use this shade for defining the creases in my eyes. A touch of highlighter is more likely to become a reality and I’ll also use this to bring a little sparkle to the inner corner of my eyes. The contour palette I’ve put into my festive makeup bag is the Revolution Pro Sculpt And Glow palette*.
Festive Makeup Bag: Lips
Lips are where I’ve had to restrain myself a little. As I’ve not been wearing eyeshadow or blusher, I’ve been using lip products to switch up my look and have fun. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that lip products are much more prone to bleeding out of my lip line. I have an e.l.f clear lip liner, which is a great option if I don’t want the full lip liner and lipstick intensity of colour but also want the colour to stay on my lips and not end up all round my face.
For nude (ish) lip options, I’ve given myself some options. My lip liner with these lip colours is Rimmel’s East End Snob (I think Lissie is currently sleeping on it!). For lipsticks, I have Revolution Pro’s Velvet* and MAC’s Velvet Teddy. Velvet is a darker, mauve toned lipstick, while Velvet Teddy is a lighter, warmer shade. I’ve also thrown my L’Oreal Colour Riche lip gloss in Molto Mauve into my festive makeup bag. This is my quick, easy option for low energy/time days.
For red options, I have my No7 lip liner in Fire. For a stronger colour, I’ve opted for Revlon’s Revlon Red. This is a brilliant true red shade. For a softer wash of colour, I have my YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in 4.
For a berry shade, I have my Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in Obsession and my YSL Rouge Volupte Shine lipstick in 2. Previously, I’ve been all about the berry shades in the colder months. I feel like this year, it’ll be all about the reds. I’m not sure why, but I’m kind of liking it.
What will your makeup consist of over the festive period?
Find me on:
Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | YouTube
You can also sign up for my newsletter and check out our Family Instagram!
