Quick Affordable School Run Make-up

Some of you will be wondering why you need to wear make-up on school run. I salute you. I need to have mascara and concealer on at the very minimum. I don't need to go in with full face every time but I like to have a bit on. Yes it helps being a make-up artist but what I do most days isn't very technical and I thought I'd re-work it a bit to use my favourite high-street products.

Some of us like to have a bit of make-up on when we do school run - but it doesn't need to be Kim K levels and it certainly doesn't have to cost as much. Here's my current go-to make-up it takes five mins and lasts all day. List of products below. Any questions don't hesitate to ask.

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Products Used:
No 7 Shade and Define in Cool Mink
Eco Tools Eye Shading Brush similar to this
MAC Smoulder Eye pencil 
Max Factor Masterpiece Max mascara
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Clinique Bottom Lash mascara 
Bourjois Bronzing Powder
MUA Pixel Perfect Blush in Coral Spice
Sleek Makeup  Luminous Pressed Powder
Collection Lip Butter in Vintage Rose

Eye Shadow Pencils Spend or Save

I love an eye shadow pencil. They make application so easy, they travel well and are often a great base for eye shadows if you need to give them a bit of oomph or longevity. You can use them as an eyes shadow or straight liner, or as a blended liner or base. They make for a great, quick and easy smokey eye too. But they not only vary wildly in quality but also in price. So I've gathered together all the ones that I've either been using for a while myself or have been recommended and have been testing them out to see how they compare. Do you really get what you pay for? Are they actually all the same?

There are so many things to take into consideration so I've tried to test take the same things into consideration for each pencil. Longevity, price, packaging, whether they are sharpen or twist up. In my opinion there is less to go wrong with a pencil that you sharpen - the product doesn't dry out and you don't get a fault with the mechanism. It is a bit of a ballache to have to sharpen. I feel I should just mention the difference in shimmery and sparkley here. For me 'shimmery' means a not matte but not noticable glittery finish, 'sparkley' means there are noticable bits of glitter of whatever size. I've included some swatches below so hopefully you'll be able to see what I mean. I've used these a lot but when testing and re-testing for this post I've worn for a couple of days on their own to see how they looked and lasted and a couple of days more as a base with a shadow over the top.

5 Minute Heatwave Make-up

You probably know we have been having a heatwave here in the UK. I usually get cross with the term heatwave because, well it's summer, it's just summer not a heatwave, but 33 degrees celcius is pretty much as hot as the UK gets so I'll let it through this time (and even include it in the title of this video!).

It's not a glamorous look but it makes me feel less washed out and gross and like I can pick the kids up from nursery without making the other children weep with fright. This might be good if you work in an office and can't quite bear to wear foundation. It's too hot hear for me to even bother with tinted moisturiser - though I'm desperate to try the new one from Origins.

Glowy Summer Skin video

The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Protect Lotion SPF 30
Nudestix Magnetic Eye Colour in Angel
No 7 Stay Perfect Shade & Define in Cool Mink
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Max Factor Masterpiece Mascara
Cover FX Setting Powder
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
NARS Sun Wash Bronzer in Seaside
Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner in Nobody's Baby
La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water

Quick Review: No 7 Youthful CC Cream

I found this product difficult to review. Initially I didn't like it for it's lack of any coverage or evening of skin tone. Then I started to really like it's lightweight feel and slightly luminous finish. So although this will never really have quite enough coverage for me and I won't be buying it again I would recommend for someone who didn't need to even they skin-tone and just wanted a really light all-over base.

Spring Wedding Guest Make-up - Friday Video

This is a summer wedding guest makeup look that I did on my sister recently when she was off to a daytime wedding in typically English summer weather. She doesn't like being filmed so it was very nice of her to agree to do it. I used a mixture of what was in her makeup bag and what was in mine as we were both staying with my mother for the weekend and I wasn't planning to film a video. I found everything I needed which made me wonder slightly why I heave my heavy kit around everywhere!

