Travel Make-Up: 5 Minute FOTD

If you missed my last post, or if you don't follow me on twitter (which you can do by clicking here if you want to), then you might not know that I'm currently in Amsterdam! Although, don't get too excited for me as I'll be flying back home to London tomorrow evening. Given that I'm only taking hand luggage with me on my trip there is very minimal space for beauty paraphernalia and I'm going to be wearing the same basic make-up for all of my trip. The look that I settled on was something that was really quick and simple (I can't be hogging the hostel bathroom - and there's every chance that I won't want to) but that would look like I'd made a bit more effort than I actually had. This is often the sort of make-up look that I feature on this blog so I'm sorry if you're getting bored of it! I'm now just going to give a little run down of what products I used and how I used them.

First up, I reached for my trusty Tea Tree Pore Minimiser from the Body Shop (I've almost used this tube up so it is a little bit of a struggle squeezing this primer out). Once I've let this dry I reached for a relatively new product of mine (but don't worry, I didn't break my spending ban. I've just had this for ages and haven't used it). For my base, I used the Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream for Oily Skin in Light. I chose to bring this for a number of reasons; it isn't in a glass bottle so it can't go breaking on me, it has SPF 15 in it (saves me bringing my SPF) and I find it relatively easy to apply with my fingers (so it saves me bringing my Real Techniques Buffing Brush). I then apply just a tiny dot of Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair in the corners of my eyes (to brighten them rather than to do much concealing) and on a rather unpleasant blemish I currently have on my chin.

I then move on to do my eyebrows. I've been wearing them a little bit more bold looking recently so I've swapped out powder and pencils for me Cosmetics a la Carte Brow Ink in Taupe. I love the colour because it's natural looking but still pretty bold and the nib of it is incredible fine so its really easy to achieve any eye look that you might be after. My brows don't need to be perfect looking as far as I'm concerned, I just like them to look a little bit more defined. I then use my (very dirty...) Dainty Doll Cream Blush in Money Talks to very lightly contour my face. I don't know how much this does because in photos it really is hardly noticeable but I do think that it adds a hint of definition which I think my face needs. Both of these products are great for travelling with because their packaging is very sturdy (plus the blush has a big mirror built in so it's multi-purpose).

Next up I add a think black line to add definition and thickness to my top eyelashes using the Bourjois Liner Feutre in Ultra Black. I'm on the fence about this eye liner. It isn't ultra black, it doesn't give a thin enough line for my liking and it doesn't wear amazingly. However, I can't find me Eyeko or Collection felt-tip eyeliners because I was writing a post about them and then clearly did not put them back where they belonged. In short, this Bourjois eyeliner just had to do but it is a very real possibility that I lose my cool with it on day two of my trip and buy a replacement... Anyway, I then add a coat of mascara just to my top lashes. My mascara of choice is Maybelline's the Falsies Volum' Express Mascara in Brown - especially good as it lasts really well but isn't waterproof so I don't need to bring a separate eye make-up remover. Now, at this point my make-up looks 'done' but it does look a little bit bland. It's the kind of make-up you'd wear to a school class or lecture, of that you can do quickly on the train on the way to work. It's quick and easy but it looks quick and easy. My best solution to transforming that sort of make-up look into something more arresting (without needing much time) is to add a red lip and there is no easier red lip, I've found, than Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic. It is a little on the orange end of the spectrum so it doesn't give pearly white teeth but it is long lasting and low maintenance. Plus it will help me look like I've spent more time on my appearance in all of my Amsterdam photos so it's in my good books.

So there you have it. Quick, easy and pretty fool proof! And all of it is aeroplane hand luggage friendly (or so I am led to believe). What make-up do you like to throw on in a hurry? And what tricks do you have for making yourself look more 'done up' than you really are?

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