Eyeliner musings.

Stumbled across this article in last month’s edition of UK vogue.  Promoting very fine eyeliner, with no flicks.  Now I, really cannot pull a feline flick, firstly my eyes are the wrong shape, and secondly when I do the tiniest of flicks it is always gone halfway down my face in 2 hours.

So hooray for Vogue for promoting an eyeliner look I can actually wear!  Eyeliner is essentially meant to bulk up the look of your lashes and define your eyes.  So not being able to wear a flick is not the end of the world.  I actually like a minimal eyeliner look as it is very flattering on a rounder eye, and easier to wear with glasses.  

For someone who can’t do a flick and after reading this article I have discovered I really do have a lot of eyeliner products.   Liners I like to use to produce this look:

 

Penultimate Eye liner pen Mac
The best liquid eyeliner pen out there in my opinion.  The nib is nice and small and semi firm to allow you to get creative with your look.   Wear time with a primer is usually 6-7 hours without a flick.  It is possible to bring the nib of the ben right down to the roots of your eyelashes and draw in a nice subtle line.  Or as an alternative you can draw in some wee dotted lines in the eyelashes.  The dots are pretty effective but quite time consuming, also don’t do this on the train.  I invariably get some twitchy person sat next to me whenever I do liner on the train and end up with a nice black line eye to forehead because of an elbow rammed in my side.  The only downside to this product is sometimes the pen does run dry, so you do need to store upside down in a pot to make it run smoothly.  

 

Eyeko Skinny liquid Liner
I really hated this liner when I first got it.   Product would not come out, the nib was enormous and stiff, it would drag against the skin, and the product did not last on the lid.  I have recently changed my mind about this.  I am not entirely sure what has happened to this pen in the last 6 weeks or so but somehow it seems to have ‘broken’ in a little bit and behaving itself a bit more.   This stuff is never gonna hold a big fat line on your eye, or a flick but for a small simple line this is quite nice to use.  It takes some getting used to if you don’t like a bit nib, but I have found I don’t mind it as much.  FYI Eyeko did a Alexa Chung one of these, as far as I can see it is exactly the same product despite what your clueless SA may say.

Fluidline in black track by Mac. 

The best eyeliner in a bot.  Thick luscious non-drying.  This is a very good gel eyeliner.  It is comparable to the Bobbi Brown one, which is also excellent but does not dry even after 6 months.   Normally I would use this when I am doing my sixties fat eyeliner look sans flick, but this also works as a mini liner as well.  This is best used with the Mac 210 brush which is one the thinnest brushes out there. 

Charlotte Tilbury Rock n Kohl Eyeliner
The best eyeliner in pen form.   I absolutely LOVE this eyeliner.   It’s good for a smudgy smokey eye, it is good for a flick (so I am told) and great for a minimal line.  Once the product has set it lasts for 6-7 hours and does not budge.  To get the thinnest line you do have to sharpen the pencil but it is possible.

What are your thoughts are you feline flick addict?  Or are you a minimal eyeliner lady? What eyeliners do you like best?

Thanks for reading.

 Carrie x

Cheap and cheering, spendy and splendid Monthly round up.

Monthly Shineys Total £51.79 * (41.79 I had a Space NK reward of £10)

 So as promised I have put myself on a budget of £100 for all things fashion/skincare and make up earlier this month.   I was doing pretty well until I stumbled across a Nars Blush on an idle Tuesday afternoon.  (I cannot resist Nars blushes they are my kryptonite)

Ren Clear and Calm 3 Clarifying cleanser -£18 from Space NK, Amazon, Marks and Spencer.
Probably one of the best high end value for money face washes out there.  For £18 you get a whooping 150ml of clay cleanser perfection.   This cleanser is perfect for the people who have combination skin and who have forgotten to put on the clay mask that week.  The formula of this is a clay creamy cleanser which does calm down spotty greasy skin in a quick one wash, instead of a 15mins mask.  It works well as a second cleanser, and as a single morning cleanser.   Within this particular Ren range ‘clear and calm 3’ there is a clay mask which I like, but has been superseded by Parsley seed mask from Aesop.  Another bonus about this cleanser it is bona fide by the queen of skincare herself Caroline Hirons.  Her review of this is here.
http://www.carolinehirons.com/2012/06/ren-clearcalm-3-clarifying-clay.html
Ren is a brand that I love and have used since about 2007 purely due to their transparency about their ingredients.  Also their range is enormous something that Madam Hirons does not like but, something I think is useful if you are just starting to discover skincare.  

Nars Blush Doucer £21.50 from Space NK, most major Department stores Selfridges John Lewis et al.

