30 Beauty Question Tag!

After a great evening binge reading some blog posts, I came across this tag from the lovely Em Barker and I felt inspired to answer the questions myself. Full credit goes to Em for inspiring this post and I will be sure to leave all of her posts at the end of this one so that you can go and read her answers. Anyways, this is just a 30 question tag relating to all things beauty so I hope you enjoy!

1. Do you remember your first makeup item? 

Haha, yes I do! I actually bought three things at once as it was 3 for 2 in Superdrug on Maybelline. I bought the Cover Stick Concealer, an eye shadow quad and one of those nail polish twist things. I remember when I got home I was so excited and I spent the whole evening just swatching and playing with everything.

2. Describe your perfect mascara. Have you found one that fits your specifications? 

The closest mascara I have found to perfect is the Maybelline The Colossal Go Extreme but since it is not cruelty free, I am still yet to find a perfect mascara. I tend to look for something that will give me length, volume and it has got to hold a curl and be waterproof (so nothing much at all really, I'm not picky).

3. What kind of coverage do you prefer from foundation? 

It honestly depends, I like quite a flexible foundation, something I can wear a light coverage of but something I have the ability to build as well. Most of the time when I do wear makeup though, it tends to be all or nothing though, so I am likely to go for a medium to full coverage. 

4. Favourite high end brand?

It's a tie between Too Faced or Urban Decay, saying that, I haven't tried a lot from either, but what I have tried, I have gotten along with.

5. What cosmetic brand have you always wanted to try from, but still haven't? 

There are so many but to name a few Tarte, Kat Von D, Marc Jacobs Beauty, Milani, Zoeeva, BH Cosmetics.

6. Favourite drugstore brand?

Definitely Collection or MUA or Barry M, there are so many things I love from each one of those brands, and for such a great price too!

7. Do you wear false lashes? 

Not yet but I really want to get into them, so comment your recommendations.

8. Is there any kind of makeup you can't leave the house without? 

I actually love to just wear no makeup but does lip balm count? Even though I constantly forget to apply it!

9. What is your most cherished beauty product? 

Probably my Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in Amazing Grace because it is my name and a lipstick that is way out of my budget but I love it.

10. How often do you shop for makeup? Do you like to pick up an item here and there or get loads of goodies at once?

It is so dependent on offers, new releases and just like how much money I have but I tend to buy a few bits of makeup like once a month maybe, it is usually just a handful of products though so nothing too crazy. 

11. Do you have a beauty budget or do you spend freely?

I just spend freely, if it is something I really want then I don't mind the price unless it is like off the charts, but I haven't came to that point yet.

12. Do you utilise coupons, reward cards and sales when you shop for cosmetics?

I don't really tend to buy sale makeup, unless it is a proper steal but I do have a Superdrug and Boots card so I do get money off as I spend which is always great.

13. What types of products do you buy the most?

Definitely eye shadow, it is a problem, I have way too many palettes for one little girl. I just love feeling inspired, plus I always keep the lips and base neutral so the eyes is the only thing I tend to experiment with.

14. Is there a brand that you cannot stand?

I can't really think of a brand I can't stand, obviously, not every brand is made for me but I can't say that there is one that I just cannot stand.

15. Do you avoid certain ingredients in cosmetics like parabens or sulphates?

To be honest, I don't really think of stuff like that, maybe I should!

16. Do you have a favourite place to shop for makeup?

Not really, I love Beauty Bay as I can just spend hours on their website getting lost in all of the brands available. For an actual shops, I find them all super intimidating so I can't think of one.

17. Do you like trying new skincare products or do you keep a certain routine?

I love experimenting with skincare but I have a set routine that I always go back to if my skin is not having it.

18. Favourite bath and body brand?

Soap and Glory or The Body Shop, both have incredible products and amazing scents that I just love.

19. If you could only buy from one brand, which brand would you choose?

Thinking about it from a realistic point, I would say Soap and Glory because they do great skincare, body care and makeup. Plus I would love to try more from them, so I guess that would be the perfect opportunity.

20. What brand do you think has the best packaging?

I love the quirky packaging from Too Faced but I also love the sleek packaging from the likes of Buxom, so I can't really decide.

21. What celebrity always has great makeup?

There are so many people that come to mind, Selena Gomez just always looks incredible, I love some of the creative looks that Zendaya wears and I love Ariana Grande's classic winged liner and glowy skin. Those three are definitely my favourites.

