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Makeup Tips Beautynook’s Top 5

I know this isn’t a new idea, but I was doing my makeup the other day and started doing something that I thought was worth sharing. I was about to jump onto Instagram stories and share it, but then I had the idea to do it in blogpost form for future reference purposes 🙂 I’m calling it my top 5 makeup tips but I can’t guarantee I’ll keep it to 5 🙂

There’s no real rhyme or reason to these makeup tips. They’re really just things that came to mind and things I’ve learned over the years.

If you’re using a thicker foundation and find it hard to blend. Try spraying your foundation brush with makeup setting spray. It’ll make it easier to blend without compromising the longevity. It works if you’re using a sponge too.
If you have trouble putting gel liner in your water line. This is something I learned from Marlena aka Makeup Geek. I use to attempt to do it with a brush but it just tickles too much! Instead, try using a similar coloured eye pencil to apply it. Dip the pencil into the gel liner pot and use it as the tool. Makes tight lining so much easier. Thanks Marlena 🙂
Don’t directly powder over wet skin ie: oil or sweat, it leaves holes in your foundation. If you need to touch up, always try blot and then pat powder where necessary onto the face.
Filing indexes aka sticky notes or even sellotape works. Just me sure you take the access stickiness off on the back of your hand. (You don’t want to pull your eyes). They make a great eyeliner guide. Apply to the edge of your eyes in the direction you want your flick. Apply your liner or eyeshadow and then slowly pull the sticky notes off away from your face. You should be left with a clean line. It takes practice, but I promise it works.
We know dampening your brush makes metallics shadows and highlights apply more vibrant, right? If you don’t want to do that, you can use your setting spray as normal on your face and before it dries, apply your highlighter on damp skin. This will make it pop a little extra too and help it last longer.
Cheap eyeliners are often hard to use. If you want to soften the pencil and get use out of it. Run the tip through the flame of a lighter for a couple of seconds. Obviously be sure that it’s not hot to the touch when applying it to your eyes. But it will soften it and make it much easier to apply.
If you have an eyeshadow that you don’t get much pigment out of but love the colour. Try applying concealer or a white base (like the NYX Jumbo eye pencil) before it and pat it on with your finger. It will help with the opacity. Dampening your eyeshadow brush with water, setting spray, Duraline or even eye drops before application will help too.

I did a post here yonks ago about keeping your lashes curled all day. I thought that might be helpful to throw into the makeup tips mix too. And here is a demo of the winged liner tip in practice. The pictures and videos are horrendous but the methods still stands 🙂

If even one of these makeup tips helps you, I’ll be very happy, so please let me know. I definitely went over the quota of five ha!

xxx

July 13, 2018/by Gem

October Favourites 2017

A fresh month means a fresh start…..and monthly favourites 🙂 In this post and video we are delving into my October Favourites.

October Favourites for this year consist of all beauty products with one fashion fave! It’s been a bit of a pain in the arse of a month, I won’t lie. So I am very happy to see the end of it. Also, Halloween isn’t my favourite time of the year. Banger scare the bejesus outta me. I spent Halloween night cleaning up dog pee. Poor Rosie doesn’t like them either. I’m sure she is happy to see November come too 🙂

As always I’ll list all the products I mention and link what I can.

Missguided Babe Powder EDP. I found is cheapest from Cara Pharmacy here.
The perfume I am comparing it too is the Dior Poison Elixir. This is a really old perfume, actually I didn’t realise how old it it! I don’t actually use this bottle, I just kept it cos’ it’s fancy 🙂 I can’t seem to find it for sale online anymore. Brown Thomas have an eau de toilette version here.
I speak about the L’Occitane Shower Oil next. I have this link in my haul video here.
Barry M Liquid Chrome Highlighter Drops. I did a whole blogpost with swatches on these here.
Elf Mineral Primer. You can get your hands on this in Penneys. It seems to be the cheapest online in the EU from Superdrug here.
The Too Faced Hangover 3 in 1 Replenishing Primer And Setting Spray. Yes that is a mouthful 🙂 You can buy it from the Debenhams website here.
And then my last October favourite for this year is some very loud ankle boots from Penneys. I make no apologies, I love them 🙂

And there you have all my October favourites in a nutshell. Be sure to let me know what has been floating your boat. It definitely doesn’t have to be beauty or fashion related, I dabble in other subjects too. Be sure to click on the video above to hear me to more about everything. Or go directly to my YouTube channel here.