Argh, so this purchased happened because I was reading the archives of Essie button’s blog post on Nars Blushes.  I saw this an decided that I couldn’t live without this in my life.
http://www.essiebutton.com/2012/02/10/my-nars-blush-collection-swatches/
This is a beautiful barely there blusher.  In the pictures it does come up in two different shades but this is a cool blue, based brown pink.   This unlike most Nars blushes, is not very pigmented, and on me I do have to re-apply several swipes before I begin to see anything.   However the look is a beautiful natural subtle flush that can be paired with a strong eye, or strong lip.  Or as I have been wearing it with as little make up as possible for a ‘no make-up’, make up look.  

 

Kohl and Contour 16 hrs Bourjois -£4.30 Boots and Superdrug
So I have had a massive urge the past 6 weeks to go to the Charlotte Tilbury counter and whip out the credit card and buy a total of £260 make up, brushes at the moment.  I have been studiously AVOIDING Selfridges like an ex-boyfriend simply so I don’t cave and splurge.  One of the main items on the list is another ‘Rock n Kohl’ in black.  I have it in brown and  is totally luscious that I feel I need it in black.   A £19 black eyeliner is not something I really need right now so I cast about for a cheaper alternative.  After watching a Amelia liana video with Becky from talkbeckytalk, one of the eyeliners she recommended was this one.  I figure for that price I would give it a go and I am glad I did.   Applying this liner can be a bit messy as it does tend to smudge and do a double liner further up your eyelid area.  However once it sets, it really sets and does not budge for about 5-6 hours with an eyelid primer.  I am currently wearing it this morning without to see its lasting power and 2.5 hours in its seems okay.  It is also pretty good as a under eye liner which with my greasy skin I really struggle to find.
You can view the video via this link.
http://liana-beauty.com/2014/01/top-10-under-10-2/

Rocket waterproof Mascara Maybelliene £7.99
On the never ending quest to find a replacement for my beloved Telescopic waterproof mascara,  I had heard good things about this Rocket mascara.   What drew me initially was the wand, which is plastic and made of small bristles.  I prefer plastic wands and the smaller the bristles the better I find.  With the wand I could apply precisely down the root, to the hard to reach lashes at the corners of my eyes.  The width of the brush is pretty wide which allows you to sweep up to elongate and spread all the hairs out.   This is a nice mascara and I really like it.  My only negative comments would be I didn’t really find it to be thickening or volumizing.   However for me I want my lashes to be longer and keep a curl which are two more important points to me than volumizing.  I have only had this mascara for about two weeks and I think that once this dries out a bit it’s going to be an even better formula.

What is new and shiney in your make up stash and wardrobe?  Anything cheap and cheerful that you are loving recently?  Or anything spendy, splurgy and splendid that you has recently bought.

Thank you for reading.

 

Carrie x

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Favourites - Rediscovered.

Over the weekend I had a rummage through my stash and put together a make-up menu that I really like. I have pretty much wearing this look for the past three days to work.  I have had a couple of early starts at work so I didn’t have much time to think about make up combos.

 

Charlotte Tilbury Eye shadow Quad in ‘Dolce Vita’

I think I got this last year when I got a couple of other bits from Charlotte Tilbury (make up bag, eyeliner and mascara).  I put it in the drawer went on holiday and completely forgot about it.  I absolutely love this quad, it’s beautiful and you can achieve quite a lot of eye looks depending on how you apply the shadows.  Best of all this has instructions on the back of the palette, like my ‘wet and wild’ palette which is super helpful.   Well, it is for someone like me who just likes a one wash of colour on my lids.  This is making me branch out a bit.

Nars Laguna Bronzer

I was very tanned when I came back from OZ however slowly but surely that colour is turning back to pasty white so I have whipped this out again to give me my ‘sun kissed’ bronze artificially.  Fantastic product for adding a bit of depth to a blusher and warming your face up.  I also love that this doubles up as a contour product, such a useful product.

Becca Blush Flower Child

I got this free in a Space NK promotion, where if you spent more than £150 you got a goody bag.  This came with it.  I initially ignored it and planned on gifting it to someone else over xmas.  However after watching Lily Pebbles ‘Favourites of 2013’ she said this was her favourite blusher of the year.  So I sat up and dug it out of my drawer.  Lily’s description of this is Nars’ deep throat blusher without the glitter.   Yes this is an accurate description.  It is one of those nice peachy-pinks which is very natural and allows you dress up your eyes or lips without too much clashing on your face.

L’Oreal false lash Telescopic Mascara waterproof.

This is not the same as the original L’Oreal Telescopic Waterproof, however it is the nearest I could find and it’s waterproof.   It doesn’t run, it lengthens and volumes your lashes, and keeps a curl.  All good but it just doesn’t do AS GOOD A JOB as the original.  Nothing that I have bought has come even close!!!! (Carrie cries into her keyboard, and gnashes her teeth)

Collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer.

