The Debate | To Prime or Not?

"To prime, or not to prime.. That is the question." - Anon

But really, should we be worried about using a primer or just not bother and skip the whole faff completely? I was asking myself this very question maybe 6 months ago before I had really tried a few primers or seen any difference when I had used one for that matter. Beauty brands seem to be bringing out more and more primers these days that are designed to combat various issues and problem points- oiliness, redness, pores, dullness, dehydration, dark spots, pigmentation, textural issues; the list goes on! There are a few brands in particular that have become quite regarded for their primers like Benefit's Porefessional and now their new release for anti-shine as well as Smashbox's wide range of primers combatting almost all of the previously mentioned issues. As well as this, more and more 'accessible' and I suppose drugstore brands are bringing out their own versions of similar products which is what prompted me to write this post. With the release of an awaited 'drugstore' product I felt slightly more well-rounded in the primer world and able to share with the blogosphere my thoughts.

All Over Face
The Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer which I think if I mention once more I'm going to annoy myself for being so boring and anyone who is reading this. I've expressed my love and adoration for this product many times so check out previous posts if you're interested.

L'Oreal Magic Blur- Available from Priceline so it is much more accessible and retails for $24.99. This product created a big hype in the YouTube land as well as all over beauty blogs. It was one of the first drugstore primers to create a wide interest and I waited and waited for it to hit our Australian shores. Months later, during a casual stroll in my local Priceline there it was on the middle shelf just at eye-line for my ease, the Magic Blur! Here to save the day and blur all my imperfections and make me look airbrushed in real life all day everyday. Safe to say I had fairly high hopes for this little tube. I've only used it a few times now and despite this being recommended as an all over face product, I think for my skin type it's better suited to just being focused on problem areas like my t-zone and the pores beside my nose. So far I haven't been overly impressed with how it seems to make my face more oily rather than having the opposite effect that I hoped for. It does fill in the pores so this can fit into two categories of this post but I might do a more detailed post in the future when I've been using it for longer.

Pores
Benefit Porefessional, like the Hourglass primer I don't think I need to say anymore on this product. It is  a cult product for a reason. It fills in the pores to create a more smooth surface and doesn't break up your makeup throughout the day, make my skin more oily nor does it highlight my pores and make them centre of attention.

Innoxa Pore Vanishing Cream A great drugstore dupe for the Benefit Porefessional and does match up pretty well to it's Benefit counterpart. It is still a silicone texture making it great for filling in pores but the texture is slightly (only ever so) to the Benefit. I bought this on recommendation from Australian YouTube gals and was intrigued and excited to try a more affordable product and see if it truly does compare. I would say it is a great alternative, I'm not sure it has the same lasting power as the Benefit but if it is more in your price range then it is a great product but I guess same with a lot of things, the original is often the better.

Eyelids
Urban Decay Primer Potion was the first eye primer I had ever used and I've been using it for probably six months consistently as in I reach for it everyday that I'm wearing makeup, whether it be only eyeliner or a full on eye for a night out. I like to know that whatever I'm putting on my lids is going to stay and not crease if I'm going to put in the time and effort to blend it all in! Plus it's just not the look I want to have my eyeshadow creasing and smudging throughout the day.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance  One of my beautiful pals bought me the Too Faced Blogger Box from Sephora while she was in the States and this was one of the products included. I haven't tried a great deal of Too Faced products, not for any particular reason, just haven't been on my radar too much so I was very excited to have minis of some of their more popular products to test out. In comparison to the Urban Decay it's extremely similar in texture and smell and for me it has the same great lasting power and helps my eyeshadow stay all day and avoid creasing.

On the 'To Try' list are the L'Oreal Lumi Magique which is more for radiating and creating that glowy, dewy skin so I'm reserving that for Winter to brighten up my skin. Also for eyes, my next purchase I think will be the Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow base which has been recommended online as well as to me by advisors at beauty counters.

Not so impressed- despite my mentioning them at them beginning of this post, the Smashbox Photo Finish Primers. I got a tester of the original oil-free version from Mecca Maxima and very glad I didn't purchase it because I felt it did more bad than good. My makeup definitely didn't last all day and from memory just broke up especially in my t-zone and around my nose. Not a fan and I don't think I even finished my little tester pot.

Instagram- @beautylocale

Brush Free Makeup

There comes in a point in my week, generally a Sunday when I do my weekly deep clean of my brushes then realise, oh wait I need to go somewhere and therefore need to do my makeup.. or even if I go to do my makeup in the morning, depending on how late I cleaned them, they're not always dry enough for me to be able to use. So came the dilemma but also the solution! After remembering Anna's Post from last year which had obviously been stored in my subconscious because I knew I'd be in this situation months down the track, I felt fairly confident that I could go caveman and have a good go at getting as close to the final effect I would've had with brushes.


So it began. By the way, I'm also considering the Beauty Blender a brush in this instance because it would generally be drying with all my other brushes.