• Origins Youthtopia Moisturiser
• No 7 Airbrush primer
• Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid foundation
• MAC eye kohl in Powersurge
• Barry M Eye trio eyeshadow in Tes 1
• No 7 Stay Perfect Eye Shadow in Truffle
• MAC eye kohl in Teddy
• Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Bisque
• Clinique All About Eyes Concealer in 01
• Sleek Makeup Contour Kit in Light
• Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Innocent Peach
• Natural Collections Powder in Warm
• Maybelline The Falsies Volume Mascara
• Revlon Lustre Lipgloss in Nearly Nude
• L'Oreal Lip Pencil in Rosewood
• Nails - Boudoir by Ciate

The Morning After the Night Before Make-up - Friday Video

This is called The Morning After the Night Before based on those nights where you accidentally don't go home and need to do your makeup with what you've got in  your bag the next day. There could be a whole series of these as the contents of my makeup bag is always changing although this doesn't really happen to me anymore. If this is something that happens to you a lot you can adjust your makeup bag accordingly with makeup and moisturiser samples, small face wipes and little brushes. From previous experience I usually compensate for a massive hangover and pasty complexion with big flicks with my liquid eyeliner but I refrained in this video...

• Liz Earle Skin Tint (bare 01)
• Body Shop eyeshadow (this colour is discontinued - any pale colour is good)
• L'Oreal Superliner (black)
• Benefit Eye Kohl (black)
• Clinique High Impact Mascara
• Dior Skin Flash Pen
• Laura Mercier Golden Bronze
• Rush Hour by Benefit
• Benefit "Gilded" highlighting pencil
• Clarins translucent powder
• L'Oreal Infalible Lip Liner (Nude 701)
• Clinique Long Last Lipstick (in Sugared Apple)
• No 7 High Shine Gloss (Smile)

No 7 Stay Perfect Nail Varnish in So Simple

I've been looking for a light brown nail varnish for the last couple of weeks - my usual red felt a bit to vampy with my floaty summer dress which I wear to weddings at this time of year and I've tried a lot of bright pinks which always tend to look a bit streaky on me... and I just wanted an excuse to buy another nail varnish! I've not been hugely enamoured with the No 7 nail varnishes I've tried before but the So Simple colour looked perfect so I thought it was worth a go.

I really do adore the colour - its a really light beige, not at all sparkly but nice and glossy - very grown up. I also much preferred the new wider brush which really does make application much easier and even seems to get the colour right to the edges satisfactorily which I was dubious about originally (I thought bigger brush = more mess). It dried quickly and evenly and I am generally very pleased with it.

Not a very good photo but you can't see the chips!

Two things I feel I should point out - if you have been wearing darker colours you will really need to get them all off as any tiny bit of colour shows up. I know this sounds obvious but I can see little glimmers of red right down between my nail and cuticle which slightly annoys me (my own fault I know). Also I did manage to chip this after two days - I'm pretty sure that it's because of my angry way of typing - I definitely need to learn to use the pads of my fingers rather than hammering on the tops of my nails but just be aware of this. I will say that will this fantastic colour any chips are only noticeable to you and therefore it's another great colour for 'occasions'.

Having looked on the Boots website I see that quite a few people didn't like these new varnishes (all seemed to love the range of colours though) so it seems to be a bit 'Marmite'. I usually buy nail varnishes based on matching the colours that I need or want at the time rather than loving a particular brand (although I'm a big fan of Toma and Revlon) and I sort of advise you to do the same. I think every one's idea of the perfect nail varnish is completely different - you just have to try for yourself. I would definitely want to try out of colours from this new No 7 range though - much improved on their last one methinks  xx

No 7 Speed Dry Nail Varnish in Coral Kiss

No 7 Speed Dry Coral Kiss - not very corally

I'm researching a piece on coral nail varnish at the moment so this week I'm wearing No 7's Coral Kiss Speed Dry Nail varnish. It was incredibly easy to apply, relatively quick to dry (these quick dry nail varnishes are never as quick as I think they are going to be) and was very smooth once dry. However, I really don't think it's coral at all. Now I know my skin tone has a tendency to bring out the red in coral colours but there's nothing coral about this... if you want a really nice bright red then it's great. What is not great though is that having applied it on Sunday evening the first chips appeared by Tuesday lunchtime. Now I do type all the time so I'm pretty demanding on my nail polish but not only where there chips along the tops on my nails but also along by the cuticles. Not very good I think you'll agree. So great for easy application, bright colour and good results if you are going to a party that night - but for general use and coral colour this is a no xx

