less is too subtle....

... more is better. Especially in my case. I am a total make-up addict. I wear it almost everyday, but because I am normally so scared of doing it W R O N G and looking like Boffo the Clown. Which is a very likely possibility.

Ordinarily I would go with sheer make-up. Barely there. Blended blended blended until you can hardly see it. Blend is my middle name. My real name should have been Brenda. Cos then I could have been "Brenda the Blendah". Ahah ha.        ha.

I am an avid reader of many of the beauty blogs (note to self.... must do page with links to all my Fave blogs) that are out there and I have been taking notes. Literally. I sit with a note pad and pen and make good old notes. The favourites folder on my browser is FULL of links that take me directly to pages from Beauty Bloggers who have done fab 'how-to' posts.

Taking all of this information on board, I have decided to go totally out of my comfort zone.

I have been collecting various bits and bobs, recommended by the Best Beauty Bloggers, that are within my very limited budget.

Cloud 10 Beauty  recently did a fab offer of €5 off of any purchase from their site. So I used to to buy my first Sleek Pallet (original RRP €9). Having been blessed with Brown eyes, I decided (having learned that blues and purples are good for brown eyes) on the Sleek divine Storm Pallet. Now the bloggers raved about the quality of the pigmentation of these pallets, but being the sceptic that I am... I never really expected too much.

So when it arrived (within 2 days - kudos to Cloud 10 Beauty) and I ripped the box open and did a quick swatch.

Gulp. Oh. My. Hat. They didn't lie. The pigmentation on these little circles of compressed powder is Scary. Well to a novice its scary. "I am never going to wear this I am just going to open it and admire all the pretty colours" was the first though that galloped through my mind.

But. I took a deep breath and resolved to at least try it. Just as well. I have fallen in Love.

So this is what I came up with for my first look.

I used my trusty Catrice Photo Finish Liquid Foundation (030 Caramel Beige) first, over my moisturised face.

With a very light hand....I patted the sparkly steely grey, bottom 2nd from right, (sparingly) over the movable part of the eyelid, just short of the crease. Then I blended. And I blended some more.

Then I patted the lightest shade (top 2nd from right) on the browbone (the section just under my eyebrow) and lightly blended it up to my eyebrow.

 Then in the crease I applied the sparkly gold (top 4th from right) in a windshield-wiper motion. And then again... I blended blended blended everything together.

For all the application I used a shadow brush from ELF. For all the blending I used an Avon eyeshadow brush. its a fluffy soft brush perfect for blending.

Once I was done with the powder I  finished my eyes off with Essence Multi-Action False Lashes Mascara  (approx €1.29).

Since this was something pretty 'out there' for me, and following much advice from blogs, I chose something sheer and neutral for my lips. ELF's Luscious Liquid Lipstic ( I love alliteration!!!) in Pink Lemonade (£1.50) fit the bill.

Its an odd little product. More gloss than actual lipstick, but with better longevity than gloss (in my limited experience).

Its quite sticky, but it is pretty moisturising and I think the tackiness contributes to its staying powder. It has a lovely subtle sweet/minty taste/scent that dissipates pretty quickly so its not irritating. The colour pay-off is pretty good for something that costs less than  a loaf of bread and 2l of milk :)  

There is a bit of shimmer in there, but nothing obscene 

 So what do you think? Does it look ok?

Oh yes. I ditched the blonde and went back to a lovely rich chocolate brown. 

Yay.