Quick Affordable School Run Make-up

Some of you will be wondering why you need to wear make-up on school run. I salute you. I need to have mascara and concealer on at the very minimum. I don't need to go in with full face every time but I like to have a bit on. Yes it helps being a make-up artist but what I do most days isn't very technical and I thought I'd re-work it a bit to use my favourite high-street products.

Some of us like to have a bit of make-up on when we do school run - but it doesn't need to be Kim K levels and it certainly doesn't have to cost as much. Here's my current go-to make-up it takes five mins and lasts all day. List of products below. Any questions don't hesitate to ask.

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Products Used:
No 7 Shade and Define in Cool Mink
Eco Tools Eye Shading Brush similar to this
MAC Smoulder Eye pencil 
Max Factor Masterpiece Max mascara
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Clinique Bottom Lash mascara 
Bourjois Bronzing Powder
MUA Pixel Perfect Blush in Coral Spice
Sleek Makeup  Luminous Pressed Powder
Collection Lip Butter in Vintage Rose

Timeless: A Century of Iconic Looks

I love make-up books and have a growing collection but something that has always been missing, and indeed was missing when I trained all those years ago was a good, accurate guide to period make-up. Something that you could refer to when planning a shoot with genuinely useful references. Timeless: A Century of Iconic Looks by Louise Young and Lou Shepperd is that book, it's finally here.

I'm lucky to be friends with Louise and know that her passion for period make-up is absolutely genuine - she has an enviable collection of vintage make-up and clothes and is always on the look out for original products so she can find (and often create for her own make-up line) the exact modern duplicate. If you are doing '40s make-up the lips have got to be the right red, if they're not, Louise will know. This book is born from her passion for period make-up but also the frustration that many of us feel when the available references are often full of inaccuracies.

Timeless is a must for anyone studying make-up or hair, interested in period make-up, photography or just vintage looks and style. There are step-by-step guides, before and after pictures, and colour references and plenty of ideas for further research. There are a few different looks for each era with references to what celebrities wore (which is probably what we think of) and what real people at the time wore. It is a pleasure to read and the time and effort is apparent in every page, even down to the little arrow indicators showing which chapter you are on.

September Beauty News

The main news in our house is that Ned started school! So it's been a bit hectic here getting everyone settled into the new routine. It's quite nice to have some time with him between 3 and 6 when I pick up Jim and it does mean that I no longer have two full days with all three of them. But I also no longer have any full days to get work done!

New Releases

Three quite big deals this month

• ASOS have launcehd their own beauty collection aimed at 'millenials' and all under £12 I have yet to try any of these but I quite like the names such as Overqualified and Uncompromising.  
• Rihanna has launched her own beauty line Fenty Beauty which is available here in the UK from Harvey Nichols. I have heard great stuff about these products. 
• Victoria Beckham has done another range with Estee Lauder and again everyone seems to be really loving it. Can't wait to get my hands on some though a lot of it is sold out already. 

Books Update and Goodreads app

This is (clearly) an old video. But although it's old, it still stands, I have read a few more books but not many... babies are time sucks.

Gold Collagen Hydrogel Face Mask

I don't have a lot of time for face-masking. That's what I think but actually I do, I just need to be a bit more organised about it. I often feel like a face mask, like a bath bomb, is best enjoyed when you have actual time to sit and relax it but in reality, unlike a bath bomb, a face mask will do what it does whether you sit with your feet up in a zen like state or just stick it on while you're doing the online big shop (or indeed the in-store big shop if that's what floats your boat!).

For the Gold Collagen Hydrogel Mask I do like to use it in bed while I read my book. It's a sheet mask so you can wear it when you are up and about but being propped up in bed with my book is enough for me and it encourages me to go to bed with enough time to actually have time to read which is something I really miss since having the boys. I also like to give the ingredients time to themselves on my skin which they probably wouldn't get earlier in the day (not able to do a barefaced school run sadly).

The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow-Boosting Moisturiser Quick Review

I bought this hoping to have found a great high street Vitamin C product but was disappointed. I don't like giving skincare bad reviews, and this isn't really one, as everybody has different skin - this just didn't do it for me but a lot of people have been asking me about it.

Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Tinted Moisturiser

As you know I am completely in love with Origins so I was really pleased when they released a product that got the attention it deserved (I hope the sales matched this!). The GinZing Energy-Booting Tinted Moisturiser was the base of the summer and although it's definitely Autumn here in the UK I'm still wearing this pretty much every time I have any base on at all.