22. Do you belong to any online communities?

I don't think so.

23. 5 favourite beauty gurus?

Hannah Renee, Jaclyn Hill, Manny MUA, Kathleen Lights and Shannxo. There are so many though, I could go on forever.

24. Do you like multifunctional products like lip and cheek stains?

I tend to always forget about my lip and cheek stains but I like making my products have multiple purposes like my concealer as an eye base or my bronzer as eye shadow.

25. Are you clumsy when putting makeup on?

All the time, especially with mascara, for some reason, it just gets everywhere!

26. Do you use a makeup base/primer for the eyes?

I have to, I don't think that I could wear eye shadow without a base anymore.

27. How many hair products do you use on a typical day?

On a daily basis, maybe like one? I wash my hair like three times a week, I usually avoid dry shampoo until necessary and I don't use a lot of heat on my hair. When I do use product though, I use like three or four in a day but that caters for the whole week so I'm not sure.

28. What do you apply first, concealer or foundation?

Foundation, always! It is just the way I have always done it so I don't think that I could break out of the habit.

29. Do you ever consider taking makeup classes?

I have thought about it, like maybe as a course to pursue a career in it but I think I have learnt quite a lot just from trial and error, and the internet of course, so I don't think that it would be too beneficial for me.

30. What do you love about makeup?

Everything! The whole idea of makeup, I adore. I love the creativity of it, being able to do anything with your face making it look completely different to what you started with. I love the beauty behind it, making someone go from insecure to totally confident, it is truly life changing. I love what makeup has taught me, from the actually products, formulas and application to life long lessons like patience and respect, it is true madness. Again, I could go on forever!

I hope you liked that post, it was just something a little different for me!

What do you love most about makeup?

Grace xx

Em Barkers Links:
Blog - http://emjbarker.blogspot.co.uk/

30 beauty question tag - http://emjbarker.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/30-beauty-questions-tag-take-2-updated.html#more

London Haul, Bershka, Pink and More - TRY ON

I went to London about two weeks ago as you are reading this and how can you go to London and not go shopping? Especially on Oxford Street, which is pretty much my second home, lets be real. Anyways, I did save a bit of money for this trip even though I find out around two days in advance, but I did have some money to go and treat myself with, so I did pick up a few bits, mostly clothes. That is what I am going to be sharing with you today, just the clothes I bought in London, I have also made this try on, which is the first one I have ever done so do let me know if you like this and I will do some more.

Starting with Holister, I picked up this beige knitted jumper. This is definitely a more autumn/ winter piece but living in England, it wont take too long for me to be able to wear this. I really loved this jumper because of its neckline, it is quite high but it's like a slash neckline so you can wear it off the shoulder or just super wide. I imagine styling this with a bralette underneath, peaking through slightly and a skirt or some jeans just for a cute winter outfit. This is a super well made jumper, the quality is lovely and I think it was around £19.

The other piece I picked up from Holister was very much an impulse buy but I am so obsessed with it. I have been wanting a denim jacket all summer but never found the perfect one and so I gave up but I went in Holister and my mum managed to convince me that I needed this jacket. It is quite a classic denim jacket, it is more of a light wash and it is long line with some distressed detailing. What I love most about this is the fit, it is just very oversized feeling but still has structure. This was around £40 which I think is fairly good for a jacket, and even though we are going into winter, I know I am still going to wear this a lot in future and because it is still a bit big on me, it should last me a few years. Again, Holister never disappoint with their quality, this jacket is actually a stretchy denim which is sooooo much better than stiff denim, it just hugs all the right places and it is super thick and amazing.

Being in London, I knew that I wanted to visit Bershka as I had heard a lot about the clothing brand but had never owned anything. Having a look around the shop, there was a lot I wanted but I wanted o test the company before I made a huge spree. I did pick up two pieces though, the first one being this plain white slogan t-shirt that just says INFLUENCER in black, in the middle. I love a good slogan tee and I thought that this one was just really nice and relevant as we are all influencers to each other and with it having a double meaning, you could class me as a beauty influencer, so a very fitting t-shirt. As you can see by the photo, I did tie this just to give it a more flattering fit but I think that it would also look great tucked into jeans or a denim skirt. You might be able to see a pattern but I really like my casual pieces and a slogan tee is just an essential. Also this was £4.99 which is such a bargain and it is really well made also. the t-shirt is nice and thick, well made and even though it is white, it is not see through so I could not be more pleased with this.

