Make-up advice

[MrsMattie]

I am going to completely overhaul my make-up bag and my routine, and really, desperately need the advice of more stylish and make up svavy MN-ers (Come back, coddy! ).

Where can I get a good mix of make-up - both cheap & designer brands - online? And what on earth do I buy??

I am 31, fair skinned (but often wear fakle tan. Sorry ). Dark brown hair and greeny-blue eyes with very black lashes & brows.

I currently wear (and have been wearing for years) the following (on days I can be bothered to wear make up at all):

Foundation - Maybelline Rewind. I like moisturising foundations, not those ones that feel dry and cakey. I am fair skinned, but often use fake tan . Ideally I would like to use a light foundation or good tinted moisturiser, as my skin isn't too bad.

Concealer - I use a cheapo concealer on reddish areas around nose & on any spots/blemishes, YSL Touche Eclat under eyes.

Eyes - I use a cheapo kohl eyeliner on lower lids and corners of eyes & whatever mascara I happen to pick up - always changing brand.

Lips - I use a flesh coloured lipliner and some clear gloss.

It's all so teenage and so 90s. I can't 'do' eye make-up. I don't know what colours suit me. I want to conceal ageing, uneven skin, not accentuate wrinkles.slightly crooked & crap teeth. I want to play up good mouth (very Jolie ) and decent eyes and dimples when I smile .

Advice?

p.s. I am 3 mths postnatal and feeling like the biggest frump in the world. These are my first babysteps towards Being A Person Who Looks After Herself, rather than a housebound slattern

Wow, that was long. Apologies.

...and sorry for repeating myself like a nutty old bat

Hi, The best tinted moisturisers IMHO are Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier. Not exactly cheap but V good.
If you have time just surrender to a Bobbi Brown consultant. They are excellent and do natural v well.

If you're not sure about lip colour/ spending much then get a pink- tinted lip balm (labello) for a bit of colour under £2. and ditch the lip liner!

I totally love Bobbi Brown's basic eye pallette- 4 shades of neutral shades including a shimmer and one that can be used as a liner. Really great for someone that doesn't have time to faff but wants to be a bit more grown up in make up terms IYSWIM (ie me!).

You just can't beat MAC for eyes. And definately use a good highlighter over foundation- Benefit and No7 ones are good.

(link)

Step back from the lip liner and the kohl inside the lower lid or you will be arrested by the fashion police.

Go to a MAC Counter in a department store and get them to give you a make up lesson - or Bobby Brown is nice but a bit basic and grown up!

get a decent tinted moisturiser

loads of decent ones,benefit,chanel,bobbi,dior and lauramercier.Just make sure the shade is right for you.

For a nice natural look get an eyeliner brush(ruby and millie in boots are cheap) ,wet it and use eyeshadow to line your eyes.A decent eyeshadow with strong pigment works best.Mac or bourjois.
Find a natural eyeshadow that suits your skintone,bobbi brown good for this.

For your lips try adding your favourite cream blush to some vaseline

Madame Castafiore - I beg to disagree! Or rather, disagree a little.

I realised a while back that my make-up was stuck in a style-rut and i did two things. Firstly, I made sure that at least once a year I went for a makeover at either SpaceNK (Laura Mercier-slave here, I confess,) or Bobbi Brown (John Lewis counter - busy but therefore absolutely no pressure to actually buy anything). It sounds bonkers, but it really helped.

Secondly, i now tear pictures out of magazines of make-up looks I like and copy them when I'm going out.

The second action, I am sure, puts me in the category of sad, sad person - but there we go.

So, one of the low-maintenance, night-out looks that I've copied is popular with Elle MacPherson and Alexa Chung and is basically light foundation, lots of kohl, inside (!) and around eyes, dark shade on lids, light, natural shade and light, natural highlighter on brow area, mascara and lipgloss. It's very easy and honestly, if you copy the Elle MacPherson version, it doesn't look too Bet Lynch (that shows my age).

Otherwise, I do go for the Bobbi Brown-style thing.

So, MrsM, I'd just repeat what others have suggested and book a sesh with SpaceNK or the Bobbi girls.

Also, i followed the advice on here the other week and bought some Boots concealer (in a tube). Someone claimed it was a good, cheap version of Touche Eclat. Sadly, I mislaid it on the way home (and I hadn't even been drinking!), so I can;t give you any fedback on it. Boo. But just passing that on.

Buy Laura Mercier Secret Concealer it is better than TE by far and will last longer on the skin.

Greeny blue eyes are often brought out by tawny pinkish tones...Bourjois do a good trio..cheap but decent pigment actually.

I like the natural but very groomed look. Or to accentuate either eyes or lips.