Throwing out make up bag and starting again

[Stylelostinlabour]

Right along with a wardrobe cull my makeup bag has been treated to the same treatment I know want to restock with stuff I'll actually use, not just all one brand when I've gone to a make up hall in a department store amd been to scared to say no after they have done my makeup! - so come share with me your must have please - i have a night of googling to do.

Things that I would buy again and again are:

Benefit Benetint
Benefit Porefessional (a primer type thingie)
Lancome Definicils mascara
Soap and Glory lipsticks
Mac shale eyeshadow
Urban Decay Naked eyeshadow palette
Urban Decay eyeliners

Clinique Superprimer (in pink tube for dullness). A really recent discovery for me, but I'm amazed at how much better my makeup goes on over the top - smoother, and long lasting, so I still look ok after a long day at work.

Mac Studio fix liquid foundation - I've been using this for years and years, see no reason to change.

Boots No 7 loose powder - very good and not too spend, especially with a £5 voucher

Clinique powder blusher in Shy Blush

Bobbi Brown metallic cream eyeshadow. Amazing colours which are 'build able' depending on whether you want subtle or more dramatic. Seem quite expensive but with daily use, one lasts me 8 months. Love Antique Gold and Galaxy.

MUA black eyeshadow used as eyeliner. Discovery of the year - £1!

Clinique High Impact Mascara. Just really really good, build able daily use mascara. Doesn't smudge or irritate (I wear contacts)

Liz Earle lip gloss. Lovely flattering colours, not too sticky.

Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Colour. Great under gloss or on its own. A lighter textured lipstick - I love 'Carolina', a lovely rose.

Make up brushes - I think it's hard to beat The Body Shop brushes, I don't think they are worse than my Mac/Bobbi Brown ones, but are way cheaper.

And that's about it! I use the above products pretty much every day and they don't let me down. Most are not cheap as chips but I much prefer buying fewer products and loving them, as opposed to buying more and having them not really doing what I want them to. How exciting to buy everything from scratch, good luck!

In descending order of I-couldn't-live-without-this:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation - hands down the best foundation I've ever bought in a field including Bare Minerals, Bobbi Brown and Lancome.

Not strictly make-up but if you have issues with shine Bioderma Sebium Pore Refiner (which I discovered via S&B) will just RESOLVE them immediately! Stunning product, I have spent so much money on anti-shine things over the years and nothing but layers of cakey powder ever worked until this. Great primer for make-up too.

No 7 extreme length mascara is the only one I've ever bothered buying twice. I need length rather than volume, and this doesn't clump awfully like most seem to.

For eyes I often fall back on Benefit's Beautiful Eyes kit which includes smudgey line and two layer-able shades, but this will only really work on warm colouring. Not sure they do it now.

Am never without a Bourjois blusher, they have lots of great shades - don't use the little brush that comes with it though, it makes me look like a doll.

I really like Rimmel's Kate lipstick range, very wearable colours although they're not stayers.

I don't buy much make up but always have the following:

Clinique CC cream
Bourjois blush pots
Maybelline mascara
Clinique chubby sticks
Clinique lip gloss

Excellent thank you - I've run out of everything so this is great.

Will post my shopping list later

Brushes I've just cleaned all mine have a mix of mac, bobbi brown and the best by far are the real techniques by Sam chapman from boots always on 3 for 2 - just need to know how to use them properly

Any recommendations on moistures? I have normal to dry skin and usually have elemis although the smell makes me feel sick now as too sweet or a bobbi brown

My makeup bag has:-

Collection 2000 supersize fat lash mascara (for day) ysl faux cils night etc
Mac something special Creme blush
Clinique air brush/flash concealer (under eyes)
Palmers lip balm cocoa butter
Bare minerals big and bright mascara in espresso (brightens blue eyes)
Mac lipstick amplified in Cosmo
Clinique lip liners

Also find a good eyeshadow palette I like Clinique pink chocolate or virgin vie smoky ( both discontinued) but got virgin on eBay.

Body shop good for brushes so are mac.

Depends what your skin needs re moisture. I like Clinique super defence or Bobbi brown hydrating gel.

Oh my Clinique lip meant to say glosses not liners!

I recently overhauled my make-up and beauty regime as I was getting spots (and wanted to reduce the chemicals), so threw out most of my stuff and started again with:

Moisturiser - unrefined coconut oil. No hidden nasties, not tested on animals, smells lovely, feels great, does the job well.

Concealer/foundation/powder - I just use BareFaced Beauty's mineral powder foundation; it does all 3 jobs well for me.

Lipstick - Burt's Bees tinted balm. I suffer badly with chapped lips so this is great for me as it's a colour and a proper balm in one.

Rimmel mascarra

Body Shop brushes

Make-up remover - unrefined coconut oil using the OC method. Does a brilliant job, leaves the skin clean, fresh and moisturised.

And No7 and Body Shop eyeshadows, which I also use as eye-liner when applied with a small brush.

I've just bought a Clinique chubby stick and LOVE IT. A much more sophisticated / "grown up" / worky than gloss but not at all drying and you don't need a lip liner as its all in a pen...genius.

Real Technique brushes, La Roche Posay skincare, Bourjois foundations ( unless you have oily skin, in which case, estee lauder double wear ). Favourite mascara is from the new superdrug range B. It beats any other and the packaging is really sleek. Favourite lip products of the moment are Rimmel Lasting Finish Color Rush lip pencils, these are the best I've tried, and a third of the price of Clinique. The Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss stick pencils are really good too. Favourite eye liner is from Dior. Favourite blusher, always Nars. Favourite eyebrow product - Anastasia Brow Wiz. Favourite powder, MAC mineralize skinfinish natural.