The second piece from Bershka is just a pair of denim shorts. Like I said, we are currently transitioning into winter and even though I have no sunny holidays booked, I just couldn't resist these and for the price. These were £9.99 which is madness to me for a pair of shorts so I had to snatch a pair. They did only have my size in these blue acid wash pair which I am not really mad at because I think that they are a super staple colour and will go with almost anything. I have no idea when I am going to wear these, but I am going on holiday next year and I am not planning on growing or gaining weight so hopefully they will last me until then. In terms of their quality, again very nice. They are definitely more of a tight fitting short but they are not too cheeky and they are really flattering as they just hug you, so I am super happy with Bershka and will definitely look into buying from them in the future.

Next up are two pieces from Pink which is part of Victoria Secret in case you didn't know. The first thing I got was this oversized, grey, cold-shoulder, long sleeve top. I have been wearing this loads at the moment as it is so comfortable and super easy to style. I find that things from PINK are expensive but they are an investment and I know that they will last my whole life, as long as I don't grow (can't promise that!). This did cost about £40, which I know is a lot but I have loads from Pink and I know that they are well made, beautiful, and will last a long time. I did get this in a medium and I am so glad I did because I was actually going to size up, but since the style is already quite oversized, I was good with a medium. What I love about this is how big the cutouts are on the shoulder. I think that it is very flattering on and I love cold shoulders so this is perfect. On the front, it is a plain, light grey burnout but on the left, there is a pocket with a little "P" on but then on the back, across the top it says "LOVE PINK" in white. I love the little touches that Pink do, and this is definitely a new favourite piece in my wardrobe and I think it is a great transitional piece, going into autumn. I did just think that I would mention, that by the picture above, I have tied the top because I have been wearing it a lot like this, as I find that it adds more shape to the top and goes great with my high-waisted bottoms.

Final thing from Pink was such a treat purchase as it was very pricey, but I adore it, so to me, it was money well spent. These are just a pair of high waisted yoga pants but they are in this beautiful black and white marble print. I also love how it features mesh paneling along the knees and coming up to the thighs. I have never seen leggings like this before and I just love how unique they are but they are still wearable. There are some leggings out there that are super bright in colour and super bold but these leggings are fun but still black so they will go with most things. I also really love the material of these leggings as they are not super thick like the other yoga pants I own, they are perfect for summer as they are lightweight but because they are full length, you can wear them in winter too. These did cost about £60 which I know is a lot, but the quality of these, I think, is worth it. All things I own from Pink are super well made and last so well, so I invested in these leggings because I know I am going to wear them loads, they are so unusual so not a lot of people are going to have them and they are going to last me a lifetime as long as my size doesn't change.

The final thing in this haul is from Topshop and it is a new pair of jeans. I always bounce between the Topshop Joni jeans and the Jamie jeans are one is more like a legging and the other is a proper jean but both are super flattering and high waisted on my figure so I love them both. Saying that, I realised in my collection that I had no Joni jeans in my wardrobe so I had to pick up a new pair. Topshop offer so many colours and styles with their jeans so it was a difficult decision, but I got this bright blue pair which are definitely on the darker side but still sort of bright and they have multiple rips a long the legs. Ripped jeans, I think, are always on trend and super easy to style and I did not have any in my collection, so I needed some. I love how these are random and not just the regular ones on the knees. I find that Joni jeans are really figure hugging and flattering so I love them a lot and I know that I am going be wearing these loads throughout every season. I will just also point out that these were £40 which might seem a lot but considering how much I wear them and I know how reliable they are, again, I find them to be an investment.

Do you want to see more try on hauls from me?

Grace xx

Minimal Makeup - ALL DRUGSTORE AND CRUELTY FREE

I have really been loving writing up these makeup tutorials so let me know whether you want me to keep on doing them and what type you want me to do next. You may or may not know this but currently, I am trying to grow a cruelty free makeup collection and even though I will still use and mention some of my animal tested makeup, I want to start sharing all cruelty free makeup looks to inspire all of you. Don't feel like you need to go cruelty free because that is not the point, I am doing these posts just to show you the endless possibilities even with a "limited" amount of brands.

