I’m sorry I haven’t properly blogged last week. If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you’d know I went to Melbourne for a short trip. I wanted to post regularly but one of my scheduled posts didn’t publish and I didn’t have enough time to finish writing the other two.

I’m back now though and I’m finally posting about this makeup look I did for Beauty Review. I was approached by Beauty Review to create a makeup look to be featured in their Makeup Look of the Week article. I didn’t expect it at all and I was quite surprised since I don’t think I’m quite good at makeup. I have so much to learn but I created a makeup look that I’m comfortable with and my go-to for special occasions.

Please see below for my full look, the products I used and why this means so much more to me than creating a makeup look.

This was the finished makeup look that I did. It is quite a natural look with simple eyes but with a bright red lip.

I have done this makeup look a few times for parties. It has become my go-to look if I need to look nice. I’m not good at applying eyeshadows so I always opt for simple eye makeup.

I’d also rather go for a bright red lip colour than experiment with bright or dramatic eyeshadows. I never used to wear eyeshadows at all eyeshadow at all either. I thought my folded eyelid didn’t help showing any eyeshadow I have on and would usually skip it. I do like having a cat-eye flick on the lids though and it has taken me a while to perfect it.

Here are all the products I’ve used to create this look. Some of these are my favourite makeup products and have been featured in my monthly favourites.

In the order I’ve used them, here they are:

• Benefit Porefessional – I got sucked into buying this one day which is unlike me since it’s expensive but I’m glad to have it in my collection. I like how it smoothens my skin and it is a good primer.
• Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Rattan – I got matched in store but got someone to buy this foundation over in America. This is my favourite foundation and the only high-end one I have. I have oily skin and this is great for it. It truly lasts all day on me and I would definitely repurchase this.
• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer – This is the best under eye concealer I’ve tried so far and this was also another from the US because this isn’t available in NZ.

• Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder – My current favourite powder to set my foundation. This doesn’t look cakey and it smells quite nice too.
• Topshop Bronzer in Mohawk – This is another favourite. I love how this is matte and it’s great to add a colour to my face or when I attempt to contour.
• MAC Blush in Desert Rose – This is quite a natural looking blush. It didn’t appear so well in the photos but it was okay since I didn’t want an overly pink blush because my lips were going to be bright and it should be the main focus rather than colourful eyes or cheeks.

• Topshop Glow highlighter in Gleam – I love this little pot of gold! It is such a good highlight for me and I even like putting this all over the lids.
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Chocolate – This is my favourite brow product and another one from the US because it was much cheaper there. You do need a light hand when applying this because it is easy to over-do your brows. I think I overdid one of mine in this makeup look. A little goes a long way with this product.
• Rimmel London Glam Eyes HD eyeshadow palette – I got this from Beauty Review’s Beauty Box and I was pleasantly surprised with the eyeshadows. They are pigmented and the colours in the palette are great for beginners like me.
• Za Liquid Eyeliner – I cannot rave about this eyeliner enough. I absolutely love this and it is by far the best liquid eyeliner I’ve tried because it makes winged liner so much easier to do!

• Shu Uemura eyelash curler – I cannot live without this. I have straight eyelashes so I always curl my lashes before putting mascara. This is the best curler I’ve ever used. It isn’t cheap but it’s so worth it.
• Benefit They’re Real mascara – The first Benefit mascara I’ve tried. It is really good. I also really like the Rollerlash mascara.

• Topshop Lip Liner in Wheels on Fire – I love Topshop Beauty products if you can’t tell. I’ve used three in this makeup look.
• YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in shade 17 – This is the most luxurious lipstick I own and it was also brought from the US. It’s a great red lipstick. The formula is creamy so it doesn’t last as long. However, a lip liner definitely helps. The packaging is beautiful which made me choose this over a Chanel lipstick. It feels and looks expensive and I feel great whenever I put it on.

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Now this is the part where I get a bit more personal. Creating this makeup look means so much more to me than you probably think. People post their makeup looks all the time in beauty blogs or Youtube videos. I have never done anything like this before and it wasn’t a part of my plan to post makeup looks on my blog either. However, when I was asked by Beauty Review, I instantly jumped at the opportunity. I couldn’t pass it up and It was a challenge to myself because I know it will take some time and effort to create the makeup look and film it to the standards of BR. It also proved how far I’ve come in terms of accepting and loving myself.

When this makeup look was posted in Beauty Review, I was overwhelmed with the lovely comments. I didn’t expect them and I’m really humbled by the response.  There was one comment regarding how my skin looked flawless and that’s what hit me the most. Most people wouldn’t know this but I grew up with horrible acne and had the lowest self-esteem ever. Puberty was not nice to me and that was my lowest point.

I had horrible acne mostly on my forehead and temples and I was so self-conscious about my skin. I went to dermatologists, took pills, facial treatments, peels, and multiple creams etc but none properly worked. I had zero confidence and I never imagined I would be happy with how I look. I hated myself, I hated my skin, my body and everything physical about me.

I didn’t think a day would come when I liked what I saw in the mirror but over time, I have and I think it’s a beautiful thing. I still don’t have flawless skin and l have horrible acne scars but overall, I have learnt to love and accept myself. It took plenty of years (and lots of skincare experimentations) for me to get to this point. I don’t just use makeup to hide all my imperfections any more, use photoshop to airbrush my skin, edit my eye bags or even use filters on Instagram (lighting is the key for great selfies btw). I have finally come to the point in my life where I am happy and confident. My 12 year old self wouldn’t have believed it.

Now, I get to enjoy makeup. I don’t just use it to conceal what I hated about myself but I have learnt to use makeup to enhance the things I like instead. I wear bright lip shades because I like my lips, I have accepted and tamed my bushy eyebrows to near perfection and I like to intensify my lashes. I don’t find applying makeup as a chore but it’s something I enjoy doing.

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I apologise for this long blog post and going off tangent but I hope you don’t mind me sharing this. I couldn’t post this makeup look without sharing some background as to why I was eager to take part. I thank Beauty Review for giving me a chance and this won’t be the last time I’ll be sharing a makeup look either.

I hope you enjoy this post and let me know what you think about my makeup look. I hope you’ve had a great weekend!

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