Foundation- pretty obvious, no need for explanation here. My Chanel Mat Lumiere actually recommends using your fingers so that's a bonus that it does blend well. Recently I've also used the new L'Oreal Nude Magique and blended it in with my fingers and I really like the result as it is meant to be a liquid to powder formula so works well in this instance. Something heavier like Estee Lauder Double Wear I think I would avoid in this situation just because of the amount of blending it needs to look fairly natural and seamless. So, base- tick. Again, concealer is pretty self explanatory, I generally apply it with my fingers anyway to warm up the product and blend it in well- tick.

Generally I would go on to my brows next and this is where I may cheat only slightly because both my brow pencils by Maybelline and Hourglass have little spooly brushes on the end so they are still at my disposal. Not entirely sure how i could manage to do tidy brows completely brush free.. they would be quite harsh indeed. Next up, eyes. The obvious choice for this would be a cream product and no surprise I tend to use a Maybelline Colour Tattoo or Benefit's Creaseless Cream Shadow as they're both super easy to apply and blend in with your finger and I have a few different shades. To further intensify the lids, I like to apply either a shadow or pressed pigment because they can be patted on using your ring finger and will generally be quite neat. I like the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows because they have a beautiful shade range and are so buttery to apply. Not as easy to do is a transition shade through the crease so I usually avoid this by just taking my base shadow a bit higher than usual. Eyeliner in the waterline or smudged out with my finger again on the upper lash line then mascara = eyes, tick!

Next is back to the base and bringing some colour back to my cheeks and face. As Anna explains in the post you can use the side part of your hand, below your thumb that connects to your wrist (I hope my overly scientific explanations are clear) to in fact contour because it's the perfect shape to fit in the hollows of your cheeks. So using either a powder bronzer or the Bourjois Bronzing primer I'll do that and then apply a cream blush using patting motions to the apples of my cheeks and drag it upwards towards the hairline for a more flattering look.

If it's a night time look, I'll apply some liquid highlighter like Benefit Sun Beam or a powder to the highpoints of my cheeks and under the brow bone. Finish with a spritz of setting spray because it's a bit difficult to powder and set your face without a brush, and that's it! It's actually quite easy, just make sure you have a makeup wipe handy because it can get a bit messy and you may run out of fingers if you don't.

Let me know if you have any brush-free tricks!

 Instagram- @beautylocale

Friends' Faces | 21st Birthday

Last weekend one of my bestest pal's celebrated her 21st birthday and after much umming and ahhing I agreed to do her makeup for the evening. I was a bit hesitant to be the one to do her makeup for her party because I was worried about it not turning out exactly how she would've wanted it and then that could've been a whole palava and I would have felt terrible. However, after us doing a bit of a practice I said I'd do it but made her promise to be 100% honest; here's how it turned out, I could not tell you for the life of me what I used because I was dipping into a bit of everything. I had my MAC, Inglot and Urban Decay Naked 2 palettes on hand so definitely shadows from those. Beautiful lashes from House of Lashes and L'Oreal True Match for her base.

One of my other best gal pals also asked me to do her makeup or at least her eyes if we didn't have time and as she was wearing a white dress, she wanted a warm bronzey toned eye to compliment it. I used only the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette for her eyes and I don't know if it's the difference in skin/hair colour but I feel like they looked a lot better on her skin tone than they do on mine. Ainsley's base of choice was her tried and true Bourjois Healthy Mix and some natural lashes also from House of Lashes.

I wanted to take a makeup mess/progress shots but it ended up being a legitimate makeup mess and there just wasn't time! I in no way think I'm a makeup artist or have any special skill whatsoever I more just wanted to show off my beautiful friends' faces.

'No Makeup, Makeup'

I've seen a lot of this type of blog post and YouTube videos around but then when I watch them I'm just sort of left dumbfounded at how someone can think that packing 25 different products on your face is attempting a no makeup, makeup face. I understand wanting a natural look but I think that is different from what I consider this to mean. For me I try to have at least 1 or 2 'no makeup' days a week depending on how often I'm working obviously. It's good to let your skin breathe and just have a day off from packing on the makeup and I've found the more I do this, the more confident I feel to brave more than just the local shops with a bare face. I know that it's bad I don't feel comfortable without a full face of makeup or at least a foundation base but I guess that's just what I've become used to and how I feel more confident. In saying that, I am getting better.. slowly... but slow and steady wins the race, right..?

Anyway, my biggest issue is my skin because it is far from perfect but I do feel it is necessary to give it a breather and get some fresh, non-chemical, pore-clogged air. So on days like these I just prefer to avoid fluorescent lighting and large, magnified mirrors.. Obviously a walking advertisement for self-confidence but whatever, I'm getting there. So I like to avoid putting anything on the majority of my face, I'll just moisturise in the morning and probably pop on some type of pore-filling product, so either Benefit Porefessional or Innoxa Pore Vanishing Cream just to make things appear more even textured. Then I'll lightly conceal under my eyes, using a good colour-match to avoid stark light under-eyes that make you look worse rather than more awake. Then if I have any overly red or major little spotty pals on my face, I'll dab a bit of concealer over those and blend them in with either my finger or buffing brush to appear seamless.