My best friend Penny is who inspired me to go cruelty free and as always I will like her socials down below but one of her biggest pet peeves is when people message her saying that going cruelty free is super expensive. Sure, growing and purchasing a whole new collection can come to quite a few pounds but people think that cruelty free makeup is the most expensive on the market, and just to open your eyes up a little, it is the complete opposite. My aim of this blog post is to show you an all drugstore and cruelty free makeup look so you can just see how affordable being cruelty free can be.

This makeup is super minimal just because it is summer currently where I live so I wanted to do something lightweight and natural. You also really loved my last makeup tutorial that I did not including foundation so I wanted to do another.

For primer, one of my favourites is the Barry M Flawless Colour Correcting Primer (£5.99), this is super smoothing and balmy on the skin. With it being colour correcting, it evens out your skin tone without needing foundation so if you have some discoloration, you too can skin foundation and just use a colour correcting primer like this one.

Even though we are not using foundation, there still might be places we want to just lightly cover like under our eyes to highlight and spot conceal. My favourite concealer in summer is the Seventeen Stay Time Concealer (£4.49), because it is super hydrating and good coverage. I tend to apply this just under my eyes, chin and forehead but you could apply this anywhere on your face. We are also going to double this up later as an eye primer but I will get into that later.

To set the under eyes and just mattify the face a little, I am using the Freedom Powder in Queen (£5.00), this powder is a super luminous and hydrating face powder which is perfect for summer because it can take away some of the oil but it can also keep your skin looking smooth and hydrated. This powder comes in a pack which I just recently reviewed so I will link that at the end so you can get a few more details but I will be using another powder from the pack in a second.

Onto bronzer, using one of my favourites, the NYX Matte Bronzer in Light (£8.00). What I love about this bronzer the most is that it is such a great, natural colour. I apply this on a fluffy, large face brush and just dust it across my cheekbones, temples and jawline. This bronzer is matte and looks great on a fair/medium skin tone so it is super natural for summer.

Blush, I am using my favourite one for summer, the Natural Collection Blush in Peach Melba (£1.99). These blushes are so incredible and so affordable but don't be fooled, they are an amazing formula. This shade is the perfect natural peach shade, perfect for a natural flush.

Finally for the face, I wanted to still include an intense highlighter just to add something to this look. A current highlighter favourite of mine is the Freedom Powder in Bad Habit (In same pack as Queen), which is the one from the same set as that face powder we used before. This highlighter is so metallic and intense but perfect for the look just to add a little something something. You can go and read my review of this set which will include swatches and everything (link below) but take my word for it, amazing!

Stupid me forgot to add my brow product into the picture but it was the Elf Brow Pencil in Taupe (£3.00). I actually really love this brow pencil, for me, it does the job. It is creamy and pigmented, I also find that I don't have to set this just because it is so waxy, it actually sets on it's own. I also love how it comes with its own spoolie, a super great product and a bargain too.

Like I said before, going back in with that concealer, just to sharpen up those brows and primer those eyelids. Doing this will just allow everything to apply nicely and smoothly.

For eye shadow, I am using a current favourite once again, it is the MUA Fire Vixen Eye Shadow Palette (£5.00). This palette is unbelievable, hopefully the review of this will already be below, so once again, it will be linked at the end. Obviously with this shade range, you could create anything but I used some of the matte browns in the crease and that bottom left, light white shade on the lid, inner corner and brow bone.

Skipping the liner, and for mascara, I am using the Collection Volumax Waterproof Mascara (£5.99). Turns out, a lot of these products I have already reviewed so I will try my best to link them all down below. Anyway, this mascara is fab, with it being waterproof, you know that it is not going to melt off throughout the day and it is super black and volumizing so just a goo all round mascara. It also includes a primer which I sometimes use, but you don't have to.

Finally for lips, I am using my favourite lip product for the summer, the Collection Lip Colour in Fudge Delight (£3.99). Again, this has been reviewed (sorry if this is repetitive) but I am so obsessed with this formula. The shade is just a nice nude, not too pale, too warm or too dark, just the perfect all round daily shade. In terms of formula, it feels like a balm but looks like a glossy lipsticks, perfect for this warm season. It also contains spf 15 to protect you lips, a great product.