ARGH how have I forgotten about this?!  Dug this out and I am loving using it again.  I need to compare this with the Nars creamy concealer, which I think I would say is a smidgen better but I will do a fuller review between the two soon.  This is such a good price (£4.19) for such a good concealer if you have not tried this you need to get to Superdrug and purchase this NOW. 

Clarins Instant light natural lip perfector 01

I have been using this as a lip balm/lip gloss that I stick in my handbag.   I know a lot of people like this lip balm/gloss, but at the moment I am a bit meh about it.  Maybe it’s the colour but it just doesn’t excite me.  Maybe it’s  the applicator as it resembles a pink hamster’s fuzzy dangly bits if you get me?

Mac Lipstick Patisserie

The perfect nude lipstick for me.  I have been pushing the nudes aside for the berry and red lipsticks.  However this was looking at me reproachfully as it had now seen any wear for at least six months.   Now that I am using it I remember why I love it so.  

Hello flawless oxygen wow foundation Benefit.

My skin has not been good over the past couple of weeks.  A combination of eating too much, eating too little due to the stomach flu, and being that time of the month has left me with the skin of a teenager.  I had to put away the bb creams and reach for something fuller coverage.   I do like my Kevyn Aucoin sensual skin enhancer, but when you are in a rush it can be too much of a faff.   This is a lovely medium coverage that does last for 6-7 hours.  My only gripe is that on me I find it does oxidise on my skin, as in it goes a bit orange toward the end of the day.  

 

What make up gems are you reaching for this week?  Any classic recommendations?

 

Thank you for reading.

 

Carrie x

 

 

 

Want to lose weight? Give up the booze and get a running habit instead. (My Dry-athalon and Half Marathon.)

 

 

January is a month for abstinence.  Normally when you give something up it’s not  good to give up several things at once.   So chocolate is still on the menu for me(YAY) but alcohol is not (BOO).  After being in Oz and putting on more kilos than I care to mention, and the fact that I am running a half Marathon in a couple of months, I decided kicking the booze was a good idea.

DRYING OUT

My Husband has been kind and supportive and decided to lay off the sauce as well for a month.   Initially he promised two weeks and he has already completed one week so far. Over the New year I was pretty sick so I had a to abandon all my New Year plans in favour for staying bed and watching endless episodes of ‘the wire’ on the telly.  So I haven’t had a drop of alcohol since the 30^th.  I wouldn’t describe myself a heavy drinker, but I have really noticed the difference already.  I have lost about 5.5lbs, this is combined with a sort of healthy diet and a lot walking.  (I should be running but I have been far too lazy and the rain has put me off so far)  What surprised me is how effortless it was to lose the weight especially as I am in my 30s now and losing weight is not as instant as it was in my 20s.  I remember the days when if I was a bit stressed/love-struck used to burn off 2lbs in a week. 

Marathon Ambitions

I am doing a Brighton Marathon in Feb for Water-aid.  It has been a long held ambition of mine to run the London Marathon.   So this year I will put myself in the ballot for 2015 and fingers crossed I get in, otherwise I can always do the Edinburgh Marathon instead.   My running career started off in 2012 when I did a 5km for Cancer research and ran it in 45mins (which is totally rubbish time FYI).   I decided that I wanted to try and run it faster and ended up doing a 10km in 2013 which I completed in 1 hour 4mins (which is not too shabby FYI).   I know running is not for everyone, there are times where I hate it.   If you do want to lose weight quickly and tone up the best way is actually to do weights and short burst of cardio.  Running is not great on your knees and hips, and it’s also incredible easy to damage yourself.  However sometimes when I am on a run I find myself enjoying it.  I can’t explain it but there is something very hypnotic about pounding the pavement.   It also gives you an opportunity to think about things, release stress and get those endorphins pumping around your body.  

Other resolutions for 2014  

-Drink more water, like 3 litres a day

-No more caffeine after Noon each day.  2 cups of coffee max per day.

-Going for a long walk each weekend with my Husband.

 

What are your NY resolutions?  Any good ones?

 

Thanks for reading

 

Carrie x

 

PS: if any of you want to sponsor me for my run the just giving page is here in this link.  I am doing it for Wateraid a charity close to my heart and that I have donated to for three years.  Thank you!

http://www.justgiving.com/Carrie-Ward1

 

Living up to my Name. It’s not all about the haul people it’s about cultivating gratitude, gratefulness and wanting what you have.

Happy new year!

Hope you all had a good holiday over the Christmas and NYE period.  I had an amazing December spending the first two weeks in Australia on a belated honeymoon, and then off for another week for the last week of December.

