The Birthday Makeup Menu

It'll be my birthday when this post goes up so I thought I'd share with the what makeup I'll be wearing, though I have no idea what I'm doing because it's a surprise! So I've just chosen some favourites that I know I can trust for whatever's in store...


Base

I'm going to be starting with my tried and trusted Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot Primer* | £10 | which I like to mix with the Marc Jacobs Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter* | £32. Despite the name, this primer isn't mattifying as such, but it gives my skin a soft, satin finish and ensures my makeup applies evenly and stays in place for as long as possible. The dew drops add a golden pearly sheen to the skin, which I love.

After priming I like to apply some of the Bobbi Brown Corrector (Peach) | £19.50 | under the eyes to mask my dark circles before putting on my foundation. Of course it has to be Nars Sheer Glow (Stromboli) | £32 | review | because it gives the perfect medium coverage with a satin finish. It's not heavy but gives me a great day-to-evening level of coverage and is neither dewy nor matte. It also lasts really well on my skin. After that I'll use my Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer (Ginger) | £23 | which has become a bit of a new classic for me. Despite the name, I find it has a finish thats more of a natural-satin and it works both under the eyes and on blemishes. It gives great coverage but looks so natural with minimal blending. It lasts me the day without fading or creasing as well. I set everything in place on a day-to-day basis with my MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural (Medium Dark) | £24.50 | which is a virtually-traceless coverage powder. It keeps things in place and holds off the shine without being flat or dry-looking.

Cheeks

My makeup routine is never complete without bronzer these days, so I'll be reaching for my Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 30M Sienna | £28.50. It's so hard to explain how this looks on the skin because it's honestly so natural, almost as though it isn't even a powder! I also love the tone - it's warm but not orange so can still add some definition. 

I'm down in London for my birthday and I always pack my Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Face Collection (discontinued) | £48 | review | when I go away. For highlighting it has to be the stunning, intense, dewy highlight of Champagne Pop, which is golden-peach champagne in tone (get that individually here). I'm then planning on Rose Spritz for blusher, which is a peachy-pink tone with a gorgeous gold sheen running through it (Nars Orgasm is pretty similar). I find this applies smoothly and lasts throughout the day on my combination skin. 

Eyes

I like to prime my eyes using the Urban Decay Primer Potion (Original) | £17 | to make sure my eyeshadow lasts all day. I always notice the difference when I accidentally skip this, as it really prolongs how many hours you can wear your shadow before it starts to fade and also prevents any creasing. I then go in with a new-ish addition to me: MAC Paint Peintures in Bamboom | £16. This is a slightly pinky-taupe brown colour with a virtually-indetectable sheen. It's a really great base for eyeshadow and ensures the colours really stand out on the lids.

To highlight your eyes, it's a good idea to use your face highlighter, as it really makes the entire look more pulled-together. So, I plan on taking Champagne Pop on a small, pointed brush and sweeping it under the brow bone and applying it to the inner corner. I'll then be using Makeup Geek's Eyeshadow Pan in Peach Smoothie | £4.95 | as a transition shade. It's a light, warm peachy matte that does kick up some fallout but applies smoothly and gives the eyeshadow such a dimensional look. I have the Makeup Geek Foiled Eyeshadow Pan in Grandstand | £7.95 | for all across the lid. It has such a metallic, multidimensional dewy finish and is a beautiful warm coppery rose gold. Anastasia Beverly Hills's Eyeshadow Single in Red Earth | £10 | is the perfect crease colour with this look. It's a warm, earthy pinky-brown matte colour that's so smooth and pigmented. I then like to go in with Anastasia Beverly Hills's Eyeshadow Single in Truffle | £10 | which is a deep but warm plum tone with a subtle shimmer. It's perfect for the outer corner of the eye and to take along the lower lash line for some smoky definition.


Of course winged liner is always going to feature in a makeup look for me! And you really can't go wrong with the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner in Intense Black | £14.50. It doesn't bleed, smudge or transfer and the tip is so precise. The formula itself has an incredibly pigmented black tone. It's always worth tight-lining to give your lashes a full look and ensure your liner has no gaps. The Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Stingray* | £14.50 | is so smooth, pigmented and long-wearing. 

To finish of the eyes I apply some mascara and fill in my brows. No surprises, but I'll be reaching for my Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara | £8.99. It just grips onto every single lash, giving them so much length and curl as well as volume without clumping things together. It doesn't flake on me and doesn't smudge at all. For a soft, natural everyday brow look, I like to use the NYX Micro Brow Pencil (Espresso) | £8. It's long-wearing and, although pigmented, it's pretty much impossible to go overboard with this. The shade itself is very natural and the fine tip means you can draw in every single hair individually.

Lips

For my birthday, it has to be something special so I'm going to go for the Tom Ford Lips and Boys Lipstick in Cary* | £28. This is a gorgeous mid-toned pinky-berry colour that just always works! It's nothing too deep or dramatic but is still pigmented. It has a creamy, opaque and long-lasting formula that really is amazing, though the price tag of these still makes me wince slightly...

What are your top makeup picks for a special day?

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Disclosure - products marked * were sent to me for consideration however all opinions remain my own. 

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