My Inexpensive Makeup Routine

I love a good cat's eye. I literally wear it every single day. All day. I used to wear a lower kohl pencil and tightline my lashes, too (where you use a kohl pencil to line the waterline of your upper eyelid), but I'm starting to like the simplicity of a brighter lip and a simpler eye. I use a felt-tipped black liquid liner, because they're less wet and I find them to be much more precise than the little dip pots, although I am also a fan of gel liner, too, that you apply with an angle brush. It just depends on what I'm doing. I start at the centre of the eye and draw the flick out first, creating a triangle, then filling in the gap, then extend it out to the inner corner of my lash line. I like to think I'm pretty good at it by now!

 

 

Next, mascara. I learnt this trick when I (very briefly) appeared on morning TV here in the UK last year. 

 

You apply mascara from the top, rather than the bottom, and wiggle the brush from side to side, and this makes sure that each and every lash is really evenly coated with product. Once you've done that, you can angle your brush in the normal way to fan your lashes out. Clever, eh?

I'm pretty new to doing my brows, too. But now I absolutely can't leave the house without it — it is my must have. I just look weird without them. (Not that I don't already have eyebrows, but hopefully you know what I mean). I use a double-ended Revlon brow gel and pencil, in a dark brown, and it is the perfect match for me. Using the pencil (make it as sharp as you can so your lines are precise), draw lots of little, feathery lines, filling in your brows until you reach the desired shape. 

 

 

Remember, your brows are sisters, not twins! (I love that saying). 

 

Once you're happy with that, you can set everything in place with the gel, using the windscreen wiper method — load the brush with gel, then from the outside in, brush the brows with the grl so that they're all a bit hay wire until you reach your nose, then use the brush to comb them into place. Repeat on the other side.

Finally, I finish everything off with a smidgen of matte powder. This version by Maybelline is specifically designed to blot oil. I'm a big fan. Use it lightly to set everything else into place, but not your eyes — obviously.

 

Viola! And I'm done. It's a pretty plain face, not too much makeup. Just a little bit. Let me know how much your routine differs from mine!