My beauty routine lately and way too much of my face all over everything.

Look I’m not a beauty blogger / person. I generally suck at being a girl. I can’t remember when last I tweezed my eyebrows, I have the remains of 2 week old nail polish on my toenails and the only time I really paint my nails is on my mother’s couch because she has nice stuff and is usually entertaining the boys while I do it. 

I’ve found products and a routine that really works for me and I want to tell you about it. I am in no way affiliated with any of these brands or products – this comes from about ten years of testing and trial and error. I learnt how to apply make up the same way all girls do, by watching my mom in the mornings and playing with her stuff when she wasn't looking. My mom is a big Estee Lauder fan, I can't smell any of their products (or White Diamonds perfume) without thinking of her. It was my dad that was my critic. I would plaster my face with Barbie-pink everything and go running to him for approval. He always said "If I can see that you have make-up on, then you've done it completely wrong." Isn't that so true? I think the trick is to accentuate our best features, not give you a brand new face that you don't really have, right?

I’m 28 years old and I don’t have any wrinkles (that I can see) yet. I thank good genes (thanks mom), but mostly I credit Clinique City Block for this. It’s a 40SPF block that blocks out the sun, UV, pollution and even cigarette smoke. The thing is, Clinique City Block has a tint to it (a little bit of base) so it’s all you need as a face cream forward-slash foundation forward-slash primer. I have scars on my cheeks and get darkness under my eyes sometimes (have you met my children at three am?) so I use the Body Shop concealer stick (R110). I've always had problem skin and have tried every cover stick on the market. Not even Clinique's is as good as this one, not Yardley, Mac... You need this one. I use that to touch up any blemishes after the City Block. I let that settle while I dry and straighten my hair. Cover stick needs to dry a bit before you blend it in with your fingers. To seal it all together, I use the Body Shop all-in-one powder (R170). I brush that on with a professional application / face & body brush (R140). This makes my skin super matte and evenly toned. I don't know what is in that powder, but it makes your skin look so soft, fresh and natural looking. 

Then I put on an ivory colored eyeshadow (I use Yardley here) to open up my eyes. I use a dark brown eye pencil to elongate my eyes – just from the corners of my eyes to give that wispy effect. This gives the illusion of long lashes, and looks super feminine. I never use black liner because I think it looks too harsh on my face. 

Then I brush on some mascara – not really fussy about the brand here, I'll use anything. Then I put on my best fake smile and brush on rosy pink blusher along my smiley bits / the plump of my cheeks. Just a teensytinylittlebit.

I’ve gone through dozens of different lipgloss / lip balms. If you want something that works medically for winter then use Zambuck or DCT. If you want that glossy, but still kissable / approachable look then use the body shop’s strawberry lip balm. Even 8-hour cream feels too sticky for me. Stuff like labello cherry leaves a weird residue or line along my lower lip. The Body Shop one renders your lips rosy with a natural tone. It's a 'soft glossy' which means your lips don't stick together and your hair doesn't stick to your face in a breeze - you know? 

I’m a lazy girl, and before bed I grab a tea-tree wipe from my dresser and wipe my face off. I don’t use any night creams because I want my skin to breathe with full lungs while I sleep. I’m prone to problem skin and tea tree has loads of healing properties. I also have sensitive skin (so many problemmmms), and this wipe hasn’t caused any rashes or break-outs. I love it, and it’s convenient. I used to fall asleep with make-up on all the time, usually on about page six of The Gruffalo. Wetting my face at night is a mission because I have a fringe and can never find a headband or elastic anywhere.  Also, slightly rewarding to look at the dirt-covered wipe afterwards. Is that weird?

I'm not a fan of using too many treatments, masks and creams that contain too many ingredients and chemicals. I asked my dermatologist what works best to prevent ageing and he said the only thing that really works best with the longest lasting effect is sunblock. Protect your skin from the sun, pollution, smoke and you're just about there. However, if anyone knows of a really good night cream that doesn't clog your skin, then give me a shout. Aaaand this concludes my very embarrassing 'beauty' post. Eeeek!