Thank you, as always.

Gemma xxx

CONTAINS PR SAMPLES**

November 3, 2017/by Gem

Makeup

Handbag Makeup Essentials

Ok, handbag makeup essentials is a bit of a broad statement. And very much up to the individual who owns said bag and makeup 🙂

These are my interpretation of handbag makeup essentials. For your everyday ‘throw everything into’ bag. I know the evening out bag generally consists of just powder and lippie. These are the products that you carry around, just in case. In case you get stuck at work late and have to go out after. Or you’re just out, and then decide you want to go out out. Or, you just want to refresh your makeup and maybe add some more definition.

I have oily skin, so for me blotting sheets are a must. Although I’m constantly running out. I generally pick up the Catrice or Essence ones. Super affordable and do the job perfectly. Even if you’re not super oily, these are just great to have. I have been known to use tissue too though. If you split 2 ply tissues apart, the one layer does a darn good job at blotting! I have another alternative here too if you want to check it out.

Once your base is ready to receive another layer of makeup, don’t go too crazy. Less is more. If you pile it on, it’ll probably just move around. A light concealer will work if you have blemishes or under eyes that really need more covering, or your foundation has rubbed off anywhere. I generally like having a more liquid formula of concealer on hand, it’s easier to blend over anything that’s already there.

Depending on your preference, a powder is nice to have around, whether it be a translucent or something with a little more coverage. It’s good to powder your nose, but it’s also nice to have if you need to set your lids to jazz them up a little. I prefer to use a brush to set with, just because it adds less product to the skin. Just preference though and another thing to carry 🙂

This brings me on to another handbag makeup essential, an eyeliner! Whether it’s just a flesh coloured one for a more natural look or a black or brown for more intensity. A slick of liner across the lash line, or blended out all over the lid, can really help define a simple makeup look. Kohl is great if you want to create a really quick smoky eye, as it works on the lid and in the water line too.

By no means is bronzer a handbag makeup essential, but it is great for adding more colour to the skin and adding some definition to the eyes too. I carry one because I have a mini. Mini products are a handbag’s best friend 🙂

If I’m being completely honest I have all of these plus mascara, eyebrow powder, highlighter… I could go on, don’t judge me, I like to be prepared. I was a scout growing up.

I’ll add two more things into my essentials kit though. A brighter (or darker) lip shade. A slick of fresh statement lippie and a bit of powder and you can be good to go for the night.

Lastly, I’ll add in a setting spray or even just a facial mist. Again, I have a mini one that I just refill. Something that you can refresh with. But also set with and to take away the powdered look which really helps when touching up. Urban Decay do travel versions of their setting sprays here.

And there you have my handbag makeup essentials. Too much? Probably 🙂 What’s the one makeup product you always bring with you? (Handbag featured was part of recent haul video here, if you’re curious).

xxx

October 18, 2017/by Gem

Makeup, Youtube Video

Confidence Boosting Beauty Products

Major spoiler alert. Most of this video is slightly out of focus! Why may you ask? Because stupid Gemma (i.e me) focused the camera and then proceeded to sit in the wrong position like a dope! I debated on whether or not to scrap it. But I am mostly chatting about the confidence boosting beauty products in my life and just applying them as I go. Being able to see my potato head clearly really isn’t necessary in the grand scheme of things. Sure the beginning and end is in focus, you can see me in all of my glory there 🙂

I did a video a while ago here about products that make make me happy. Things that have a meaning to them whether they be connected with memories or people. I thought this was a good continuation on from that. We all have certain confidence boosting products in our beauty drawers right? Things that put a spring our step, that we know look good on us?