I hope you liked this post and you feel a little inspired!

Do you want to see more all drugstore makeup looks?

Grace xx

Links Mentioned:

Penny's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pennyellice/

Penny's Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/pennyelliceclark

Current Base Routine, No Foundation!- http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/current-base-routine-no-foundation.html

Reviews of Products Included:

Freedom Pro Artist Highlighter Set Review - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/freedom-pro-artist-hd-eye-shadow-and.html#more

Collection Lip Colour - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/collection-lip-colour-review-lip.html

Collection Primer and Mascara - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/collection-primer-and-mascara-review.html

MUA Fire Vixen Eye Shadow Palette - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/mua-15-shade-fire-vixen-eye-shadow.html#more

Perfect for that time of the month...*BettyBox

I think we all know what I am talking about "that time of the month", yep you guessed it, periods. Now we all go through it so I don't see the point in beating around the bush. Once a month, us ladies have a period, it is a sign of health but with that comes being in pain, being uncomfortable and not even mentioning the crazy food cravings.

The kind people over at bettybox got into contact with me and asked if they could send over one of their subscription services and review it to my audience. Just putting it out there that I was sent this for free but that is not going to influence my opinion on the company or their products, I was super happy that this brand got into contact with me and it was something that I genuinely wanted to share with my viewers as I love the idea.

Bettybox?

Bettybox is a monthly subscription aiming to make our time of the month that little bit more bearable. If you have heard of Pink Parcel, well, Bettybox is the "teen version". Other details include your first box being priced at £6.99 and afterwards they are £10.50. You can cancel your subscription at any time, whether that is after one or twelve months.

What does it include?

You are able to choose sanitary products of your choice, whether that's tampons, pads or a mixture of the two. They also have a range of brands which will be put in the boxes too.

The subscription contains everything you might need for the entire month, but it also features a "for you" box which contains treats that could include beauty products, jewellery and tea.

How it works?

During each month, there are three delivery days which you can choose from (10th, 20th,28th) and so when you order your box, you can put in the date which falls closest to your period.

Now that all of the information is out of the way, I am just going to get into the subscription I received and just review for you all.

When I opened the box, this is exactly what it looked like. As you can see, underneath the lid just shows the Betty.Me social medias and inside the box, you get three boxes and a little drawstring bag too.When I received the box, every was super secure and nothing came damaged.

Inside you also get a little booklet just talking a little bit about the brand and the treats you get inside, which I wont spoil just yet.

On the right hand side of the box, you get two little boxes, one saying "for later" and the other saying "for night". These obviously contain the sanitary items you chose, I chose to get a mixture of tampons and pads just because that is my personal preference. I find these boxes to be super handy because I like to take them travelling with me, just so that everything is a little more discrete and all in one place.

In the "for later" box, I got a mixture of pads and tampons, then in the "for night" box I got some more pads, obviously thicker ones for overnight. I was super impressed with this, as the amount of sanitary items you get is way more than enough. They are super generous with the amount you get and I can definitely see this lasting me more than a month, but it is always a must to make sure that you have more than enough.

Moving onto the little drawstring bag, this is classed as the "for now" part and inside I got some more pads but these ones are a lot thinner and smaller which you would use when you were just about to come on your period or when you were coming off your period. Once again, they are super generous with the amount you get and I love how it comes in a drawstring bag like this because you can just refill it and pop it in your handbag, keeping all of your sanitary items inside.

The final part of the subscription box is the "for you" box on the left hand side containing all of your treats. Inside the box everything was really nicely displayed and you get quite a few products so I am just going to list them all now as I haven't actually gotten round to using them. Saying that, do let me know if you want to see reviews of any of the things I mention.

- Candy Kittens in Sour Blueberry (16g) - 24p

- Balance Me Pure Skin Face Wash (40ml) - £5.12

- L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Polish - £4.99

- Hairon Zero Crease Hair Ties - £3.99

- Anatomicals That's When I Fell For The Leader Of The Hair Pack - £1.99

- Lisa Angel Shade Bracelet - £12.00

- Korres Bergamot And Pear Body Milk (40ml) - £3.00

- Scrub Love Coconut Affair Coffee Scrub (50g) - £3.50

With the help of the booklet inside this box, I managed to find out how much these deluxe samples cost and you can see, you get a lot for your money. I love the wide variety you get in this. Definitely, at first my favourite item was the bracelet and I wore it for a whole day straight, but sadly it actually broke, but I do not put that down to the people at Betty Box as it was a fault of the Lisa Angel company, but never the less, it was a cute piece. All of the other products, I am still yet to try but I am super excited to, and as you can tell by the amount of product you get, you get a fair amount, definitely enough to get a good feel for the product.

