Full Face coverage - Before and After

It's true, all foundations are not made equal, and it's even more true that you do get what you pay for. If I had to suggest one area to 'splurge' in your makeup bag over all the others- I would hands down say go in big on your foundation and loosen the purse strings a little. Eyeliners and blushes, lipsticks and mascara are very tricky to distinguish the £6 from the £16 or the £26! But the foundation is the foundation for your makeup, your face and your look. The foundation is out under the most pressure and has the toughest job to do, create a seamless, flawless natural looking canvas that can withstand it all. Cheap foundations, like the cheap foundation on a house, may look okay at first but the first sign of a grey cloud it crumbles and melts away.

I have dabbled back and fourth with all sorts of foundation and concealer combinations but often return to the Revlon Colorstay in the oily combination skin formula and the Mac Studio Sculpt concealer.
However, not wanting to miss out on anything better out there I am currently using:

Mac Studio Fix Fluid in NC15

Kryolan Dermacolor Wheel Rainbow Circle

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding, and this is the completely unedited, as-it-is, result that this little combination gives me!

The foundation I have gone back and fourth with, it's full coverage with a matte finish and I wear shade NC15 to even out my complexion, with the Kryolan colour wheel I use all of them, mostly a combination of the two palest colours for under my eyes and the rest I darken according to the contours of my face. The formula of the concealers are almost on the dry side as they are very thick, and feel like face paint. Although on the skin they do not look cakey like you might imagine face to paint to look, but it is the fullest coverage that I have ever gotten from a concealer and super resiliant to wear.

Sometimes straying from what you're used to is a good thing!

A different way to contour your face

My poor MAC matte bronze bronzing powder has been used for it's last now, it's now an empty metal pan in a compact but it has served me well and has lasted me since Christmas as my absolute favorite bronzing powder.
However, this time on I'm not wiser and more aware about what I'm looking fro in a bronzer and what is convenient for my lifestyle. With a pressed powder I would always be terrified of them smashing in moving, which may sound like a problem that a normal person would have to think about maybe once a year, but I pack up my makeup probably thirty times a year to stay at my sisters, friends, uni, back home again and on and on that goes and every time I sacrifice the safety of my bronzing powder for the need to have a contoured face, but luckily it survived every pack.
Nonetheless, on reflection for my new bronzer I wanted something travel friendly and compact that does the job and I happened to find just the thing!

 

The Nyx 'as if it's your natural skin' concealer stick in shade Dark!
It's in a convenient twist up pen that I can just swipe on where I like and blend with a clean finger. It's a beautiful warm colour on my skin that is just great as a subtle contour daily.

I may look a little freaky when first applied but I promise it blends out to look like beautiful bronzed perfection!

If you want a little help with where to bronze or if you really hate this idea and just want to contour the classic way then take a little looky at an oldie but a goodie video of mine!

New video: Looking better when you feel ill

I wish I had a better camera to truly pick up the difference between the before and after, but hopefully you can tell that I'm less blemish-y and the redness around my nose has been zapped away!

My video is as follows:
But if you're super short on time I'll give you a brief outline and additional tips below!

- I avoided moisturisers while feeling all yucky and flu-like because I already felt super sweaty and gross, and didn't want to slather anything over my skin.
-If I really have to face the world while feeling gross I apply concealer to the redness on my nose, my blemishes, eyelids and under eye circles.
-I prefer to dust a super lightweight foundation all over my skin over the top of the concealer to make my skin tone appear much more even
-I dust the smallest amount of blusher on my cheeks to stop me looking 'ghost like'
-I apply vaseline to my lips (pots are more hygenic than tubes)
Adterwards don't forget to cleanse all the brushes that you used, and I washed the lid to the foundation that I used aswell (as I swirled the brush in the lid)

Other top tips:
-Using a seperate toothbrush for 'being ill' and keeping it in your bedroom if you share a bathroom with other people so that toothbrushes don't have to 'mingle'
-Get lots of sleep, as much as you can!
-When you can, remove all your makeup and apply vaseline to your nostrils if they are sore and red from blowing your nose too much
-Drinking peppermint tea is a great way to open up your airways and it's warm and soothing!

Sending lots of 'get well' wishes your way!