Makeup and products I use to try to disguise my dark circles!

Let's talk about make-up!  For as long as I can remember I have loved the stuff. Back in the 90's (when I thought I was really cool but I really wasn't), I rocked the good old frosted lipstick & probably looked as orange as an actual orange with all the Rimmel bronzer I used to slap on. We all thought we looked so good too...

Fast forward a few decades (eeeek) & I still love it as much, although I now have some idea how to apply it. And there's not a frosted lipstick in sight.

Another reason I love make up so much is because as a poorly person, it has become my best friend in helping me disguise my 'very scary, chronically ill' face.  Although I have an "invisible illness" I don't think it is actually always that invisible. I blogged previously about that here.

Image from Pinterest

When I get up in a morning & look in the mirror I always think "URGH". I look pretty poorly. It's obvious I'm not well. Pale face, despite the rest of me having an olive tone and horrible dark circles under my eyes. That's my biggest problem area which is why I have come to rely on concealer. I look really grey sometimes too which is a big giveaway that there's something wrong!

I don't wear make-up every day. When I first became poorly (many years ago now) & had to stop work, I was pretty much bedbound for a year & practically lived in my pyjamas.  So now, I try to get dressed each day at some point as it takes me right back to those dark dark days if I don't. It definitely helps mentally. I also feel better with a bit of make-up on, but it wears me out so much doing it that unless I'm going out I tend to not put much on whilst just in the house. Just enough to make me feel less gross! I love putting it on though, so if I am going somewhere & feel able I will just take my time with it.

I start by applying some Garnier BB Cream which I find really nice on the skin. It doesn't give mega heavy coverage but it works well & does a fairly good job at evening out my skin. I used to always buy the normal version & found my skin was always so greasy, so now I get the one for combination to oily skin in medium.

I apply it with a Real Techniques buffing brush, which has become my number 1 favourite thing! I don't know how I coped before I had one as they make your make-up so much easier to apply & give such a lovely finish. The Real Techniques Core Collection  is a really good set which has 4 starter brushes in (including the buffing brush) & I would definitely recommend it if you fancy trying some brushes.

I then add my concealer & my favourite at the moment is the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer. I watch make-up tutorials on YouTube & everyone always raves about it. It only costs about £4 too. I have shades 2 & 3 but I find 2 the best for my skin tone, although the palest one is probably one I need too.

Top left before concealer. Top right during (I apply wherever needs it).

Bottom left on 1 eye. Bottom right on both eyes .

I then set it with some mattifying powder & put some bronzer on. I use the Body Shop honey bronze bronzing powder at the moment as it isn't too orange & you can build it up. I used to put bronzer all over my face but now I know you don't need to!! Just apply on places that naturally catch the sun.

Something I think makes a huge difference to how you look is blusher. Blusher reminds me of my grandma as I always raided her make up stash when I was little & she had the Max Factor powders & blushers. Or rouge as she called it :) I have a few different ones but at the moment I'm using a baked one by Makeup Revolution. It's really pigmented & I think a shade that would suit all skin tones... here.

One major thing that I think opens your eyes a lot is black eyeliner & mascara. If I can't be bothered with proper make up I always put a bit of liner under my bottom lash line. It makes them look so much bigger! I also have a Rimmel ScandalEyes waterproof Kohl Liner in Nude which I sometimes put on the inside corner of my eyes & my waterline. Once it's on it well & truly stays on!

Finally, lipstick. It changes your whole face. I never used to think it suited me so wore gloss for years, but I have a rather large lipstick collection now! You can't go wrong with a classic red lip & I have so many that I can't pick a favourite. This one is by Collection & it is really pigmented.

I have lots of other make up & I use various different things depending on how I feel, but this tends to be the typical look I do. I seem to do more of a natural eye more often than colour as it is easier, but I am not afraid of being daring. I also stick to a natural lip if I wear colour on my eyes. I did some smoky eyes recently which I don't often do but I really liked how they looked. I put Rimmel Exaggerate lipliner in Eastend-Snob on my lips which is a beauty blogger iconic product & goes with everything!

Before I go (I know it has been long, sorry!) I'm just wondering if you saw these pictures of me without me saying I was poorly would you know? Do I look ill? Would you know I spent the majority of the time with crippling exhaustion and pain? The answer is likely no!

