What's in my make up bag?

Having read a few other blogs (mainly due to everyone posting about their 50% off ELF hauls) I've noticed that this is a fairly common feature on girls blogs so thought I'd follow suit.
I should point out at this stage that while I have a great interest in make up and am always longing after really good products that will do wonders and that look good, I am certainly no expert! I don't know what's best for what, what brands work best for which products or the best techniques for applying make up. I feel that I am always unskilled in applying my make up and therefore not getting its full potential and instead just look stupid on a night out.
However, in my makeup bag as my essential products for a night out (this is when i'd most typically wear my make up - currently these days i'm too lazy to bother getting up early and spending ages putting make up to give me a flawless natural look that I so desire) are:

• ELF total face brush - this I love to use to apply my blusher and find it gives a good coverage and is soft to use
• Maybelline dream satin liquid foundation in Cameo (020) - this foundation I think is actually perhaps slightly too dark for my skin tone but i've never quite managed to achieve that perfectly matched foundation/concealer to skin tone, I really do need to get myself to a make up counter & get it done professionally for me. I like this foundation though as it gives a good coverage, is quite thick but doesn't require much product for a full coverage. It gives a slightly dewy look which I prefer to mattify using a powder.
• ELF studio blush in tickled pink - this is one of two of their studio blushes that I currently own and this is my favourite. It's a lovely light pink colour that I think gives a natural looking blushed colour. 
• L'oreal Paris Glam Shine 6h gloss brilliance in Oriental Fuschia (204) - this was actually given to me as a stocking filler and when I saw it I thought I wouldn't use it as it'd to be too dark and too shimmery but actually I tested it and I love it! It's a lovely colour that's not too far off my natural lip colour and I find it gives a nice glossy look without being sticky. It also lasts fairly well. The heart shaped wand makes it very easy to apply and curves to the lip shape well.
• Prestige cosmetics liquid eyeliner in black (01) - I love this eyeliner! Again it was given to me as a stocking filler after telling my mum that i'd like to try a liquid eyeliner having only used eyeliner pens before. It's a good deep black colour, can be used to create thin or thick lines and lasts forever. For me, it's a must have.
• Rimmel London Exaggerate waterproof eye definer in Noir (261) - this I use to line my lower eyelid and add further colour to the underneath of my upper lashes. I also tend to use it more day to day. I like the definition that it gives my eyes and is a good colour but can take a few goings over to get a good dark black colour rather than a grey colour. I find that it doesn't last all day and can smudge quite easily so when i'm wearing it I do have to keep checking the mirror.
• Maybelline New York Lash Stiletto and Lash Stiletto voluptuous (both in black) - another stocking filler! I really like this mascara; the voluptuous one I use on a night out for a more dramatic look and the ordinary one I use as an every day mascara. I like this mascara as it makes my lashes look long, adds some volume and doesn't clump. I find they can withstand a fair amount of rain before running and they last a long time. 
• Finally, vaseline - a staple for keeping lips hydrated!
• They don't fit in my make up bag and I have only recently purchased them but I'd like to add Elf's high definition powder and Elf's mineral blemish kit to this list and I'd say they will both become part of my essentials! 

So what's in your make up bag as your must haves?

Life

Apologies for perhaps a rather brisk end to my last blog.
I was just finishing it off when my boyfriend turned up at my house after having had some issues at home so I had to quickly finish it off and just leave it. I think it still managed to say pretty much everything I was intending to say anyway.
Having just moved house a couple of days, things at home are all still a bit hectic so having somewhere like this to write things down and express myself is perhaps going to turn out to be quite beneficial. I have what some people would call slight OCD about things being neat & tidy and so have gotten rather frustrated about still having boxes and mess all over my room. But at the same time I can be quite lazy and can't always bring myself to get up & unpack everything - especially as I don't know exactly where I want to put everything yet. Wish you could just click your fingers and everything would end up being put away exactly where you're going to want it.
Well that's all for now, ta ta

ELF Haul

I, along with hundreds of other women, recently took advantage of ELF's 50% off sale. (Click the link to go to their website). When their prices are already a really cheap £1.50-£6.00 who would say no to an extra 50% off?!
I have made previous purchases from this website after being introduced to it by my sister's birthday list earlier this year when it contained about 20 items from their site.
However, this time I bought:

