Updated: What's in my Travel Makeup Bag??

Hello lovelies!!

Some of you know that i am currently making a weekly commute from London to Derbyshire for University, which involves me staying a couple of nights at my parents house per week. Obviously i don't take my entire makeup arsenal with me every time, but i decided earlier that i'd give you a little nosey into my travel makeup bag so you can see what my essentials are and also what products i use on my face for a normal, uneventful uni day. I quite like reading these types of posts so i thought maybe you would too. Once again i missed the last of the daylight for this post so have had to brighten the photos slightly. Fed up of these dark winter days. ROLL ON SUMMER ALREADY!! I'm fed up on relying on flash.

The Makeup Bag...

My current travel makeup bag of choice is this pretty Cath Kidston one that i got on eBay (Link). This particular design is currently out of stock but they have others and will probably restock. It comes with a matching circular mirror at a really great price. Well worth checking out. As you all know i ADORE anything Cath Kidston. The Liz Earle zippy bag is what i carry my brushes in as well as my foundation (as it doesn't fit in the makeup bag). 

Base...

New CID i-Prime*

and

Look Beauty Airbrush Base in Medium

I love this combo for day to day lately as it is no effort to apply and lasts really well. I haven't been using either of these products for very long so am still getting used to them but so far i'm very impressed with both. Watch out for a review of the LookBeauty foundation coming soon. 

Cheeks...

MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus

and

Look Beauty Make Me Blush in Pinch

My MSF is a staple in my everyday makeup bag so i have to include it in my travel bag too. I find a quick dusting of it quickly sets my foundation, gets rid of any remaining shine and prepares my skin for whatever blush or bronzer i feel like putting on. This week my blush of choice is this one from LookBeauty but i tend to switch it up depending on my mood. Usually it is MAC Sunbasque or my NYX blush stick but i just fancied this one this week. The compact also has a really good size mirror so i find it handy for carrying around in my handbag for uni as well. 

Eyes...

BeneFit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Sippin'n'Dippin

Maybelline Gel Liner in Black

and

Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black

I really don't do anything fancy with my eyes for everyday wear so i tend to pack light. I don't always put colour on my lid to be honest but, when i do, its usually just a subtle wash of one of the Creaseless Creams applied with my finger followed by a sweep of gel eyeliner, which has become my favourite form of eyeliner in recent months. I use the Clinique Mascara (think this was a freebie in a magazine at some point) purely because it's a handy size for fitting in a small makeup bag, but i actually really like the mascara itself and will probably repurchase! 

Lips...

Rimmel Apocalips in Luna

Pillsbury Reindeer Sugar Cookie Lip Balm

MAC Honeylove (Left)

and

MAC Shy Girl (Right)

My lip products actually tend to be IN my handbag and not in my makeup bag, purely because i always reach for the same ones on a day to day basis so they are always with me whether i'm travelling or not. Apocalips is a new addition obviously (see previous post) but Honeylove and Shy Girl are my staple lip colours and i would be lost without them. They just never let me down. I guess they're quite similar really. The Pillsbury lip balm was a present from my housemate for Christmas as a bit of fun but it's a really great lip balm! It's relieved my sore lips on several occasions in the recent bitter weather. 

Brushes...

(Left to Right)

Royal and Langnickel Eyeliner Brush

Elf Blush Brush

Real Techniques Foundation Brush

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

and

Real Techniques Powder Brush

Don't think i need to explain what each of these brushes are for, and i KNOW i don't need to preach to you all on how amazing Real Techniques brushes are because i'm sure you're all already converted to Sam Chapman's brilliance. I find the Elf blush brush really versatile for cheeks as you can use it flat or on its side or just the very tip so it's great for travel as a contour, blush and highlight brush in one! Not sure why i'm carrying both the foundation AND stippling brush at the moment but i tend to alternate between the two depending on what foundation i'm using and i'm still experimenting with this one so i guess that's the reason. 

Hope you enjoyed a quick peek into my travel makeup bag. I haven't done a makeup bag post in a while and it was interesting for me to consider why i use what i use.

What makeup do you pack when travelling?? What are your essentials?? 

Make Up Bag of The Week #2

Good evening ladies!

Late one tonight (i over-napped) but wanted a bit of blogging time to share with you all my makeup selections for the coming week. I have been trying really hard to rotate my makeup bag lately to get fuller use out of all my products. The last week or so was a bit of a fail because i have been a bit haphazard in the products i've been using due to special occasions and my visit to London for #ZOMGbloggersbash so it changed a bit through those weeks, but i'm narrowing it down again this week and plan to stick to the products i've selected. 

So there's the overview of this week's picks.