Overall, my genuine response to this is that it is an incredible idea. I love everything about this brand, from the packaging, to the products to the amount of product you get, everything about it is just so well put together and amazing. That doesn't even mention how affordable it is. I know people hate talking about periods but I definitely think that this is a great idea, whether it is a one time thing to just treat yourself or whether it is a monthly service you use to save you going to the shops to buy your sanitary items. I would definitely recommend this because I definitely think that it is worth the money and I think that it is going to make your period a hell of a lot more bearable.

Once again, thank you to the people over at Betty Me for sending this out.

Would you want me to write more period posts like this?

Grace xx

Links Mentioned:

Betty Box - http://betty.me/

The Betty Collective Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bettycollective/?hl=en

Current Base Routine - Full Coverage & How I Bake

My last base routine went down really well, and even though it was a lot simpler than today's I wanted to do an updated one. I thought that I would also tell you how I bake my concealer because I have been getting into baking recently, so I thought that some of you might find it useful to hear my application process and the products I use. This is quite a high maintenance base routine, but I only do all of this if it is a super glam or a special occasion, so don't think I do this everyday, because I am writing this post currently with nothing but concealer on. I am also going to be mentioning beauty tools and brushes in this post just so you all can get a proper feel for my application.

To prep the skin, after moisturizing of course, I am spraying my face with some of the PS. Primer Water which you can get from Primark as part of their beauty range. I am currently trying this out but it just helps to wake up my skin and prep it before foundation. After spraying a few pumps evenly across my face, I will take the Seventeen Cheeks Brush and just buff some of the excess product into the skin, this just makes sure that there are no droplets sitting on my skin and everything has sunken in.

I will then go in with a more smoothing primer just around my t-zone and where I get texture the most. Currently I am using the Urban Decay Self Adjusting Complexion Primer because it does a great job at smoothing out the skin while making it look more even straight before foundation. I like to focus this product around my nose, centre of my forehead and my nose but eventually it will be blended across my whole face. I do blend this out with my finds just because I find it the easiest and most effective. In terms of how much product I use, not a lot at all, a pea sized amount does enough for the whole face.

A little bit of colour correcting is my next step, even though I don't do this all of the time, when I have a nice red mountain on my face, I like to include this step. Saying that, if my skin is having a good day and looking clear, I will quite happily skip this step. To cancel out the red tones in my face, I like to use the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Green. I apply this directly onto the red areas of my face and then I like the just blend that out with the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. When I apply foundation, my skin just looks a lot more flawless and even but I don't find it a step I have to include every time I wear makeup, or even when I go glam.

Now for foundation, I have been loving this little combination. The LA Girl Pro Coverage Foundation and the L'Oreal True Match Foundation make a great combo. I mainly use this combo just to get the perfect colour to match my neck but the thickness of the LA Girl Foundation quickly goes thinner when I add in the L'Oreal one, which just makes it a little bit more comfortable to wear. I do not recommend the L'Oreal foundation just because it is tested on animals but other drugstore foundations like the Collection one I reviewed (link at the end) would also make a great foundation to mix with this but I am using the L'Oreal one just to use it up as quickly as possible. Anyways, I use a pump of each of the foundations and mix them on the back of my hand, I will then evenly dot the mixture across my face and go in with my damp Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and just bounce and blend it in until I have an even base. I also like to just take whatever is left on the sponge just down my neck to make sure that there are no lines and everything blends together nicely. When it comes to blending in my foundation with a sponge, I always like to over-so it just so that everything has definitely sunken in and no excess is left sitting on my face.