Typical

It's been a while but it had to happen sooner or later. No 7 have stopped doing my standard everyday fail safe eyeshadow. I thought it may be a temporary blip but no... it's still not appeared after months of patient waiting. I could take the hint that I'm just not trendy anymore but no - instead I'm determined to find a replacement. And not only have I done so but I think I've found better.

I loved the No 7 in Opal because it was silvery white without being too 80's and OTT and the replacement, Revlon ColorStay 12 Hour Eye Shadow, well, it just looked too white and needs careful application but it's amazing. It says it will last for 12 hours but I have long ago stopped believing these kinds of claims but (and I hate to say this in case it jinx's it...) it seems to be true. I don't know whether during the day I manhandle my face or have particularly sweaty eyelids (I'd like to point out that they don't feel sweaty), but after a long day the eyeshadow is definitely... well, patchy. Not so for the Revlon. Having just looked in the mirror this puppy stays on - it's a dream come true. Now I just have to worry about when they decide that this is no longer fashionable. Then the hunt will continue. But for now I'd definitely recommend the Revlon ColorStay as a great eyeshadow for everyday use - whatever the colour! xx

A Little Sparkle

I have to say I am really sick of the Christmas shopping - I usually love it but am a total pauper this year, the crowds are completely out of control and it's getting harder and harder to know what people want. But this has been a great year for a bit of sparkle (remember the sparkly hair clips?). I may not know what other people want having been on a massive pre-Christmas shopping ban I saw so many things that I want. A word of warning - if you are retail starved don't think that you can just wander into Cath Kidston and not immediately want to hand over your credit card (or debit card in my case) even the tea towels are irresistible.

Miss M had to drag away from the NARS Glitter Pencils on Saturday. They come in eight colours by my favourite is Area (black with gold glitter) and Mudd Club (beige with gold glitter). They are £18.50 each but these are chunky pencils which will last for ages. The lighter colours 54 and Roxbury can also be used to highlight the cheeks. I can't stop thinking about them.

No 7's Highlighter is made up of champagne, platinum and gold powder to add highlights and sparkle to the face or body. There are so many different kinds of highlighters and illuminators around at the moment but this is great for general application and it won't break the bank at £13. It's perfect for taking to work to streak on your cheeks when you have to go straight out afterwards. For those of you wanting to spend a bit more on your highlighter Givenchy's Limited Edition Prisme Solitaire highlighting face powder is £28 - not only is this a great facial highlighter but for those of you brave enough to go strapless in this weather it looks great on the top of you shoulders.

I'm still a huge fan of Benefit's High Beam but for those lucky people with a less pasty complexion Moon Beam is a more golden pink. They both last for ages so well worth the £15.50. When I'm finally allowed to add to my sparkle collection I would love to try the Jemma Kid's Dual Illuminator (£12.50). It has cream highlighter in one end and shimmer dust in the other and best of all it's portable for another great Christmas party back up. Now go forth and sparkle xx

Recovery...

I don't know that I've ever been so exhausted after a holiday in my life. Having come back tanned, thin and poor I vowed to spend the rest of the month in a state of nun like abstinence - that lasted a week. Having arrived home for some parental pampering I seem to have put all the weight back on and emptied my bank account. I can justify the mass DVD buying that went on, after all HMV are having a massive and irresistable sale, but it was when I found myself leaving Boots with No 7's limited edition Gorgeous Eye Palette. I'm convinced that I will discover that it's not so limited but it better be after I had to return the first one having got home, opened it and found it completely disintergrated. I also picked up some Protect and Perfect Serum by No 7 for Mumma B. This has been selling out all over the UK - you literally could not get your hands on it for love nor money for the first couple of months of its release. I'll let you know whether she notices any effects.