As usual my makeup bag staples (that i just can't do without) remain the same and will not be made a big fuss of in the main post. They are:

MAC Matchmaster Foundation (Shade 4)

MSFN (Medium Plus)

Collection2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (Shade 3)

My last makeup bag post seemed to take on a 'bronzing' theme and this week i seem to have gone for more soft, pinky shades (maybe it's the approach of Valentine's Day). I don't do this consciously, but there always seems to be a trend in what products i pick from week to week. 

MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Porcelain Pink

In addition to my regular MSFN i have actually selected ANOTHER for this week's bag. There's a bit of a story behind it actually. The other night on Twitter i was contemplating a blogsale and umming and ahh-ing about what to part with and what to keep hold of. And this product was a sure fire cert for the chop... Until i started actually TALKING about it with someone and studied it again and thought to myself "Y'know what.... I haven't given this enough of a chance and it really is rather pretty". I understand why MSF are so hard to part with as they really are beautiful. This one disappointed me somewhat when i first got it. It DOES have gold veining through it but it wasn't NEARLY as prominent when i actually got it out of the box when compared to swatches and photos i'd seen online. 

After swatching around with it again and wearing it yesterday i have decided that it works for me as a pretty pink-toned highlight which doubles up as lovely, shimmery eye shadow. So i popped it into this week's bag. 

MAC Sheertone Blush in Pink Swoon

I don't know many who don't LOVE this blush! It looks stunning in the pan, but is so sheer and gives such a pretty wash of girly pink (that can also be built up for more drama). It goes great with the MSF highlight i picked. I'm going to be sporting a fabulous girly pink glow this week!

I've plumped for two lippies again this week. I decided to give my beloved Shy Girl the week off in favour of two other equally effortless and soft colours from my MAC collection.

Creme Cup (Cremesheen)

Well one of the lipsticks was going to have to be pink wasn't it. This is the newest addition to my MAC lippy stash and i'm so glad i finally have it. I'd heard so many great things about it and it really does seem to be a fab all round 'suits-anyone' kinda shade. I do rather like a Cremesheen finish, although i know there are a few who aren't as keen. 

Viva Glam Gaga 2 (Amplified)

The second MAC/Gaga Viva Glam collaboration was always going to be a hit with me. I'm always on the lookout for the ultimate nude lip and this one really is FABULOUS!! I'm going to be so gutted when this runs out as it was an LE shade and will no longer be available. I have heard that a good dupe for this is GOSH 'Darling' but have yet to test this theory. Until then i have this badboy and i love it!! 

Sleek iDivine Palette in 'Oh So Special'

The first of my eye choices this week is one that i have been neglecting recently. I've got myself into a comfort zone of reaching for either my MUA Heaven&Earth or my coveted UD Naked palette and have pushed thoughts of my other palettes to the back of my mind, which is so wrong of me because i do LOVE every Sleek palette i own. Oh So Special was the obvious choice for this particular bag, given the other shades in the mix, but i picked it more for the contour shades than for the pinks (you'll see why in just a sec). The matte brown shades are also fine for filling in my brows, so no need for a seperate brow product.

BeneFit Creaseless Cream Shadowliner in 'Sippin'n'Dippin'

I own three of these shadows which i bought from a blogsale quite recently. I've always been a bit of a sceptic about cream formulas but am really coming around to them now. This shade in particular has a lovely warm goldy sheen to it which is a bit lighter than my skintone and when applied all over the lid makes my eyes pop right out!! My everyday staple look has now become this shadow all over my lid, followed by a contour shade (applied with a fluffy brush) into the crease and finished off with black liner. It stays on like a dream too and also doubles as a base for other shadows. The other shades i own are RSVP and Bunny Hop. You will probably find a post on these from me in the very near future.

VIVO Lengthening Mascara in Black

This is possibly my FAVOURITE budget mascara. It's by VIVO who sell through Tesco's but i picked this up at the October TOWIB event along with a few other bits, which was lucky for me as i live nowhere near a Tesco. This mascara contains fibres GALORE and i love that the brush doesn't pick up a truckload of product. I get no clumping from this product at all and it really is quite decent at adding length and colour to the lashes. I'd highly recommend it if you're popping down Tesco and in need of a new mascara. 

Liners for the week are as follows.....

Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

Not a lot for me to say about this product other than i LOVE it!! The brush is super easy to work with, it goes on a treat and it DOESN'T BUDGE!! This is one of the only liquid liners i've tried that gives me a perfectly smooth line and i dont always have to pull my eye around to get it either. I got this as part of my Book of Shadows IV but i will definitely be repurchasing!

