Stuck in dated makeup rut

[MamaNinja]

Hi,

I'm new here :-)

I'm a 35 year old mum and would really like to get some advice on make up as I feel I'm stuck in a terrible dated, unstylish rut. I'm naturally quite pale, with hazel eyes and lightbrownish/dark blonde hair. Over the summer months I developed an obsession with bronzer, probably overdoing it, but I think I look better with some colour on my skin...
For the winter I would really like to learn to love my paleness again. I get redness on cheeks, chin and nose but as I am clumsy and useless with makeup, I've never really managed concealer+foundation routines (but happy to try again)...I prefer to use tinted moisturisers, but they never quite offer enough coverage.
My goal is to look fresh, healthy (like I've had some sleep!) and well-groomed . I think my current makeup 'style' (using that term very loosely...) ages me and makes me look grubby.
I know I also need to assess my skincare routine (which currently consists of any mild creamy cleanser which doesn't irritate my skin and the occasional moisturiser...), my diet (prob too much sugar) and get more sleep.
I'm based in London and would like to find a suitable beauty counter / store where I could get some help - any suggestions where to start?
Thanks so much!

Going to the no 7 boots counter might be good. Good products and reasonably priced.
Look up YouTube videos of different make application techniques and looks and find an easy routine.
Nothing wrong with bronzer but use a light one and apply in a capital E shape down each side of your face. Forehead, cheekbone, under chin.
Use blusher too on the apples of your cheeks.

I was you!
I had a lovely makeover by one of the spacenk pro team and the result was miraculous. I fell in love with make up again and got a major confidence boost.
I think i spent about the 200 in total but I did it in stages. Spent 70 there and then - was no pressure btw - and got her to write down the for later stuff. I could have got the for later in similar shades from cheaper brands had I wanted too.
Some of the best money I have spent (key item was the foundation which was under thirty followed by the perfect blusher).

Good luck

MAC I've always found very good for make overs, and Bobbi Brown. Can you get to a department store or a bigger Boots and just have a mooch around?

Avoid no7- they are useless and their gadget doesn't work.

Mac are good. The Body shop offers a cheaper alternative and they do neutral shades that would work well with your colouring.

Thank you all so much for your suggestions!

I'm familiar with No7, which has been ok - could be just that I haven't used the right products. Less familiar with MAC and Bobbi Brown but have heard good things. I guess I would need to book an appointment with them for a makeover, rather than just pop by? I'll need to find out if its the same with SpaceNK. Truth be told, haven't used Body Shop stuff in years but now I'm curious!
I've also looked at makeup tutorials and I'm wondering about contouring...it would be a challenge for someone like me to master for sure, if even worth exploring.

Bobbi Brown Excellent for colour matching whichever skin base you choose and THE best at the 'you but better' make up look.

Clinique - I like their make up because it's not scented, has light formulas and feels 'clean' on - not claggy and loaded.

Mac - Look at their 'Sheertone' powder blushers. It's hard to go wrong with these.

Lips - Laura Mercier semi lipsticks/ Clinique chubby sticks or the Rimmel copycat version/Lancome do some lovely light natural lippies.

Eyes - Clinique chubby sticks or Laura Mercier caviar sticks - many cheaper range copycats too.

Be aware the makeup counters are there to SELL stuff so don't be swayed into a complicated routine and lots of products.

You probably just need a base (Bobbi Brown have so many formulas and colour I seriously think they are the best place to go for a base)

a lip colour, a smudgey eye pencil and mascara to start.

Other stuff can be added in later when you get more experimental.

Contouring is an advanced makeup technique and takes a lot of skill to get right. It's also at the opposite end of the makeup spectrum to the 'fresh healthy well groomed' look, i.e takes a ton of make up, carefully applied and blended. Google Kim Kardashian 'makeupfree' then compare to her usual appearance!
Again it's very hard to get right hence so many orange face with brown stripe teenagers strutting around.

Lisa Eldridge has a good website with good tutorial for differant looks.

If you like bronzer then the seventeen bronzer is excellent for pale skins.

Revlon colour stay is great for covering redness.

As an alternative my suggestion is to buy some cheaper make up bits. Like a cheap eyeshadow palette is £4 from superdrug makeup revolution and their blushers are I think a quid. I'm saying go for these cheap bits as you can mess around with it and if you like any of them look for a better quality version. I have the iconic 3 palette and it's exactly the same as the naked palette by urban decay so it's a good one to start with.

There's no point having a drawer full of expensive make up that you discovered didn't suit you or that you just don't like.

I wear Clinique b&b creme which is spf 30 and reasonably priced. Under this I paint on benefit erase paste over my cheeks as I can get a bit pink there and this removes that - it's quite thick too so good coverage - though I the boing concealer is good too, as is the bare minerals version.

So I was also going to say bare
Minerals but you'd have to go and have t done at the counter to see if you like it as some love and some hate it. I prefer to be more dewy and find bare minerals as more grown up make up.

Also beware of make up counters they are after all sales people with targets so they may apply some make up in a flattering light but it may be very different in the cold light of day when you've already parted with the cash and spend all day with bad make up and you don't know about it

I've realised that I don't even know what is current in a make up look. All I see are overdone brows, but that's obviously what is current right now. I don't think I'd suit that look.

Is it only the Space NK branches in London that do pro makeover as mentioned upthread? There's one about 15 miles from me, it's a small one but it's in a vair "naice" upmarket town. Is it worth a trip to see them?

Your colouring sounds very similar to me. At the age of 40 I just discovered that orange lipstick suits me; I never would have dared try it before but really seems to make me look more healthy! I got a cheap one called On Fire by Miss Sporty. Revlon Electric Orange was a posher version that also looks nice.

They do Space NK makeovers at all branches - phone and book

Hi OP

If you have sensitive skin I would suggest that you do a double cleanse in the evening (much gone one about on mumsnet and Caroline Hurons blog). All you do is smear your face all over including eyes with a balm cleanser ( clinique take off the day is very bland and non irritating and around 20 quid, or body shop camomile balm is about 8 quid and what I'm currently using). Wash off with a clean white flannel. A clean one every day. Then second wash, again something mild and non drying, I'm currently using cetaphil (again much loved on here)

Then eye cream and moisturiser as you like. La Roche posay does a range called toleraine which I get on with. They also do an anti redness range but I don't think it adds much. Lrp is often on 3 for 2 in boots.

I then go with cetaphil wash in morning, toleraine moisturiser and then make up.

Foundation please do not skimp on this bit especially as you are pale. I've tried lots of max factor etc. they all end up in the bin. IMHO the best available is Bobbi brown, and you have to go to a counter to get matched etc. they will give you a decent size sample I would expect so you can trial it for a few days before you commit.

Other make up I think just get what you like. The cheap ranges, especially bourjois and maybelline, are great, and personally I don't think there is much difference in quality staying power etc between them and Chanel

On how to do make up, the absolute guru of this is the very lovely make up artist Lisa Eldridge. She has loads of videos really detailed, from the 2 mins to make you look not like death warmed up, to full on party glamour. I'd have a really good browse on her website, see what you like, and then have a practice. She is really practical as well, I think a godsend and much better to experiment at home than have the full face make up experience in a dept store that you can't then manage at home

Wow, really great advice here, on both make up and skincare, thank you all so much!
Have made lots of notes and will go on my mission soon - I didn't expect to be so excited about it!
Will report back...

Double cleansing with the body shop's aloe cleanser has transformed my sensitive skin.