Why not book a few sessions on the counters of your favorite brands? You'll be able to say the look you want and get some ideas on colors.
Lisa Elridge has some great tips on building up your make up bag too.

Origins vitazing - sort of tinted moisturiser that gives you a healthy glow
Benefits eyeshadows
Benefits porefessional primer/concealer
Maybelline mascara in yellow casing
YSL lippy
soft smudgy kohls or eyeliners - I like Bourjois as it's very soft and doesn't drag on dry skin.
Bourjois blusher and big brush
Cheap eyebrow pencil and nail varnish.

I have oily, dehydrated skin, so my foundation might not work for you, but Diorskin Nude, Laura Mercier oilfree tinted moisturiser, Clarins Everlasting foundation.
Mac select sheer pressed powder and Mac Mineralize skinfinish natural.
Mac eyeshadows. Dior and Sleek are good too. I like the Mac colours: Grain, Mystery, Omega, Naked Lunch and Phloof! for neutrals. To make my blue eyes pop, I use Mythology and/or Gilt of Association
Mac blushers. Chanel and Sleek are also good. I match the blusher colour to my lipstick.
Guerlain Le 2 Volume mascara.
Smashbox primer.
Guerlain, Tom Ford, Laura Mercier lipsticks. Chanel are also good. Mac are good, but the taste isn't so nice.
I like the transparent light reflecting loose setting powder from Nars. Guerlain Meteorites powder pearls are good too.

Maybelline gel eyeliner.

Guerlain and Chanel nail polishes.

Mac brushes - a 217 is a must IMO.

As another poster said upthread, it's worth looking on a blog like Lisa Eldridge to give you a starting point. Her videos show you different looks and how to achieve them, and she lists all the make up she's used.

Then, if the item you like is expensive, you can always google around for a 'dupe'. There's so many make up sires and blogs, you could easily lose a month researching a new make up bag! Good luck.

It depends on your colouring, preferred look, skin type, and work/leisure environments TBH.

Things I would always recommend, regardless:

• Collection 2000 liquid eyeliner in dark brown (looks like a "soft black" and is much more flattering, applicator is good, and the line doesn't fade or smudge until you remove it. There is honestly no need to spend more, so save the money for something special.)
• Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, Stippling Brush, Blusher Brush, and Powder Brush
• No7 Lash Adapt mascara (great volume, length and curl, non-clumping, and long-lasting but easy to remove without damaging lashes)
• Carmex lip balm in tub (great instead of gloss, or under lipstick to make it into a tint)
• No7 Creme Touch powder in translucent (non-cakey, long-lasting finish, properly translucent, doesn't irritate my very sensitive skin or clog my pores)
• No7 eyeshadow in Wheat Sheaf (makes you look more awake, but adds hardly any colour or shimmer, so great for subtle make-up or as a base for evening make up)
• Collection 2000 Cover Up Stick - good coverage, long lasting, many shades
• Benefit Boi-ing - as above, but even better (I only use this for v bad skin days)
• Avene Skin Recovery Cream - fantastic as a non-greasy make-up base, and helps to heal redness and blemishes

Things I like (as a pale olive-skinned gothy person), but which may not suit you:

• Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation (best I've ever used)
• No7 blush in Candy Pink and Soft Damson (natural looking, not shimmery, long-lasting)
• Max Factor Masterpiece liquid eyeshadows (great for nights out as they do not smudge or crease, and you can do a lovely smoky eye using the warm pearlescent cream and dark brown shades)
• Avon Glimmersticks gel eyeshadow pencils (Blackberry, Khaki and Saturn Grey are all beautiful, and can be bought on ebay for pennies).

Not certain if this too late but thought I would share as well! In case it makes any difference I'm 41, virtually no wrinkles (laughter lines don't count, right? ) and have hazel eyes, English rose slightly freckled combination skin with medium brown hair.

Mascara - Estée Lauder black Sumptuous Extreme - bought 3 times now so must be good! Doesn't clump or flake and does drama without being OTT.

Clinique lipgloss in Bonfire - deep pink with a sparkle - repeat buy as well.

Clinique BB cream shade 02 in winter and 03 in summer (liked CC cream in light but coverage not good enough).

Clinique red-y-to wear (red!) lipstick. By far most wearable red lippy I've found. Use a bit of clear gloss over it for a softer look sometimes.

La Roche Posay Redermic intensive serum - seriously the only wrinkle treatment I've ever noticed a difference with. 5p size blob required on a night before bed.

Clinique chubby stick in lilac and beige.

Liz Earle cleanse and polish, light/combination moisturiser, exfoliater and moisturing mask. Moisturiser work great under the BB cream if I use it 5 mins before applying. Just use simple toner or rose water (without glycerine - makes my skin sticky!) and works just as well as more expensive stuff. Exfoliater twice a week in the shower. Mask once a week in the bath and cleanser masseged into skin and removed with wash cloth / warm water to remove all trace of makeup.

Mac eyeliner in a silver gray blue shade which they have stopped making!

Benefit Bella bamba blusher or a rise pink one from Bourjous.

Hope that helps!

Even Rose pink!

I'm another one recommending Bourjois Healthy Mix/Serum Foundation. Usual HM for oilier skin and the serum one for dryer (I have combo skin).

I used to use Lancome Photogenic and Chanel Vitalumiere, but got too poor. They're great, but the Bourjois is just as good.