Before and After!

Hello Ducks!!

First of all I would like to apologise for not posting in a few days, I have been so busy and my laptop had a fit and it seems to be ok at the moment but we'll see out it goes! So yeah sorry about the disappearance!

Well I have been meaning to do a before and after for quite a while now but its difficult to find the time (and motivation) to put lots of makeup on. But I have finally done it :)

Now I think I've said before I'm no expert in the make up field and I don't wear foundation or anything like that, I usually just stick to eyes and every so often may put something on my lips, but thats still rare. After having Jack I didn't wear makeup at all for a while, then starting put mascara on and then eyeliner and such. SO! since no one sees me in foundation I thought I would do a before and after, with 2 afters. One wear I use a brush to do my foundation and one where I don't. Mostly for me to see the difference a brush can make as well as you lovely lot! Variety right?

To begin with I will just list the products I am using, now I will say now I didn't spend a lot of money on the foundation as I wouldn't be using it a lot (if ever again after this) unless I liked the results, but then I could be fighting a loosing battle as a better foundation could give a better finish then the cheap stuff. So this is sort of a review as well as a before and after.

Products used:

• Rimmel London Fix & Perfect Pro Primer
• Boots Natural Collection ShineAway Foundation - Porcelain
• Boots Natural Collection CoverUp Cream - Fair
• Boots Natural Collection Pressed Powder - Cool
• Boots Natural Collection Suntint Bronzing Powder - Sun Shine
• Boots Natural Collection Blushed Cheeks - Rosey Glow
• MUA (MakeUp Academy) Eyeshadow Palette -Romantic Efflorescense
• MUA (MakeUp Academy) Eyeshadow Palette - Heaven & Earth
• Gosh Kohl/Eyeliner - Black
• Rimmel London Exaggerate Eye Liner - Black
• Scandaleyes - Black (For the first After Pictures)
• Maybelline New York Lash Sensational - Black (In second after pictures)
• Nivea Fruity Shine Lip Salve - Watermelon
• Rimmel London Apolalips - Nude Eclipse (In the second after pictures)

Brushes Used:

• Barry M Concealer brush
• Super Drug Foundation Brush
• Super Drug Power Brush
• Super Drug Contouring Brush
• Gosh Blending Brush (In Second After Pictures)
• Barry M Eyeshadow Brush
• Super Drug Eyelash Curler

Before: Fresh faced and ready to go

First After Pictures using a brush to do foundation

Second After Pictures Without using a foundation brush.

There it is then, my before and 2 afters. 

My review on the Boots Natural collection is this. I don't like it. The foundation is very dry, I tried adding some moisturiser to it to see if it improved it at all but it didn't really make much of a difference. It caked very easily and clustered around my nose and eyes, even the concealer did. I think for a first time person wanting to try foundation/concealer it just isn't worth it. Even at £1.99 each you might as well just save your money and get a decent one, Ask around instead. 

The powder didn't help it at all but it may be different with another foundation. The bronzer wasn't too bad especially if you are going for a more natural look and I like the blush. But all in all steer clear of it. With a brush you could see the brush strokes and when using my hands it caked almost instantly. So I think, unfortunately, I'll be throwing the foundation and concealer away completely. 

I may try MUA foundation and concealer as I really like their eyeshadows. Think they are really well made and a lovely variety of colours at an affordable price. Obviously if I had the money I probably would have bought a more expensive one but as my funds are short I went for the MUA and I'm not disappointed at all. Really love it and at £4 per palette you can't really go wrong!

So I hope you like my before and after post (Sorry again its late) and look out for more in the future and I will be doing a proper review soon on MUA (MakeUp Academy). Hopefully if I have some spare funds soon I'll be able to try their foundation! 

What foundation/concealer etc would you recommend and any comments on my actual make up would be appreciated. I really am just experimenting with it all again and trying to find something that compliments me... but isn't difficult to do!

Thanks beauts

Take it Easy!

Ellie x

Beauty

I never say hello at the start of a new post. Just realised. Didn't do it this time either. Whoops.


Hello! Good evening, Good morning, Good Night.
Which ever way you're headed welcome to another blog post.


Now make up. What does Ellie know about make-up? I don't wear a lot of it, anymore, you may even be shocked to learn at one point I wanted to be a make-up artist. (gasp).
Yes I did a course of Specialist Make-Up in London. I did one whole year before I realised I didn't like London. I kind of went off make up as well. London was rubbish. I met some awesome people and learnt some pretty cool things but yeah.. London and I didn't mix. I got on with it but I missed the island.


Any who. Yes so a whole yeah of learning about make up and I can give you the best Victorian look ever! I can even do the hair to go with it. Don't get me wrong it was amazing but it was pretty much a year of Victorian hair and make-up. There were bits to the side here and there but when you basically get told (by your helpful, motivational teachers) that you will probably fail at becoming a make up artist because the competition it soooo tough, it kind of knocks your confidence (especially when you're being taught how to make it look like the person isn't wearing any make up even though they are. Victorian conspiracy make up).


I love make up don't get me wrong, if I had the time nowadays I'd probably do it more. I'm not going to blame having a baby. Its not even about time. I'm just a bit lazy. I could do the whole malarky of prima, concealer, foundation, power, contouring and such but
1. I literally have to give my face a completely new colour as my face is too many colours (blotchy skin)
2. It would take me way too long as once o get started I'm too much of a perfectionist to go fast
and
3. Make up is expensive.


Living in London we had every kind of make up shop you can think of. I loved them but some of them didn't love me. Quick explanation, when I was doing my course I was sort of both/grungy/ tom boy blah blah, so I stuck out like a sore thumb in MAC. A guy literally followed me round thinking I was going to nick something. Bitch please I have a loan and an overdraft and you aren't that special. But my make up kit for college alone cost me £500 and it didn't last so we had to buy more. I got a lot from Primark and boots but there was certain colours you could only get from MAC. I loved telling them I was a make up student and showing them my discount card (their premadonna faces fell fast muahahaa)


But once I left the course and sold all the make up to pay off the £1000 overdraft. I went off make up. I still wore eye make up. But it dwindled until last year I literally just wore mascara. Only putting more on if it was a special occasion. But I'm starting to feel the itch again. I want to experiment again. I want to play with my face and make myself look pretty. I've started wearing more make up on my eyes. I've even been able to straighten my hair a couple of times (without Jack being too much of a pest trying to rip it out). Even straightening it and putting it up is just... Nice.


So yes, the make up itch is coming back. Might even try lipstick (shock horror). May even post some pictures. Though I'm not quite sure how to do it on my phone.


Do you feel nude without your make up?


Take it easy.


Ellie x