When it comes to my everyday make up, I’m a creature of habit. While I’m fond of experimenting with the odd bold lip every now and then, particularly during the festive period, when it comes to my base and eye area, I tend to gravitate towards the same look, something super simple and restrained with the odd liquid liner flick thrown in on the odd weekend.
But recently, as I’ve been sorting through my make up in preparation for a move into the big bad city – more on that later! – I’ve come across a fair few products that I felt warranted a bit of an outing and, in doing so, have spent the past few weeks experimenting with more of a bold smokey eye, red lip combination.
Now, in my oh-so humble opinion, when wearing this kind of beauty look during the day, it’s important to ensure you don’t go too OTT with the eye make up especially, otherwise you can run the risk of looking a bit… well… overdone, shall we say. But, applied with a light hand, a good smokey eye can really help to accentuate a bright red lip, and it’s that kind of look in particular that I’ve been loving of late.
Product-wise, I have – of course – come across a fair few favourites both in the eye and lip department. When it comes to all-day staying power, a matte or ‘demi matte’ lip tends to work best I think, and for this I have two options – the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Hot Pepper (£8.99/$14) and the Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick in Light It Up (£4.99). Both are beautifully bold and bright and both have the ability to hang around on your lips for hours on end.
For something a bit more nourishing that you can re-apply throughout the day, I tend to opt for the NYX Butter Gloss in Cherry Pie ($7), which is incredibly glossy, with a good shine, and also tastes awesome. Which I understand isn’t really the point, but still. Then there’s the Lancome L’Absolu Rouge in Cherrywood ($30) which is a truly traditional lipstick – good colour pay-off, lots of staying power and a good nourishing finish. Simply delightful.
Moving onto the eyes and there are a variety of pocket-sized palettes that I favour when it comes to creating a smokey eye. The Smashbox Full Exposure Travel Palette ($20), which is just superb, the Collection All About The Eyes Palette (£3.99), which is probably the cheapest palette I own, with the exception, perhaps, of the NYC Best of Broadway Palette ($3.99), an even cheaper purchase!
Last, but by no means least, is the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze ($7/£4.99), one of my all-time favourite eye products, and one which comes in incredibly handy when you want to smoke up your eye with the minimal amount of effort. Just swipe a good dose on your lid with your finger, blend and go.
Easy peasy.
What beauty looks are you guys loving at the moment?
Small Fish Big Pond 
I need to try that Bourjois in Hot Pepper. It is everywhere! 😉