People are so quick to judge regarding how you look. I get it all the time when I am out. The stares because I am in a wheelchair. The tuts when I park in a disabled space. It gets right on my nerves so please please don't judge or pass comment without thinking first. That is all I will say now as I've ranted lots about it before!!

Thank you make-up for helping me look slightly less zombie like :-) If you fancy a giggle have a look at when my little girl did my make up here!!

Ali 
xx

Make up & some of my favourite products

Men have it easy.  They look the same all the time & don't need a mass of beauty products to help make themselves look or feel (more!) beautiful!! However women (well the average one anyway, not the Hollywood film stars who I bet are glamorous the minute they wake up) for some reason wake up looking not so fresh faced & when you add M.E to the mix, well all I can say is I am so glad there is such a thing as make up!

I have always loved it & these days I don't have the energy or inclination to put it on all the time but it definitely makes me feel better in myself when I do. I am not afraid to experiment with colour either so have rather a lot of stuff! There is no such thing as too much make up is there ladies?

Spoonies (people with chronic illness, see previous post here) don't always have the budget to buy high end products but there are plenty of lower cost brands out there who do brilliant products. I have a few go-to products which are mostly low budget buys so will go through what I use for my typical make up routine.

I was using mineral stuff by a brand called Mii for ages & still have some of their stuff but more recently (over the last year or so) I have been using a foundation by elf cosmetics. It is called the HD Mattifying Cream Foundation here & you get a sponge applicator with it but I found that was giving too thick a coverage so I use a stipple brush. It is only £7.95 but elf often have offers on which is when I usually buy stuff so I rarely pay full price!

I have stipple brushes from both elf & makeup revolution who are another great budget brand & whose products are amazing. I like the way the foundation goes on with the stipple brushes & you can blend as much as you need without it looking too caked.

I usually put concealer under my eyes once I have applied the foundation & set it all with powder. I then use bronzer to give me a bit of colour as my face is pretty pale & blush always makes me look better too! I really like the elf cosmetics baked bronzer & baked blush. They last so long & I have had mine ages but they have hardly gone down at all. Both cost £3.95.

For everyday make up I usually use natural colours on my eyes but depending on my mood I will add some more vivid colours if I feel like it. The eyeshadow pallettes I am really liking at the moment are these Iconic ones from Makeup Revolution.

They are dupes for the Urban Decay naked ones but are a fraction of the price at £4. The pigmentation is really good on them but I didn't like the brush they came with so I use a separate eyeshadow brush or my fingers if I want to do it really quickly!

I also have an elf pallette which is also good & has some lovely colours in.

I do have a lot of other eye shadows too & if anyone likes mineral ones, the elf ones are very similar to the Bare Minerals ones but are only £3. I have some of each & really can't tell the difference, link here.

A recent discovery which I have to mention for anyone who likes big lashes is the Younique Fibre 3D lash mascara. I had heard of it & kept seeing people raving about it online but thought it was probably just another fad. However when I got some for Christmas it changed my life. Not really but it has certainly changed my opinion about other mascaras which I thought were good but aren't a patch on this one! It comes in a rather glam looking box which looks pretty enough on its own..

Inside you get 2 different tubes. One is the transplanting gel that you apply like normal mascara then while that is still wet you apply the natural fibres. You then seal with the transplanting gel again. And repeat as many times as you like depending on how big you want your lashes. I usually apply 2 coats but 3 gives extra oomph!

They feel totally natural too & nothing like false ones which really surprised me. I was using Benefit They're Real before, which I thought was brilliant, but the Younique one makes my lashes so much longer. I had it on the other week & my friend popped round for a cuppa. The first thing she asked me was if I had false lashes on! It costs £23 so it isn't the cheapest but it's around the same price as higher end mascaras & I think it is well worth it. I will 100% be buying another when this one looks like it's running out. My sister is selling it now too which means it's super easy for me to order it.

It doesn't take long to apply either which was something I was worried about initially & thought might put me off. The first few times I took a while getting used to doing it but now I do it really quickly. Like a pro!

The final thing I use & am not afraid to go bold with is lipstick! I have loads & when I had a sort out of my make up recently, it dawned on me just how bad my lipstick problem is. I never used to think it suited me so didn't wear it, but a few years ago I rediscovered my love for it. And appear to have gone a bit mad in the process.