I thought I would chat about mine. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that makeup necessarily equates to happiness. I am not that narrow minded, This is just me talking lightheartedly about certain products that I keep in my life because I know they work for me 🙂

The eyeshadow shade ‘half-baked from Urban Decay.
A good eyelash curlers.
Eyeliner in my waterline. I used the Inglot AMC Eyeliner Gel in 96 (you can see it swatched here).
Mac Cosmetics Springsheen blush. On the Brown Thomas website here.
theBalm Mary-Lou-Manizer highlighting powder. The tone of this just works for me. I have an old review of it here.
Mac ‘Girl About Town’ Amplified Lipstick. You can get it from Brown Thomas here. I just realised I have two Mac products listed! Not on purpose, promise 🙂
Setting Spray. I am loving the L’Oréal Infallible Fixing Mist. (full review here).
My confidence boosting fragrance is Viktor & Rolf ‘Flowerbomb’. An oldie but a goodie. You can get it from Debenhams here.
Instant Tan! The ones I mention are the Vita Liberata Body Blur and the Bellamianta Skin Perfecting Instant Tan.
Then finally, my last confidence boosting beauty product is nail polish, or at least just having my nails did :). I chat about the Wet n Wild 1 Step Wonder Nail Polishes. I honestly love these!!

And that concludes my ramblings. So tell me, do you have any particular confidence boosting beauty products in your stash? You can watch the video directly over on my YouTube channel here.

xxx

July 14, 2017/1 Comment/by Gem

Lifestyle, Youtube Video

Getting A Little Personal…

I feel really weird doing this, not going to lie. But, I love watching question and answer videos on YouTube. I love getting a little nosey into people’s personal lives and seeing them as human, if that makes sense?

I am as human as they come, sometimes too much so 🙂

I officially have 50 videos over on my YouTube channel!! I literally never thought I would see the day. Seriously, the thoughts of making a video scared the living daylights out of me. It still does, but I am getting more and more comfortable with it as each video is completed. It’s a slow process getting my content seen, but everyday more people stop by.

I am by no means a YouTuber. I make videos to mix up my content here on Beautynook. I am a huge vlog fan too, so I wanted to give it a go myself and push my comfort zones a little. I’ve grown to love the editing aspect of it, and am actually thinking of maybe vlogging a little too if that’s something that would interest you guys? So getting a little personal every now and again and showing you snippets of life?

For my 51st video I thought I would try on the personal side a bit (not too much ha) and answer some questions that you very kindly asked me on my Snapchat and on my Facebook page.

There’s some random questions, some blogging questions and some life questions. You can as always watch the video by clicking on it above or directly on my channel here.

This was another step outside my comfort zone, I have to admit. I’m not a particularly private person, I’ll tell you anything. But doing it in this capacity is a bit more formal and permanent. I’m not the most eloquent speaker either, but sure hopefully you enjoy it anyways.

I was also digging my ‘more simple’ makeup that day, so here’s a bit of a closer look. I used a baby blue pencil in my waterline and I think it really opens the eyes up 🙂

As always thanks for stopping, I really appreciate it.

Gemma

xxx

March 24, 2017/1 Comment/by Gem

Makeup, Youtube Video

Makeup Favourites 2016

My first official video of 2017 comes in the form of my Makeup Favourites for the year gone by.

I thought rather than just show you my makeup favourites, I would show you them in action too. I picked my most used products and created a really simple ‘me’ look that I usually end up doing when I don’t know what to do. Some of the products were new in 2016, some were new to me for the year and then some are just favourites that I always gravitate towards because I know they work.

I’ve written blogposts for a hell of alot of these, so I’ll try list as many as I can in case you want to know more about a specific product.

Hylamide HA Blur Primer. Review here.
L’Oréal Infallible 24HR Matte Foundation. Review here.
Nyx Micro Brow Pencil. Review here.
theBalm Put A Lid On It Eyeshadow Primer. Review here.theBalm Put A Lid On It Eyelid Primer
Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics Palette. Post here.
Sleek Diamond In The Rough Palette. Blog post about it here.
Catrice Glam & Doll Waterproof Mascara. Review here.
Too Faced Born This Way Concealer. I have a review here.
Wet n Wild Dual Ended Contour Stick. First impression video is here.
Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in ‘Nude Mauve’. I have a comparison post here.
Nyx Highlight and Contour Palette. First impressions and swatches here.
Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Medium. I have a really old review of it here.
L’Oréal Infallible Fixing Mist. Review here.

Phew, I think that’s everything 🙂

In the video here, you’ll see me using everything, but the finished look, looks a bit like this. I think it definitely sums up my go to makeup favourites for 2016. And, I do love a good before and after picture!

I say it in video form too, but just to write it down too. Thank you so much for everything over the year. Beautynook (and myself) grew up alot over 2016. I am excited to see what 2017 has in store. Thanks for sticking around.