Streamlining your make up bag...

Ok I just treated myself to a new make up bag for my personal use. If you have ever seen my professional kit you will wonder how I decide what products do the best make up mileage for me and when I say that I mean durability, ease & speed of use an finally value for money.

Here's my top tips...

The make up bag itself shouldn't be too large. You can have a larger make up collection but for everyday use try and keep your make up stash to a smaller size make up bag it's so much easier to find what you are looking for that way. For me the best make up bags are (on the most part) translucent again the best way to find what you are looking for. My pick of the bunch was a cute birdy Ted Baker number it fulfils most of my requirements including the ability to zip right open (again best for digging around for that essential eyebrow pencil) and also fab that's it's wipe clean!

Ok so what's inside. Ideally I like to choose multiuse products or use them in a multiuse way. Here's a few ideas of how to use your products to their full potential. Why not try mixing your normal concealer with highlighter instead of buying a light illuminating under eye concealer, try a multiuse lips & cheeks product, use your bronzer to create definition on the eye crease, use eyebrow pencil/powder to define brows & lash line, use lip balm to brush & smooth stray eyebrows, use a matt bronzer to contour & mattify cutting out the need for powder...it's actually endless what you can do with different products it's just about thinking outside the box.

Here's my top 10 products for a quick & easy but beautiful face. These are just examples of products there are thousands more out there to try & experiment with!

Beauty Serum- I really like the products from nspa a selection of reasonablly priced skin care products that are really good quality. Try the Illuminating Beauty serum as a primer so apply just before your base. If you feel you need more moisture than this put your moisturiser on just after you get out of the shower so it has some time to sink in first then go ahead with the serum. I also like the facial oil from this range.
Foundation- I personally love illuminating products so for me I can't get enough of budget buy Wake me up by Rimmel don't forget to powder the areas if you tend to get too shiney but at least for the rest of this month I'll be hanging on to a sheenier finish to my skin before the winter matt looks really kick in. Cream eyeshadow- I actually really love the Creaseless Cream Eyeshadows by Benefit. I'm not a huge fan of their products although I love their blushers I think alot of the expense goes on eleaborate packaging and not the product itself but these are nice. Apply with a fluffy eyeshadow brush my suit anyone shade is 'Flatter Me' or you can alsouse darker shades as liner.

Bronzer- love my bronzer to not only add colour but also contour and add some structure to the face. My all time favourite is the MAC Mineralise Skinfinish natural but for a much more matt effect try Bourjois there's another blog post on contouring have a look at that for tips.
Mascara- You cannot go wrong with Max Factor False Lash effect and I always choose waterproof
Lip balm love love love Lansinoh it's really for cracked skin on nursing mothers but I think it's the mother of all lip balms!

Eyelash curlers- go to Shu Uemura and treat yourself they are worth the investment
Eyebrow pencil/powder love the MAC eyebrow pencil in 'lingering' it suits so many different people there are also tons of brow kits available that you could use as eyeshadow or vic versa a good eyeshadow can make a fabulous brow powder for dark hair coulours try MAC eyeshadow pot in Espresso and for lighter tones try Cork
Blush & Highlight way too many ones I love but try the products that have blush & highlight incorporated look at the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks for inspiration there are loads of products 'inspired' by their original design and a great one for mutliuse e.g. use on cheeks, eyes, highlight the inner corner/browbone or cupidsbow...

Concealer I'm really loving the Lumi Magique by L'oreal which is more about illuminating than strong concealing if it's a cover up issue go all out on a Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Kit. So that's about it! For me everyday make up is all about how you can make yourself look better in as fast a time as possible with minimal messing around and zero time fiddling. We are all so busy getting to work, getting the kids sorted and doing the school run it's all about quick and easy beauty. I have linked back to the Boots website quite alot as I love the advantage points scheme it's a great way to get yourself a little treat which for me was my lovely new make up bag. Hope this has been helpful and if you'd like some assistance giving your make up bag an overhaul contact me where you can have a make up shake up & lesson for the special offer price of £25...