A Low Maintenance Guide to Long Lasting Make-Up

I spend approximately seven minutes each morning on my make-up. I have a base of concealer and foundation, then mascara and maybe a lip colour. It is a basic routine, interspersed with evenings of painting my nails, that I know I can do without a mirror and just gives me a little more get-up-and-go for the day ahead. I also very rarely carry a make-up bag around with me predominantly because I'm not bothered but also I'm far too lazy to refresh my make-up throughout the day.

What I Bought From MAC

When a friend tells you they have 30% off at MAC it would be rude to not take advantage of it instantly. This month I seem to have run out of literally everything all at once, so I've taken it as an opportunity to try a few new beauty products that have been on my Pinterest beauty wish list.

The Eye and Lip Makeup Remover is one of the best removers I've tried in a while. It really lifts off my mascara with no remnants left in the morning from my lazy and hasty removal. However, I'm not a fan of the oily consistency of the product. Having oily skin myself, it makes my skin feel really slippery and I need cleanser to get rid of the layer left on my skin before I put eye cream on. It works so well though so I'm going to keep using it for the time being.

I originally bought the Prep + Prime Skin primer but it turns out it's glittery. There's no hint of that anywhere in the description on the site, but there is some comments in the reviews section that spells it out. I can't really understand why anybody would want a glittery face so I exchanged it for the Prep + Prime Beauty Balm primer. I've stopped wearing foundation every day and my skin has never been better for it, but I was still looking for a primer predominantly to calm the redness on my face and minimise my massive pores. I've heard loads about BB creams but still didn't really know what one was.

The woman in MAC Covent Garden put this on my face and the difference between the side of my face with it on and the other was amazing. Redness was majorly reduced and my skin was completely even. I may be anti-foundation for the daytimes, but tinted moisturiser I can deal with when it works this well and is ever so slightly better for my skin.

What are your favourite MAC products?

Make-up Bag Musts

 I don't know that much about beauty products. I do love reading beauty blogs to get tips and tricks, but getting to 24 means I do have some essential products of my own that I can't go a day without. My make-up bag is guilty of having some inevitable crap in it, but this post will highlight the ones that are always sat at the top.

MAC Studio Fix foundation

I have scars from adult acne and a touch of rosacea and was struggling to find a foundation that wasn't too heavy. Having combination skin, I need something that doesn't make my skin look flaky, but also doesn't slide off my oily face either. I swear, I almost kissed the woman in MAC when she put this on me. I've never had a foundation give me such even coverage, and if there was one piece of make-up I wouldn't be without, it's this.

Body Shop Tea Tree Concealer Shade 02

This is in the skincare section of the store, not the make-up counter. It does what tea tree oil is famous for: it soothes my red flared spots and helps reduce them over time. It's really soft and blends in really well, even though it only comes in two shades. It also lasts forever!

Benefit They're Real Mascara

The newest addition to my make-up bag, this has taken over from Benefit's Bad Gal (which I still love in Plum) to be the best mascara I've ever tried. This has actually made people comment on how good my lashes look, which isn't the most obvious of compliments people tend to pay! Two coats of this and I feel like I've got fake lashes, without the hassle of glue or ruining my real eyelashes. Seriously impressed.

Body Shop Liquid Eyeliner in Black

Another favourite from The Body Shop. My eyes are really sensitive so this is perfect. It has the best nib on a liquid eyeliner that I've ever used, it's perfectly pointy but doesn't feather so I can get the cleanest, finest line without going all Amy Winehouse.

What are the products in your make-up bag that you can't live without?