Now this is limited to who can wear it - anything from ivory to olive should be fine, anyone darker than that you are going to find it ashy even if the colour is basically fine. This comes out of the tube white and changes colour as it is applied to the skin. You can use your hands to apply it though I prefer a brush (you could of course use a sponge applicator or Beauty Blender too). I find that it tends to show a tide mark on the neck if you are not careful so a brush is good for blending.

Urban Decay Naked Heat Look 1

Now I feel I should say that I really love using this palette with other products - it goes really well with the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette but when I review a product I think of those people who don't necessarily want a ton of palettes. What I want is to be able to do a lot of looks from barely there to really dramatic for me this palette is quite full-on even when you are trying not to be. I feel for the consumer at this price point (£39.50) I'd want a little bit more versatility.

That being said when I do wear it with other products - quite often a browner cream shadow used as a primer works well - I get lots of compliments! All products listed below as are links to any product reviews featured on this blog.

NYX HD Eye Shadow Base
Urban Decay Naked Heat
L'Oreal Perfect Slim liner
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
Origins GinZing Tinted Moisturiser
Pixi Correction Concentrate
Collection Lasting Perfection concealer
Daniel Sandler Customisable colour for cheeks 
Illamasqua Hollow Cream pigment
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
Cover FX Loose Powder
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
Mac Smoulder eye kohl
Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Lip Pencil in 714
Charlotte Tilbury Bitch Perfect Lipstick

My Reviews:
Urban Decay Naked Heat
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
Pixi Correction Concentrate
Daniel Sandler Customisable colour for cheeks 

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Jo Loves Pink Vetiver

Jo Malone is a household name. Everyone has their favourite (Lime Basil & Mandarin since you ask) and for some of us it's the ultimate house gift. However, not so many people know that Jo Malone (MBE) left the eponymous brand in 2006 and 2011 after trouncing a particularly aggressive form of cancer came back with a new company Jo Loves.

As a brand Jo Malone, now owned by Estee Lauder, is huge and available worldwide - everything about it, even the black framed cream packaging is luxurious. Jo Loves feels different. Of course it's on a smaller scale, it's a relativley new company created by someone who has her name on products she created, in a design she wanted but is no longer affiliated to. That must be incredibly difficult. You need to it look different, you need to come up with a whole different range of fragrances and ideas. And she's done it. Jo Loves feels intimate, personal, boutique. She seems to be able to create the most amazing and unique smells and Jo Loves doesn't disappoint. Pomelo, Mandarine, Mango Thai Lime, White Rose and Lemon Leaves or my favourite, Green Orange and Coriander.

Make-up Shaming

I keep seeing things about make-up shaming. I haven't read them in-depth as, well I haven't really had the chance to read anything apart from Hairy McClary for any length of time in the past few months but a brief skim and I get the point.

With the rise and rise of the statement brow, contouring and Instagram make-up there now seems to be the idea that people should 'stop make-up shaming' which I suppose means that those of us (yes me included) who think that sometimes make-up is taken too far and not applied how we would like to see it applied should stop being so judgemental.

Now this is a dangerous subject and I'm hesitant to write about it but... well I'm going to. Feel free to get involved in the comments section. The pictures are just to illustrate my point. I dashed upstairs on a whim during nap time and slapped this on. One side how I'd do my make-up for a job interview and one with the problems I see regularly. It's not perfectly done and it's basically all the problems I can think of in one go which you don't see that often. Usually the most full-on brows I see are on a basically bare-faced person which makes them even more bizarre. I used pretty much the same make-up on both sides of my face - I used a tinted moisturiser on the normal side and a more full-on on the other and just a brow mascara on the normal side and some brow powder (from a Dark Blonde palette!) on the more full-on side. Eyes, contour and highlight both from the same products. You'll notice the neutral lip... I rarely see a lip and think it was a mistake... it happens, but not often.

Baby Favourites

These are some of my favourite things I've been using since having Jack. There are lots more that I missed off - like the gorgeous Aden + Anais towel and flannel set I was given which is so lovely - let me know what yours are in the comments below. Probably a bit too much information in here for some - also if I seem to get shorter during filming that's because it's hard with a baby on your knee!

Sleepyhead
Aden + Anais Swaddle Blankets
Aden + Anais Towel
Lil Cubs Swaddle Muslin
Ana Wiz Washable Natural Bamboo Breast Pads ( Mixed, Pack of 12)
Kit + Kin nappies
Natracare Maternity Pads
Multi-Mam Balm
PPOGOO Waterproof Burp Cloths
Marks & Spencer Baby Grows
Breastvest Breast Vest Top
Sock-ons