Beauty. I got asked by a reader if I would do a post on make-up, and the types of products that I use, so I thought I would expand a little on my beauty regime. It may not appear so, but I have incredibly sensitive skin. It wasn't until my mid to late teens that I began to develop eczema and dermatitis, which makes my skin quite sensitive to a number of products. A couple of years back, a friend asked me to be a bridesmaid for her wedding, and of course with that comes getting your make up done. While the make-up artist was confident that the foundation and products she was putting on my face were dermatalogically tested, I ended up breaking out and getting a mild rash for the week following the wedding, so as you can tell, I have to be incredibly careful about the types of products that I use. I generally avoid most creamy skin products, and I remain loyal to the products that I do use.
In the mornings I wash my face with an exfoilating scrub, I like St Ives, and then in the evenings I use an oil-free Neutrogena make-up remover and water to clean my face. I think it probably helps that I drink a LOT of water, and the majority of my diet is filled with fresh fruit and vegetables. Going to the gym fairly reguarly, on average three to four times a week, I prefer to keep my make-up light on those days, mostly out of convenience.
Currently my make-up bag is filled with a heap of MAC products, as I stocked up when I was in the US as it was considerably cheaper over there, although I am always open to trying out new brands. I generally will sweep my face and neck with bronzer, followed by some highlighter on my cheeks. For my eyes, I like to use a shimmery creamy coloured shadow in the corners, and underneath my eyes, to brighten them up a little, then I generally will sweep some darker shadows in the corners. I love a thick eyeliner across the eyelid, and have become incredibly fond of using MAC fluidliner, although I will say it does take a little getting used to. If I'm going out, I will use a kohl pencil in the bottom outside corners to darken them up a little, with a colour that complements or matches the eyeshadow I have on. This is followed by mascara. I for one love Lancome for mascaras, and I also have a great dark brown one from Clinique.
So there you have it. My routine is pretty simple, and I tend to like to accentuate my eyes. I avoid products like toners, or anything with too many chemicals in it as I don't like the idea of putting that on my skin. Oh, and I'll add that occasionally I'll wear a little bit of lippie to, but it's still a rather new thing to me and is quite often forgotten.