I am still wrapping my head around work, as my mind is still on the couch watching endless episodes of ‘The Wire’ or ‘Breaking Bad’.   Are you struggling to get back to work/uni/ real life?

So what is new for me?  What is new for ‘Make do & make up’?

 No more hauls, but new format going forward and living up to my blog name.

For the past 2-3 months I have picked up a few bits and pieces make up wise see the pictures (some from the UK and a lot from duty free whilst travelling.)  Having thought about it I am, in the year of 2014, not going to do any more hauls.

‘What?’ I hear you say?

‘But it’s only Jan Carrie!’

That’s right I am no longer going to present haul posts for the year of 2014.  Over the Christmas break I had a massive clear out of my wardrobe and of my makeup collection.  I realised that I have far too much make up for one person, I have far too much clothing for one person. (However I do not have enough socks, I NEVER have enough socks as they go missing.  WHERE DO THEY GO? SOCK HEAVEN?).   I promptly got rid of everything that I don’t use and I want a fresh start.  I want to actually use what I have as opposed to let it live in my drawers unloved, unused, and effectively staying rent free in my already small flat.   Also, and more importantly, the hubby and I are trying to save for a house which rules out splurges at Space NK, Boots or Selfridges.  In my clear out I put all my nail polishes in a massive fishbowl vase for storage, I put it on display in the living room and promptly got a massive telling off from Ben about how much make up I have.  He is, of course, totally right.  I have 45 bottles of polish people, 45!! Eight of which are pretty much the same shade of fuchsia pink! The new format as of now is a budget of £100 to blow on make-up, clothing, skincare, toiletries. Or a combination of all 4 totally to £100.   So at the end of the month I have to decide what to spend my money on in those four categories.  I will be blogging on items in my make up – Skin care collection and basically  arguing a case of why they should remain in collection, or why they shouldn’t. 

There are 359 more days of 2014 and I’m convinced that I can come up with enough fodder in what I own to entertain you all.   By the end of the year I should have 12 items of make up/skin care/clothing/toiletries to show you and why they are special and why you should purchase them.  I think through this I can get a sense of my own taste, as opposed the buying stuff, posting about it and shouting 

“look at my new shiny things peps!”  it going to be like:

“look at my one shiny new thing” 

But Do at look at my tiny shiny praying mantis that is worth looking at! Lol

Although it could just be a bottle of shower gel & toothpaste.  Say what?  You guys need toothpaste what’s wrong with reviewing toothpaste?  Actually I do one to blog about one as one tube did actually do me a tremendous favour once!

 

I hope that going forward I can really better my blog and write about topics other than “Space NK haul”.  It is lovely getting new things, but I really feel that when there is so much stuff in your life you really don’t appreciate what you have and just get locked up in a cycle of buying more, consuming more, and not really enjoying any of it along the way.    Two of my aspirations and goals is to be a beauty writer and successful beauty blogger, but I think in order to get there I really need to be a bit more genuine about who I am and where I am going, AND where my money is going.   I am not made of money, and I am at times not the best steward of it which I regret.  There are times when I haven’t been able to sleep at night because I am making a mental list of things I want to purchase.  I feel sometimes that I am literally choked with number of things that I want, but it’s not really a true want it is just brief yearning that, once satisfied moves onto the next thing.  That is just wrong and mental and ridiculous, and also really dangerous as I am focusing on what I don’t have.  When I should be focusing on what I do have.    I am not going to get to be a good writer or blogger by going to Space NK every month and buying the latest thing.   I have touched on this in the past about placing things over people sometimes, and I am guilty of this and for this I am whole heartedly ashamed.  I love the beauty blogging world, but I don’t like the vicious circle it creates with the hunting of the new thing, the chase, the kill and the crying of my wallet.   I love make up, but the fact that my lipstick is in limited edition colour from MAC, in the grand scheme means absolute nothing.   It doesn’t make me a better person, it doesn’t make me clever,  or more beautiful, it just makes me someone who can hunt out a limited edition lipstick and spends an unhealthy amount of time in her local MAC store. 

 One of the reasons I gave this blog the name that I did is that I do truly believe in making do with what you have.   Not that making do is settling for something that is rubbish, but knowing what you have and really appreciating it and being grateful.  It’s funny when you do concentrate on all the things you do have in your life how much you really do seem to have.  I suppose that is in part what this blog is about it trying to nurture my gratefulness, it’s trying to curb my silly desire for things that I don’t really want.  

 

Thank you for letting me rant on and having a wee heart to heart with you guys.   

 What are you new resolutions for this year?  Any more tips for keeping it real for 2014?

 Thank you again for reading I really appreciate everyone who reads my wee little blog. 

 

Carrie x