Saturday Night Makeup #7

It's been a while since I posted a Saturday Night Makeup post, partly because I always forget to photograph my makeup, and partly because I've not had the occasions much lately. But last weekend I had a birthday to go to, and I made the most of some of my lovely new makeup!

Face;

Arbonne Makeup Primer (review)

BareMinerals Concealer

L'Oréal True Match Foundation in 'Golden Ivory'

Ben Nye Neutral Set Powder

Illamasqua Gleam Highlighter in 'Aurora' (review)

Illamasqua Powder Blusher in 'Tremble' (review)

My Little Beauty Bronzing Powder (review)

All my looks start with a long-lasting base using my favourite primer and concealer on dark circles, blemishes and around my nose, and I kept it true to my skintone with an all-over stipple of the amazing True Match foundation with the Real Techniques buffing brush. Now, the most important step - I recently discovered the seriously uh-may-zing Ben Nye Neutral Set Powder and have been completely obsessed ever since! A dusting of this all over creates a flawless, airbrushed base that doesn't budge - seriously, guys, these photos are not edited at all and I'm in bad lighting! Not bad, huh?

Once my base is complete and set, I add definition using the powder blush and cream highlighter in my favourite Illamasqua Multi Facet palette. Since they're both fairly light, I applied quite a bit more product than I normally would, but it worked well for an evening look. The surprisingly good product I used for this look came in the form of the bronzing powder I received in last month's My Little Box, which I wrote off at first for being too orange for a contour. Well, I'm eating my words because it worked perfectly on me since I applied a subtle false tan a day previously! Super impressed with this one!

Eyes;

Illamasqua Eyebrow Cake in 'Thunder' (review)

Stila In The Light Palette in 'Kitten', 'Bliss', 'Sandstone', 'Gilded Gold' & 'Ebony' (review)

MUA Eyebrow Pencil

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

Since I wear glasses, I always find it necessary to go a little overboard on the eyeshadow than one normally would - it simply doesn't show up as much otherwise! I went all over the lid with 'Bliss' from the Stila palette, fading into 'Sandstone' and used the classic 'Kitten' as my inner highlight. I popped a little 'Gilded Gold' in and above the crease and then drew a thick line into my crease with the MUA brow pencil before smudging it with my brush and setting it with a little more 'Sandstone'. I lined my entire top and bottom lashline with the liquid liner, forming a slight flick at the end, then softened it slightly with the 'Ebony' shadow.

All my brows need since I got them professionally done is a little brow powder, and I love Illamasqua's Eyebrow Cake applied with a slanted brush. Normally I'd set it with gel but I didn't feel I needed it with the primer I applied, so I moved straight on to coat my lashes in 2 helpings of the mascara I can't get enough of lately, Maybelline Lash Sensational. Et voila!

Lips;

Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in 'Eastend Snob'

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in 'Streak'

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in 'Blossom Culture'

Illamasqua Powder Eyeshadow in 'Feint' (review)

I just did a 2 minute lip without too much fuss put into it - I simply lined and filled my lips with my current favourite 'Eastend Snob' by Rimmel, then filled it with 'Streak' by Urban Decay. I wanted to add a little interest and create the illusion of thicker lips, so I used a dark burgundy powder shadow and dabbed it in the middle of where my lips meet to fake a shadow, then dabbed the centre of each lip with MAC 'Blossom Culture', which is a lighter pink lipstick with a sheen and so works great as a highlight.

I really enjoyed this look and it worked nicely for a night of eating, laughter and cocktails. Have a lovely weekend!