Changing my make-up routine about once every decade doesn't stop me from hoarding beauty products. O no, quite the opposite! I fear for my life whenever I open my beauty cabinets because I've stacked my shelves with millimeter precision to make everything fit in. Swiping my fingers over a pigmented, velvety eyeshadow, the first spray of a tempting perfume and laughing out loud about O.P.I.'s color names... it just feels so good. And single handedly boosting the recession is quite a selfless thing, if you really think about it...
Make-up I use most right now:
1) Carine Roitfeld for M.A.C palette (in desert camouflage). Being able to afford anything Carine wears was out of the question until this perfect M.A.C palette came out. With a dash of black, taupe and gold you're almost as cool, French and subtly smokey eyed as Miss Roitfeld herself. Almost.
2) M.A.C studio sculpt camouflage (in NC20). Subtly dab on spots and the under eye area before applying foundation. I find that you'll use less foundation since most is already evened out and covered. And that's good; we still want to see natural skin texture.
3) M.A.C frost eyeshadow (in cranberry). Red eyeshadow is said to make you look ill, but all I know is that when placed in the outer v it gives great warmth to a brown smokey look.
4) Essie nailpolish (in penny talk). Talk that talk! People have claimed that lipstick is recession proof but did you know nowadays nail polish sales work as recession predictor? In that case, penny talk couldn't be a more fitting name.
5) Urban decay primer potion. Armed with this and my Too Faced shadow insurance no creasy eyelids will ever befall me.
6) Maxfactor Colour x-pert liner (in deep black). Black is best when deep, dark and super intense. The extremely thin brush allows me to set a precise and barely there liner in the blink of an eye.
7) Clinique chubby stick (in curvy candy). Lip balm was never more fun to apply. And no, you don't have to sharpen this stick.
8) L'Oréal eyeshadow (in stellar blue). It's a chrome-y silver that, when placed on the inner corner or the middle of the moving eyelid opens op a smokey eye tremendously.
9) O.P.I. nailpolish (in german-icure). A dramatic, frosty, grape red from the Germany collection that makes your hands total attention grabbers. Literally.
10) M.A.C studio fix fluid foundation (in NC15). Yes I'm that pale! After individual space rockets, a cure for hiccups and a time machine, could scientists of the world please come together to invent more very, very light foundations with a yellow undertone? Thanks.
11) Maybelline color tattoo (in permanent taupe). Ideal as eyeshadow base and pretty on it's own, simply dabbed on to the lid with a finger.
12) Topshop lipstick (in innocent). Let's get naked! This good nude doesn't erase the lip, it gives you an evened out, cool toned pink that works for any occasion.
13) Topshop lipstick (in idol). Go easy on the eyes when you apply this pale pink. (Unless Nicki Minaj is your style inspiration). What works? A brown mascara with tan eyeshadow / a heavy brow and naked eye / black mascara with a subtle winged out liner.
14) Essie nailpolish (in merino cool). I've assembled about 50 shades of grey - I mean there are massive differences! Some are more purple, some more blue, others are greige - but Merino cool stands out the most.
15) YSL lipstick (in rouge pur couture). A vibrant red lipstick and black lingery. That's all.