DAILY GRUNGE - THE MAKEUP

Benefit PoreFessional // Rimmel Match Perfection // Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer // Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener // Sleek Face Form // Rimmel Stay Matte Powder // Avon Eye Primer // MAC Malt Eyeshadow // Kiko Shadow 137 // Maybelline Quad Coral Drama // Essence Waterproof Pen Liner // Maybelline the Falsies // Too Faced Perfect Nude Lip Liner // GOSH Soft n Shine Lip Balm Scarlet

Okay, this is a long awaited post, I know. I kind of forgot I posted a PART 1 to this 'daily grunge' title a while back and only noticed pictures when I was having a trawl because there was too little natural lighting to take any more pictures. But here it is anyway, and although perhaps not quite the look for the sunny days - maybe it'll come in handy when the colours change in the upcoming months. Quite frankly it was so long ago that I can't remember all the products to list them, but the picture I strategically took has helped me out a bit.

I really enjoyed this look because of how relaxed it was - I feel like with grungier looks you can make it slightly more rugged and casual, and I can't wait to try it out more.

DAILY GRUNGE - THE OUTFIT

Flannel - H&M  /  Vest - TkMaxx  /  Bag - H&M  /  Jeans - Primark  /  Shoes - New Balance 410

The majority of my wardrobe consists of monochrome so for me it's not difficult to create grungy, dingy looks, but today I think the combination was worthy of a post itself. A black and white flannel shirt seems to make any outfit that little bit more edgy and it just seemed to pair really well with the sort of acid wash grey loose vest. I actually found it in TkMaxx for £8 the other day and instantly imagined this outfit, and it's lovely quality too. 

I think some ripped jeans would have tied this outfit together that little bit more, however they were in the wash so standard, slightly looser jeans were on the cards. I've also got a corresponding makeup look too with quite a warm red smokey eye and some cool toned lips that'll be going up at some point soon, so look forward to that one. 

DAILY MAKEUP BRUSHES

It's all very well owning brushes upon brushes of all different shapes and sizes in your collection, but when it comes to the daily makeup routine hunting around for a suitable brush begins to waste time, which is why I've narrowed it down to 8 brushes I use on a daily basis that seem to get me through the mornings.

FACE: When it comes to the face, only 3 brushes are really well loved. The first is the Real Techniques Contour Brush, which comes in handy for multiple uses, and for me, contouring, highlighting, and powdering (as well as cream and powder blush when I wear them) are the steps where I tend to reach for this brush. The Real Techniques Buffing Brush comes in handy for applying foundation and concealer, when I really want to spend time buffing in to create that photoshop finish on my skin. The Nanshy Round Buffer Brush is used for the same purposes, but as it's more dense and less flexible I find it quicker to slap on products using this offering when I'm in a rush.

EYES: Here's where things get a little bit more complex, with each brush doing something different. The Tiger Spoolie is used daily to comb and shape my brows, with this Ebay Fraulein angles brush to fill them in with my Elf Pebble Eyeshadow. The next brush along is the Nanshy Tapered Crease, which comes in handy when I'm applying and smudging shadow along the lower lashline for a sultry look. Then comes the Nanshy Blending Eyeshadow, which I tend to use for applying colour to the lid, and also working a warm matte into the crease. Finally, the No7 Blend and Contour Brush is one I always just to finish off any blending and make my eye shadow look seamless.

Now all I need is a good gel liner brush, perhaps a powder brush, and something a little smaller for precise concealer application. What brushes do you use daily?

MINIMALIST BLUSH PART 2

You may remember a while back I did a post on 'Minimalist Blush', where I featured two of my natural blush picks that I can sweep on, on a daily basis. Today it's time for part two, focusing on the extremely natural, almost nude shades which are both relatively new to my routine (well, the L'Oreal offering actually belongs to my mum, but I'll be borrowing it rather frequently).

Both blushes are actually designed for pale skin which is a huge plus for me as it doesn't seem I will be tanning all that much this year. The same as last time, there is a cream, and a powder offering to suit either end of the spectrum blush-wise.

For a cream, it's Billion Dollar Babies by Dainty Doll, a heavily brown toned pink which I can almost get away with as a blush/contour in one by applying it a little lower than usual and blending a little, which makes it even more minimalist for the rushed mornings I generally face.

For powder, the offering is in the form of the L'Oreal Le Blush in 125 Rose Nude/Nude Pink and although the texture isn't the best I've tried of cream blushes it is a stunning natural nude pink colour that stays put for hours - I went out in the morning and when I came home early afternoon my foundation was starting to fade and go patchy around the nose etc., but this blush was still standing strong on my cheeks, making it an instant winner.

I think I will be making this 'Minimalist Blush' thing more regular if I manage to seek out some more offerings from the high street, as everyone loves budget - leave suggestions below if you have any...