F.O.T.D. Friday: 3 and a half minute make up

This post is a little different than my usual make up looks, I haven't been wearing a lot of make up lately so I thought I would show you what I do when I'm  rushing to get ready and want to look a little bit more put together.

Before and After

I timed myself when I was doing this and it only took me three and a half minutes. I started by buffing in some Maybelline Dream Matte powder to blur my blemishes, reduce my redness and make sure I'm not looking shiny.

I added a little blush to my cheeks, you could skip this step if you want to or swap it out for bronzer if you prefer.

Next I ran LA Colors clear mascara through my eyebrows to set them in place, sometimes I fill them in but if I'm in a rush I skip it.

I am wearing Maybelline Great Lash Mascara on my lashes which is a great mascara for everyday because it doesn't add too much volume.

I finished with a little gloss on my lips.

This is just my base look. You can add to it if you have extra time. Sometimes I will start with a BB Cream instead of moisturiser, or add some concealer before the powder.

The best way to do a quick make up look is to decide what is most important to you. If you love flawless skin, start by perfecting your skin with concealer and powder then just add mascara, but if you want your eyes to pop, start with your eyes then finish with a dusting of powder and run out the door.

A great way to make your make up look like you put in some effort is to wear a bright or dark lipstick.

F.O.T.D. Friday: Awake makeup

Somedays I wake up and I am shocked by what I see in the mirror. On this particular day I was feeling a little under the weather and very tired.

I wanted to make myself feel better and look more awake so out came the makeup.

Before and After

On my scary face days, when I want to look my best I always reach for my Revlon Colorstay Foundation. In this picture I am wearing Revlon Colorstay Foundation in Buff with Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in light on top. I am also wearing Rimmel Match Perfection 2 in 1 Concealer and highlighter in Ivory.

On my cheeks I have contoured a little bit with L.A. Colors Pressed Powder in Cocoa. I have a little bit of both colours from my Wendy Hill Cheek Duo in Riviera as my blush. I have also highlighted with shimmery champagne coloured eyeshadow that I also used on my eyes.

On my eyes I have a winged cut crease kind of look. For a closer look at my eyeshadow have a look here in my Revlon Mascara review. I used a champagne shadow all over my lid then used my Rimmel Mono Eyeshadow in Dusk in the crease in a winged shape. Whenever I am feeling tired I always do a winged look on my eyes to make sure they look open and not down turned at the outside. I also have a little liquid liner on my top lash line.

On my lips I am wearing L.A, Colours Lip liner in Pinky and Designer Brands Lip Gloss in Strawberry Sorbet.

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder claims to give air soft matte perfection and to not clog pores. Maybelline says it will magically match the skins texture and never settle in to lines. You get 9g of product for around $20.

I have the powder in light. This powder has a slight shimmer when you look at it in the pan but this is not noticeable on the face. I think this is why it gives a more natural glowy finish to the skin. The Dream Matte powder does not give me the same matte finish that my Rimmel Stay Matte does, but it gets rid of my oily shine and leaves the skin with a glowing finish. It definitely does not last as long on the face as the Rimmel powder and I have to retouch every few hours depending how hot it is and what I am doing.

I don't really have lines on my face so I can't say wether or not it settles into lines, I can say however that on close up it does settle into my pores making them look larger.

The packaging is much better than the Rimmel powder. It is still plastic but has a hinged lid that locks into place it also has a swivel out mirror and powder puff underneath which makes it ideal for carrying in your bag for touch ups.

The powder gives a fair amount of coverage. During the day I will wear it with some concealer under the eyes and it blurs imperfections enough for a daytime look. It lasts slightly better over my Revlon colorstay foundation than over bare skin.
I have not had any issues with breaking out whilst using this product.

Overall this powder gives a more natural finish than the Rimmel Stay Matte but does not last as long on the face. The packaging is excellent which makes up for it being slightly more expensive. If you are looking for a powder that leaves the skin completely matte I don't think this is the powder for you but if you want a more natural finish light coverage powder foundation then this is great. I don't think I could choose between the Rimmel and the Maybelline because they both do different things for my skin. If I was forced to choose perhaps the Rimmel with a highlighter. But then I really do like how natural this powder looks I just wish it lasted a little longer on my face. All in all I recommend trying this product because its only $20 and is a great setting powder.