Some of the cheaper brands I actually find are the best. One of my favourites is by Bourjois & is a deep berry colour. It is one that I won a while back & mentioned here in my Autumn Tag post. But I really can't talk about lipstick without bigging up the Makeup Revolution ones as they only cost £1 & are amazing. Yes I did say £1!! They have a wide range of colours including some really unusual ones. I have a couple of their bold reds & pinks as well as some nude coloured ones. Link here.

This one is called Crime & I usually just apply one coat, blot with a tissue then do the same again.  I have a lip brush which I use sometimes but I don't find it makes much difference. They are super pigmented & I find they last really well.

I don't apply a full face of make up every day as due to my energy being limited with the M.E it is a bit pointless as it wipes me out. Some days I just put a bit of bronzer on to disguise the ghost like appearance I have acquired over the years of being poorly! BB creams are good too as they are several products in 1 (moisturiser, concealer, foundation etc) & feel quite light on the skin but give quite a nice coverage. I use the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector one. I usually wear eyeliner under my eyes as I find it makes me look a bit more awake! I often scare myself if I pass a mirror when I am going au naturel so prefer a little bit of something rather than nothing at all.

I could talk & talk about make up all day but will stop now!! If anyone has any favourite products I'd love to hear about them in the comments.  Thanks for reading :)

Ali
ME Mummy A
xx

The Autumn Tag

When my beautiful friend Meg at Meg Says tagged me in her Autumn Tag post I thought "Oooh I like the sound of this" so here I am.

I have to say I love Summer. It makes me feel so much better when I see the sun shining & I love being able to chill with it on my face so I usually dread the change of seasons.  However I do rather like Autumn & so here are the questions with my answers :-)

1. Favourite Starbucks drink

Shoot me down if you wish (!) but I am not a regular visitor to Starbucks! I can't drink coffee unless it's decaffeinated due to tummy problems & IBS, but on the odd occasion I do go in a Starbucks I tend to have a.. shock horror.. herbal tea!! I am seeing lots of pictures online at the moment though of people's festive Starbucks cups so may have to go in just to get one!

2. Favourite music to listen to

I love music & I like a huge mix. I don't have a particular favourite style, it all depends what mood I am in as to what I listen to.  I have just been listening (& singing along) to Bruno Mars. But also on my playlist at the moment is Calvin Harris, Michael Buble, Christina Aguilera, John Legend, Alicia Keyes, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran & Kings of Leon to name a few. A proper mixed bag!

3. Autumn scent

I have just noticed while writing this that I am running short on perfumes!  My all time favourite is Dolce Vita by Christian Dior which is quite a musky scent, but I haven't had any for ages. Hint hint ;-) I like quite sweet smelling ones & wear them all year round despite them probably being more suited to Summer. I love Vera Wang Princess which I ration use of as I don't want it to run out! Next do some nice everyday perfumes & I have a few at the moment.  I don't have a particular scent for different seasons, as long as I like it I wear it.

4. Favourite Autumn lip product

I never used to wear lipstick as I didn't think it suited me & I used to stick to gloss. But a few years back I turned into a lippy lover! I have loads & in Autumn I like wearing red or plum shades.  I recently won a Twitter competition with Bourjois & one of the prizes was a lipstick which has become my new favorite.  It is from the Rouge Edition range & the shade is number 18 Violine Strass.

5. What do you love most about Autumn?

I really like wearing chunky jumpers & cosy onesies! I also love seeing all the different coloured leaves, they are so pretty & watching my daughter jump in them when they are on the ground is lovely.

6. Go to Autumn accessories

I have a bit of a thing for scarves. I have a special hanger in my wardrobe just for them as I have so many! Plus all the ones that aren't in my wardobe.. I think they are so versatile & not only good for keeping warm but they dress up outfits so easily. This is a just a selection of some of mine..

I think Autumn also screams ankle boots, funky tights, earmuffs & long coats. I have a new one which I haven't worn yet in blue check & it is very Autumnal.  I also have a new found love for hair accessories. Crown & Glory is amazing & make the most beautiful stuff. This flower crown epitomises Autumn for me. It is called the Whole Lotta Rosie & I teamed it with my new lipstick as mentioned above.

7. Favourite Halloween movie

Not seen it for a long time but has to be The Rocky Horror Show!