Avon Glimmerstick Lipliner in Rich Ginger

I usually feel like i want a lip liner when I wear my Gaga 2 just because it is so nude and i like this one just to bring out my lips a little. It's not a bad colour for eyebrows either. I love Avon Glimmerstick products (not just because i am a rep) and the eyeliners are another favourite of mine. 

So those are this week's product picks. 

I realised that i haven't actually included a bronzer AT ALL this week, which is possibly a mistake. I have fake tanned though so my only issue will be for contouring and i can grab my Sleek Contour kit for that if i need it. 

If you have seen an item in any of my makeup bag posts that you would like more information on or to see me write a more detailed review of, do let me know and i'd be happy to oblige. 

What's in your makeup bag this week?? Are you getting all pink and romantic too??

MakeUp Bag of the Week #1

Evening girlies!!

So the new year finds me rather limited budget-wise and i'm a MASSIVE fan of the very lovely Sunday Girl, so i have made a vow to appreciate the items i already have in my makeup collection a little bit more before i go blundering in with the Mastercard to buy any more. Doing my 2011 favourites last week really got me remembering and appreciating the items i have already so i have decided to follow the emerging trend of switching my makeup bag around each week to get more use out of forgotten about items. Last week's bag didn't get a post but now that i have a bit of extra time on my hands (all assignments are handed in until i go back to uni on the 24th) I'm showing my blog some love.....

So here's the items i picked out today to serve me for this week......

These first two items are likely to remain in the bag from week to week because they are my must-haves and  i cannot live without them, but they are...

MAC Matchmaster Foundation - Shade 4

and 

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - Medium Plus

(One item i appear to have neglected in these photos is my recent concealer discovery, Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection in 03 Medium. My bad!!)

(If you're wondering why some of the photos are different, i ran out of camera battery halfway through taking these photographs and had to use my iphone camera to take the rest)

The Bronzer I went for this week is Bourjois Delice De Poudre 'Chocolate' bronzer. I decided it was time to give the VIVO a little break and I adored this Bourjois one earlier in 2011. It works for contouring as well as adding a gorgeous subtle glow to the face and it lasts forever! I've had this one since about June (ish) and have hardly made a dent in it yet!! Well worth its money. Smells delish too!

This week's Blush is Sleek Powder Blush in 'Life's a Peach'. Again, this was a big hit with me over the summer. Not sure why i'm going for glowy, gold, bronzey tones in this particular makeup selection, they just all seemed to jump out at me! Maybe its because its so cold outside that i'm dreaming back to summer haha. This blush is perfect for a subtle glow or a more vibrant look. 

Lipstick choices for this week are quite similar really. I have been in LOVE with my MAC Shy Girl (Cremesheen) ever since i got it late last year. Don't know why it took me so long to get my paws on it because i knew i'd love it and its been on my radar for a while now. So glad i own it and its been hard to separate myself from it so it had to go in this week's bag.

 My next choice is my Rimmel Lasting Finish lipstick by Kate Moss in shade 03. I bought this in September with Boots points and, after the initial play, i kind of tossed it to one side in favour of my MAC Hue. But i found it earlier while picking products and had to toss it in the bag because it really is a lovely nude pink shade which isn't too pale or too dark and i haven't really given it a proper chance.

Eyeshadow palette this week is my lovely MUA Professional Heaven&Earth palette. It really is a little gem of a palette and the shades go really well with the bronzer and peachy blush. If you don't own this yet i really do suggest you snap one up on your next Superdrug visit because its great value and excellent quality for the price. Great for everyday looks. 

Eyeliner this week is my Stila Smudge Stick in Moray that i got in a recent Glossybox. Its a lovely golden toned liner and is long wearing. Half the reason i picked this was because, up until the other day, i actually thought i'd lost it as i couldn't find it anywhere! I just so happened to have a re-shuffle the other day of my entire makeup area and it jumped out at me. Phew!! I didn't pick a black this week as I'm not really going anywhere (I've finally got some proper time off) but this is lovely on its own or with the golden brown tones from the palette if i do have to pop out anywhere. 

The mascara i chose was my L'Oreal Lash Architect 4D. I LOVED the original Lash Architect mascara and picked this up because i wanted to see if it lived up to it's predecessor.... It didn't QUITE match my expectations but i'd still say it's a pretty decent drugstore mascara. I have heard a few moans about this here and there but i haven't got any major issues with it as long as i wipe off the excess before applying it. It seems a little more manageable now that its been left to dry up a little. 

Some definite gold themes emerging in this week's choices. It wasn't deliberate but maybe its a reflection of something subconscious.... Like i wish it was WARM again!!

What old favourites have you been resurrecting lately?? Have you rediscovered any old favourites??