My major concern since getting back however, has been the maintenance of my tan. I have never been this colour before and I have become obsessed with keeping it. I've been basting myself in after sun (the Nivea Sun tan prolonging after sun seems to be working although have started to notice orange bits so I'm not sure how long I can keep using it). My sister has just produced Body Spa's Malama Intense Moisture Body Butter which smells amazing and feels really smooth. Where did she find this sweet smelling wonder? Tesco's. Who'd have thought it. It's available here and is a real bargin at around £4.99. Go and get some it will be worth it and its perfect for keeping post-holiday skin mosturised.

All my pre-holiday purchases were great. I'm really loving Eye-Con and the Gilded pencil is really great for a subtle bit of glamour - was a definate bonus when glitzing up for the clubs. Something which is not worth its £16.50 price tag is Benefit's Rush Hour. The colour is slightly too dark even for a lipstick but for a product that is supposed to be used on cheeks as well it just doesn't work. I bought it at the airport and when I arrived in Ibiza it had spread on the inside of the lid and looked a bit sad. It would have been much better if one end had been for lips and one for cheeks and/or eyes. The packaging as always is beautiful but for once I just don't think this Benefit product cuts the mustard which was especially annoying as it would have been perfect for those post-clubbing 11am-with-no-sleep moments. Luckily I also managed to purchase some more Bad Gal Lash Mascara which is an essential item in any girls make-up stash.

So what has been my recovery plan (apart from spending money I don't have on even more products?). I've been trying to ignore my morning craving to eat everything bad for me (ideally i'd have a toasted bagel with cream cheese pastrami and pickle every morning) by just sticking to a bowl of bran flakes. For lunch I've been making myself a salad of tomato, cucumber, feta and tuna (sounds bizarre I know but is really yummy). I've also been trying to avoid carbs after 6 and drinking booze during the week which is, rather worringly, easier said than done. It is working but it is incredibly hard not to fall off the wagon. I've been keeping up the walking and am hoping that when the new salary has had a chance to kick in I'll be able to take up a dance class or something. One of the hardest things to do has been to give up the full fat Coke. Having accidentally lost weight in Ibiza having tried and failed to lose it before leaving I'm now determinded to maintain my optimum weight and my coke substitues of water and green tea just don't have the same sugary satisfaction. One bonus of the new health drive is I have finally learnt to love Cranberry juice. I can't get enough of the stuff and it will hopefully help me avoid the incredible discomfort and embarrassment of certain infections with which cranberry's have now become associated with.

So I did manage to return from holiday tanned and thin... I did however get my fill and more of funky house music. This has manifested itself in my almost permant singing of Dr Feelgood by Motley Crue and other such anti-social metal tunes. I think my new boss may wonder what he has employed. Speaking of which I am now bound to return to London to get back to the grind stone tomorrow I'm going to spend my week discovering some feel good cheer up treats to boost us through this foul weather, if you are anything like me you will need all the help you can get. Two hours on a horse this morning and I'm still looking like a drowned rat!! xxx

Time For Your Close Up

Sorry for the silence since before Christmas. It was a fabulous time in the Miss B household and I have to say that getting back into work took more mental and physical exertion than I would have predicted. But I've conquered the first week back (bonus and pay-rise free) and woke up this morning for the first time since the 1st not feeling too much like death. So HAPPY NEW YEAR. I hope you all had a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year and lets hope 2007 is as good, if not better, than 2006. I have to say I'm hoping for the latter.

So back to it for me and I think the story that I have noticed most this weekend (hard to miss when its on the front page of a lot of papers), is the Kate Middleton/Princess Di connection. Palace lawyers are trying to protect Kate from the paps and the tabloids for fear of her encountering the same problems as her boyfriends mother who was infamously 'chased to her death' by the paps. However, Princess Di, although constantly pursued always came across wonderfully in the papers. Even during a scandal she kept her grace. Can Kate do the same?

