Vogue Make-up Challenge!

Vogue did a little experiment, sending out a make-up artist to purchase an entire make-up wardrobe, under $100. She bought an expensive foundation, eye liner, and a three-in-one bronzer/eyeshadow/blush combo thing, cheap clear mascara, and drugstore black mascara and lipstick.

This didn't please me at all. I know it's only $100, but I would be extremely bored if that is all the make-up I had to use. So, I decided to see what I would choose. I was going to do it with €100 but I could find no Euro-prices on the interweb, so I used the Pound Sterling instead, using prices as shown on Boots.com and Superdrug.com. Seeing as the make-up artist did not have to buy any brushes and whatnot, I'm assuming we already have brushes, so I didn't include them either. I shall explain the rest of my choices as I go!

Face:

Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid Foundation - £4.84 (assuming I'm buying today. Otherwise it would be £6.84.)

Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Concealer - £5.86

Benefit Dandelion Blush - £22.50

L'Oreal True Match Powder - £7.82

Face Total: £41.02

I have pretty good skin, and so I don't really need to use an expensive foundation, in my experience. So I chose the one I'm currently using, and the concealor I've been using for like, ever. Although there are fairly good cheaper dupes of Benefit's Dandelion blush, I really do love the original, so I stuck with that. The powder is just a powder - nothing too exciting.

Lips:

Rimmel Sweet Jelly Gloss - £3.91

I really don't pay all that much attention my lips.... These are obviously aiming to be Lancome Juicy Tubes, and while they're not, they'll do.

Eyes:

Max Factor Masterpiece Mascara - £8.80

L'Oreal Super Liner - £5.86

GOSH Velvet Touch Eye Liner in Black Ink - £4.89

Barry M Dazzle Dust in 98 (black), 89 (browney-grey), 34 (purple), 80 (Blue), 72 (green), 3 (light pink) annnd 27 (white). - 7 x £4.40 = £30.80

This part was always going to be the most difficult. I adore my eye make-up, and limiting my colour range to 7 colours would almost be painful, but alas, I did what I could. The mascara is an oldy but a goody - love it. The first liner is a liquid liner, and the only liquid liner I can use. The second is just a black kohl pencil. Chose 7 of my favourite dazzle dusts, while ensuring I touched most of the kinds of colours I wear - sigh.

And finally Barry M Nail paint in Navy (292) - £2.89.

Well, I could only afford one, and this one is my favourite-est at the moment!

Meaning I would have spent a grand total of £98.37. It wouldn't be a very extensive collection, and I'd probably be bored stiff with it in 12 seconds, but I think it covers pretty much all the basics. I'd sorely miss my Urban Decay Primer Potion though... Can we throw one in for good measure? :D

5 Of My Favourite Products

So, in no particular order, some of my favourite products include:

1. Barry M Dazzle Dusts

I'm building up the entire collection of these little pots of amazingness. Highly pigmented, it's often said they're almost on a par with MAC pigments, good colour range, reasonably priced, and those pots are packed full of eyeshadow - it'll take a long time to empty that jar. The only downside is they're messy if you spill them (which, being clumsy, I do...). Love them.

2. L'Oreal Super Liner

Liquid liner & I just don't get on. Like I said, I'm clumsy, I'm messy, and liquid liner doesn't agree with this. That was until I found this little wonderworker. It has a sponge tip applicator, and just glides on with very little effort from me - which I love. It dries quickly, doesn't smudge and it stays on until you want it off. Can't reccommend it more, especially for people, like me, who are a little afraid of/make messes of normal liquid liners!

3. Benefit Dandelion Blush

I love many Benefit blushes (10, Coralista, for example!) but Dandelion is definitely my favourite. It probably won't do much for those of you with any kind of non-pale face, but on pale skin, it is perfect (well, mine anyway!). It goes on well and gives me a slight colour without looking overly fake. I would use it as a daytime blush normally, and perhaps use a deeper colour at night. Still my favourite ever, ever, ever.

4. Revlon Eye Make-up Corrector Pen

Like I said, I'm messy. I make mistakes, all the time. I used to hate when you'd have everything done perfectly and all it would take would be an untimely blink or an unexpected sneeze or even someone coming into the room suddenly, and bam, your mascara/eyeliner has just gone everywhere, and thus you must start again. This pen allows you to correct the mistake in a spot, and continue as you were. The only problem I have with it is that if you don't wipe of the lsight residue, new make up just will not go on top of it. Other than that - total lifesaver product.

5. Carmex Cherry Lipbalm

If you have ever smelled Cherry Carmex, you will understand perfectly why it should appear in this very list. Sure it makes your lips soft, and smooth and lovely, but really, I love this mainly for the smell. It smells exactly like cherries. It works well, it's easy to use, it smells nice and it's easy to carry - what more could you want?

And so concludes my list of my favourite products right now! :)

What are your favourite products?