Onto concealer, I have another little combo for this. I will first go in with the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer under the eyes, chin, centre of the forehead and a little on the cupids bow but then I will take the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and put that in the furthest part of my under eye where it tends to be the darkest, a little on my chin and a little one my forehead. I do this because the UD Concealer is a little too dark on its own and the Collection Concealer is a little too light on it's own so by putting the Collection Concealer right in the darkest part of my under eyes and the UD Concealer just throughout my under eye, it creates a nice gradient effect and the same goes for my forehead and chin. It's just to make everything look more naturally highlighted, so hopefully that part made sense. After I applying the concealer, I will go straight back in with that damp Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and leaving the under eyes until last, just bouncing and blending all of the concealer in until everything looks blended and flawless.

Now for the baking, before I even get my powder, I like to use the damp Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and just go over my under eye concealer to make sure that nothing has creased and all of the excess product has been absorbed. I will then grab my damp Mini Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and take my RCMA No Colour Powder, tap some of the product into the lid or the lid of a compact and soak the sponge in powder. Making sure that there is no creasing just pack it directly under my eyes making sure covers the inner part to the outer part of the under eye. This sometimes takes a few dips into the powder we emptied out before but it is all worth it for a flawless complextion. I will repeat that underneath both eyes and then take a little bit and just pack that on my smile lines, chin, cupids bow and forehead.

That is how I apply the bake, but while it is doing it's job I will cream contour just before setting the rest of the face. For cream contour, I like to use the LA Girl Pro Concealer Concealer in the shade Toast, it is the perfect shade for me to contour with and it is an amazing formula to work with. Since this product comes with a brush applicator, I apply it directly onto the face just with a line of product on my cheekbones either side, a little on my temples and a little under my jaw. I like to blend this out with the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Contour Brush keeping the product in the the right parts of my face and not letting it get too crazy. Once most of it has blended in, I will take my trusty damp Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge again and just go over the places where I have applied the cream contour. the excess foundation and concealer on the sponge will just help to blend in the cream contour to make it look more natural and seamless. 

I will now set the whole face with the RCMA No Colour Powder, but I will just do a light dusting with the Real Techniques Multitask Brush and while I am patting that in across my whole face, I will also wipe off the bake and work the into the skin too. Sometimes, if the cream contour got a little out of hand, I will go in with the damp Mini Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge again and the RCMA No Colour Powder and just pack on more powder but underneath the contour to make it look extra sharp. I will only let that sit for a little bit until wiping it off.

Onto the powder products. I usually go for bronzer first and at the moment, it has been the Makeup Revolution Ultra Bronze Bronzer, it is an amazing colour for bronzing, it looks super natural, blends like a dream and it buildable which is what I love most about it. I apply this with the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Face Brush, which I like because it is a little tapered and fits perfectly under my cheekbones. I am usually quite messy with the way I apply this but I focus it on where I put the cream contour so the cheekbones, temples and the jaw. Sometimes, I will also just dust the left over product on my neck just so it matches everything.

Next up is blush and I use the Too Faced Sweethearts Blush in Candy Glow, just to give me a super natural but luminous flush. I love this for summer as it just makes your skin look so fresh, and I did mention this in my July Favourites so I will link that below as well. I apply this with an angled face brush, mine is from Germany by the brand Barbara Hofmann which I don't think you can get hold of so any angled face brush will do. I really like this brush though because it fits perfectly on my cheeks and it disperses the product really nicely. Even though this is a three striped baked blush, I tend to just mix the shades for an all over peachy blush.

Finally for the glow, I have been living in the Ofra X NikkieTutorials Everglow Highlighter. It is super intense, metallic and reflective, so super beautiful for an intense base look. I apply this with the Morphe B13 brush and I usually mix the two lightest shades. With the brush, I apply this onto the tops of my cheekbones, a little above the eyebrows, on the brow bone, some on the cupids bow and on the tip of my nose.

Hopefully that gave you some tips or recommendations for your base routine and I hope you enjoyed. Do let me know if you want to see another base routine for lighter day-to-day maybe and I will be sure to do that.

What is your most important step in your base routine?

Grace xx

Links Mentioned:

Last Base Routine - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/current-base-routine-no-foundation.html

July Favourites - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/july-favourites.html

Reviews Of The Products Mentioned:

Urban Decay Primer - 

Collection Colour Correcting Concealer - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/colour-correcting-collection-lasting.html

LA Girl Foundation - 

Urban Decay Concealer - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/5-products-5-first-impressions.html

RCMA No Colour Powder - 

Too Faced Sweethearts Blush - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/day-18-early-christmas-present-first.html

Ofra X NikkieTutorials Highlighter -