8. Favourite Autumn nail polish

I also have a bit of a thing for nail polish. I have a whole storage unit dedicated just to them! Summer is all about the brights & Autumn is for the darks. I love a classic red mani but I have a favourite at the moment which is another Bourjois product. It is black & has loads of glitter in it. I also have a (big) thing for glitter!  It is so sparkly & it stays on really well. Usually by day 2 I am messing with my nails & have to start again but this one has proven me wrong. It is called 1 Seconde Gel Silicone Texture & is in shade 31 Dangerous Wish.

9. What are you most looking forward to this Autumn?

Having chronic illness makes it difficult to go out & do all the things I wish I could do, like walks in the park kicking crunchy leaves. Going over them in a wheelchair doesn't quite have the same effect! But I am looking forward to snuggling under my amazing heated throw, drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows & doing Autumn crafty things with my little girl. I love burning scented candles when it's dark out, there's something really cosy about having a candle burning. And more than likely I will be eating nice chocolates that are meant for Christmas but that I couldn't resist buying!

Thank you for reading, hope you've enjoyed it. I am tagging my lovely friends Aly at Perfect is a Myth, Hayley at Life, Love And M.E & Emma at Emma's Looking Glass but feel free to write about your favourite Autumn things in the comments & let me know, I'd love to hear :-)

ME Mummy A

xx

Painting nails!

I talked about my hobby making jewellery in a previous post here but one of my other passions, and I suppose you could call it a hobby, is nail polish.  Or all things nail related in general!

I am quite literally obsessed.  I have hundreds of different ones, various effect top coats, nail art pens, glitters, crystals. You name it I probably have it.  My favourite brands are probably Models Own (who do the most amazing glitters as well as every colour possible!) & Ciate, who do amazing kits as well as polish.

Nails without polish for me is like being naked!! I actually bit my nails badly until I was about 25 so think I may be making up for it these days.

Having M.E & lack of energy/concentration can make it difficult to do them. However I find it really relaxing and, like when I make my bracelets, I really enjoy it.  If my hands feel shakey I don't always get the best finish!  But I use cotton buds dipped in remover to clean up the edges so they look as neat as possible.

I am really quick at doing them & people always ask how I do them so neatly. Answer is I'm not sure! I just start with one coat down the middle then at the sides. I do a thin layer first otherwise it gets too gloopy & doesn't dry properly which makes it smudge or come off straight away.

I let it dry & repeat the process.  Usually 2 coats is enough but some polishes need 3.  I always use topcoat unless I have used a glitter over the top as they sometimes act as one.  If you don't have cotton buds you can put a bit of cotton wool around an orange stick (for cuticles) then dip in remover. Or wait until the next day & when you shower/wash hands it should come off from around the edges!  Or you can just use another nail to wipe off the excess ;-)

Some people with M.E have a high intolerance to smell & a lot of polish/remover does smell rather potent.  I have heard the Aldi one smells really fruity so will be getting that to try next.  The nail remover pads are also good & the remover pots where you put your nails in are a good quick way of removing without much effort.  Glitter is a whole different story though as it is a nightmare to remove! Cotton wool pads soaked in remover applied to nail with foil over top does the job...bit of a pain but does work.

I keep most of my nail stuff in a set of mini draws which I have next to my bed.  I feel like a kid in a sweet shop every time I open it!!

My only problem is that I get bored of them very quickly & despite having made my nails look beautiful, usually after a day or so I start picking at them!  As soon as I get a chip in one that's it, I will pick it all off. I went shopping the other day with my carer.  My nails were gorgeous, painted in an amazing sparkly pink.  But I left the shop with nearly all the polish off.  There was no doubt a trail of picked off polish on the floor where I had dropped it from my wheelchair.  I love the thought of leaving a trail of glitter!!

My friend & I send each other pictures of our nails all the time when we've done them, then another picture the following day when they look a disgrace.  It has become a bit of a joke between us!

My daughter also loves me doing her nails, she can't wear it for school but at weekends & school holidays she always wants them doing!  I have been doing Frozen style nails for her & her friends seeing as they are all obsessed!  It is nice being able to chill with her doing nails, a nice low energy activity. And she loves having her nails matched to mine ♡

Is anyone else as obsessed with nails as me??
xx