I have to say I think its a bit of a shame that the lawyers have been bought in already. Yes, there are rumours of engagement but Princess Di (no matter what you think of her) was a special woman. A Queen of Hearts no less. However, when receiving a parking ticket in Chelsea last week we did not have the fuming 'do-you-know-who-I-am' royal girlfriend. Instead, Kate looked slightly miffed but then smiled sweetly and got on with it. I realise that at times the paps have got completely out of control, however, there has to be a certain amount of press involvement for any one getting involved with a royal, and I'm sure this would be the case even if Kate herself was of royal blood. It kind of comes with the territory.

I think a decision has to be made. To get on with it and accept that whatever you do will be of interest to the press but then they will lose interest if you don't do anything hugely exciting. Or get out while you can. It sounds harsh but I think when it comes to being involved with royalty, once you've made your bed you're pretty much going to have to lie in it. But if you are going to be photoed at every event, even the receiving of a parking ticket, how can you look your best for minimum effort, because lets face it, its not always necessary to slather it on when going down the shops for some milk.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Benefit's Lemon Aid is fabulous whether you have five hours to do your make-up or five minutes. You can either use it as a base or you can use it almost as a shadow - you can put your eyeliner straight on over the top. Although I love No 7's Opal eye shadow. For something extremely subtle the Body Shop's eyeshadow in Buttercup is barely there but gives a nice shimmer. No 7's Oyster is also really soft and goes perfectly with brown eyeliners. If you are going for the lighter eyeshadows (which will keep your eyes looking bright in case of a run in with a photographer) a brown eyeliner is best. It defines but isn't quite so 'look-at-me' as my old favourite the black liquid liner. Benefit's Eye Sketching Pencil in Sable is perfect for this and comes with a sponge tip for smudging and blending. Miss S who is queen of the subtle make-up recommends Clinque Cream Shaper for Eyes in Brown Sugar. It accentuates without being to OTT.

I always recommend Masterpiece mascara (and probably always will til someone tops it) but Pump Up the Volume by Bourjois which is fabulous. As I've said before it needs to be open for a little to settle but then it does exactly what it says on the packet. A good pair of eyelash curlers never go amiss either, Courtney Cox swears by them!

Depending on what your skin type is I am of the opinion that if you can get away without foundation then go for it. If you can get away with just a light tinted moisturiser instead that too is a bonus. However, how often have you looked at photos of yourself and wished you'd spent another hour with your make-up. The flash inevitably means that all the flaws are highlighted so a nice smooth foundation of light tinted moisturiser is definately the way forward. Again I'd recommend Rimmel's Cool Matte Foundation is great especially if you damp your sponge before application. Its really smooth and will not end up making you look like Jodie Marsh at an awards ceremony.

With or without foundation Benefit's Dandelion blusher is great. It gives a healty glow rather than a hot flush. As with all blushers, however, it is necessary to go lightly!

Benefit's High Beam is also great. Unlike other skin shimmers it is really sublte and can be worn during the day without fear of making you feel like a disco queen! I like to use it on the cheek bones and just under the arch of the eyebrows. This will (or should at least!) add to the healthy look.

Now lips are always a problem. I tend to try and obey by the rule 'dramatic eyes or dramatic lips' but as we're going for the all over fresh subtle look then you can't do much better than Clinique's Glosswear Lipgloss in Nude. It gives you a bit of shimmer and a bit of a plump but, as the colour implies, is a far cry from the Christina/Gwen post box red! But for those who can't stand the inevitable hair-in-gloss-and-then-on-face incident, Bourjois new Doctor Glamour lipstick comes in Rose retabli is great. Benefit's Benetint is also good but must be applied lightly (unless you are going for all out red lips in which case it is brilliant on its own or as a base) as it is a stain rather than a lipstick. It now comes in a handy 'pocketpal' format with the stain at one end and gloss at the other. I received this for Christmas thanks to Miss J, so I can now have the real thing in my handbag.

Good luck in front of those cameras ladies (and boys). Believe me I need all the help I can get!! xx