• High definition powder
• Complexion Perfection
• Tinted moisturiser spf20 - Nude
• Mineral blemish kit
• Waterproof eyeliner pen - black
•  Cream eyeliner - black
• Flawless finish foundation - sand

I have previously bought such items as their blush (in 2 colours), duo eyeshadow, a total face brush, shimmering facial whip and others.
Of the new items that I've just bought I love the mineral blemish kit & find it does actually help to reduce redness.
The high definition powder, to me so far, appears to just be like any other powder and only really minimises shine - but I had been looking for a powder for this very reason so I'm still pleased with it. I need to take a picture when wearing the powder to see how it looks then.
The complexion perfection on first try just seemed to make me look paler rather than reducing redness or anything like that. However I think with some better blending it could work and be a really good product.
The cream eyeliner comes with a slanted brush which I have found difficult to use so far as I'm used to a liquid eyeliner, however the eyeliner itself does not smudge easily and has a good colour to it, so with some practice, I think this could be a really useful eyeliner to wear on nights out.
The tinted moisturiser was more tinted than I was expecting (especially as the shade was nude), it also appears quite thick so a very little amount is needed. I did not have a brush handy at the time and found blending it on my face with my fingers was not hugely easy - but it does recommend a brush or sponge, which I think would make it better.
The eyeliner pen gives a good colour and a nice thickness, the end of the nib is slightly too flexible so I may try to make the end more rigid somehow, but otherwise it's a good product.
Finally, the foundation was similar to the moisturiser in that it's quite thick so only needs a small amount & would blend better with a brush/sponge.

ELF appear to produce some really good, useful, cheap make up that I would certainly be happy buying again (I particularly love their blushes and still have a wishlist of about 30 items - their conditioning lip balm is certainly on my next order). I think i'm just not skilled enough in applying make up to get the best out of their products lol. But on their website & most of the packaging they do provide details of how to apply.

Weekend Wishlist

I'm always wanting so much stuff that I just can't afford (especially being a student) and having spent my entire summer working in order to go on holiday to China with my boyfriend and then having a car that just doesn't seem to want to work i'm probably even more short of money then I would normally be. So here's my current wishlist:

1. Wedges - for example these gorgeous looking ones

I love these 'Lara's' from Garage Shoes and at £29.99 they're not too bad price wise! 
(Image taken from www.garageshoes.co.uk)

2.  A denim jacket (cropped) 

I'm wanting a nice jacket for the autumn and a denim one is always a safe bet, I'm loving the cropped styles at the moment and think this one from New Look could be a good investment at £29.99
(Image taken from www.newlook.com)

 3. A new foundation - this is always a hard one for me because I never know what one to go for or what shade i'm meant to get.

Clarins foundation has been recommended to me by a friend and since then i've been wanting to buy one and get it properly matched to my skin tone. But at £24.00 for 30ML it's maybe a little outside my budget just now.
(image taken from www.boots.com)

4. A pair of really good tweezers - to avoid any unnecessary painful pulling of hairs

 Tweezerman's are meant to be the best tweezers around and this cute pink pair would be just perfect, but at £18.38 I can't bring myself to justify buying them quite yet!

(image from www.boots.com) 

5.A satchel or just an alternative handbag to the one I usually use. Don't get me wrong I love my usual handbag (a gorgeous purple Paul's Boutique one) but it's nice to have an alternative to keep the PB a bit special!

This denim star satchel from New Look (£19.99) is really cute and casual I think. 

(image from www.newlook.com)

 

6. When I was younger I had a celtic style ring that I used to wear on my right index finger & I kinda miss it so I think I'd quite like to get a new index finger ring

Something similar to this £19.99 one from Argos would be nice.

(image taken from www.argos.com)

 

7. Taking the idea from my sister I think getting a small storage unit for all my make up is actually a pretty good idea. I like this one (£7.00 from Wilkos!)

(image taken from www.wilkinsonplus.com)

Now my real wishlist is probably actually about 100 items long but this will do for now. Just a few of the items i'm craving. 

This is my first blog so please bear with me!

(no copy write intended!)