Brows are a must for me. Whether I'm doing exercise or going to the shops, lunch whatever, I've become one of those girls who can't at least pencil in her brows before leaving the house. I naturally have very light and sparse brows so by filling them in even just a little bit I feel it balances out my face a lot more and just is more of an attempt when I otherwise can't be bothered. Always making sure that I don't go too dark especially because as I'm base-free so my face is quite pale. Then I'll just finish with lashings of mascara to detract from any other focal points happening on my face, generally my holy grail- Jordana Best Lash Extreme or I'm also currently using L'Oreal False Lash Architect which I'm enjoying. If I'm feeling a little lacklustre I'll line either my tightline with a black liner which is the most simple step yet makes quite a difference or my waterline with a nude liner to make my eyes appear wider and more awake.

Some lip balm or a tinted lip product, nothing too strong to overpower your bare face and that is what I consider to be 'no makeup, makeup'. Still have a few products on your face but at this point, this is the most bare faced I'll go in public..

Instagram - @beautylocale

Summer Face Savers

With Summer leaving us Aussies and heading for the North, I thought I'd share a few products that I've dubbed 'summer savers' for those icky humid days where everything tends to slide south on your face the minute you step out the door. In saying that our weather has been so up and down, I can't be sure I won't be needing these well into Autumn!

To start off- an SPF, essential for 30 degree + days in Sydney and everyday in general really. I like the Kiehl's SPF 50+++ that I've spoken about previously in a post or one that was recommended to me by my dermatologist- Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 50+ . This leaves, as the name would suggest, a dry touch to the face not that tacky, creamy feeling that most general sunscreens leave which makes it perfect to apply makeup over the top of. 

Next essential for me would be a primer, no surprise I'm going to suggest the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer for an amazing all rounder that will help your makeup to adhere to your face longer. In warmer weather I want the least amount of makeup on my actual face, I don't want anything that's going to feel heavy and like it's blocking every single pore on my face so I like the Vichy Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation in Opal which has added SPF 35, it's hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic and fragrance-free. It is quick a thick fluid but you can easily sheer it out with your fingers. It doesn't have the best lasting power for me, especially when it's really hot and humid so I always set it using either the Clinique Blended Face Powder or Makeup Store Translucent Setting Powder . 

Not the nicest of thoughts/visuals but blotting is a must for me especially in hot weather, so Blotting Papers are a necessity for quick touch ups throughout the day. I picked up these Paul & Joe ones from ASOS but you can find them online or in Priceline type stores. A product that is definitely not a necessity but more a luxury that I still don't fully understand the purpose of- Avene Thermal Spring Water, I also have tried the La Roche Posay which is equally good at being purified water in a can, this product is just nice to spray over your face and body when it all just gets a bit too overwhelmingly hot. 

To finish off, a spritz of Urban Decay 'Chill' makeup setting spray all over the face which promises to regulate your temperature in some fancy scientific way, to lock everything in. A good lipbalm that protects your lips from the sun because burnt lips are not fun at all and voila, these are my summer face savers that I always turn to when I know it's going to be a warm day.  

Again, this seems a bit useless now that we're officially in Autumn but it's Summer in the North and really these products are great all year round for maintaining your makeup throughout the day.

Instagram- @beautylocale. Follow me for regular beauty, life and bits posts!

The Wedding Face

Last week one of my beautiful friends, Michelle was attending a wedding and asked me to do her face for her. Of course I was more than happy to and she was also kind enough to let me photograph before and after and now she may be making future appearances on this blog
Her dress was a coral, lilac print and she wanted a purple toned eye to complement both her dress and lovely green eyes. For a Summer wedding I thought a nice soft purple eye would be appropriate and a few quick tweaks later on could take the look into the evening.

I started with Benefit's Porefessional Primer around the nose and a bit down the T-zone and prepped her eyes using Urban Decay's Original Primer Potion. As a base I used Maybelline 24hr Eye Tattoo in Barely Branded seeing as these things last for hours and hours. For the most part of the eyes I used a L'Oreal trio in 405- Stay Ultra Violet, Tease from the Naked 2 palette through the crease, Bootycall as a brow highlight and a touch of this iridescent LA splash glitter on the inner third of the lid for an extra touch of glitz and glamour! A small cat eye using Maybelline gel liner, a few lashings of Jordana's Best Lash Extreme and finally L'Oreal infallible eyeshadow in Purple Obsession smudged into the bottom lash line.

Brows were done using Wet n Wild Brow kit, some subtle bronzing around the edges of the face with MAC Matte bronzing powder and Nars Amour blush on the cheeks for a gorgeous pink glow.

As Michelle is slightly more pale than I am, I used her own foundation which was Napoleon Perdis Advanced Mineral Makeup liquid foundation and set her whole face using the Camera Finish powder.

A spritz of Urban Decay 'Chill' setting spray and voila! She was ready.

All of the brushes used were either Real Techniques, Sigma or Bdellium. I know this is a very brief rundown but I wanted to share this anyway. Maybe in the future I'll do a more step by step but usually I just wing it and make it up as I go along!