£20 Makeup Challenge! | Drugstore/ High Street Makeup Look

A lot of my makeup products are drugstore. I've seen the $20 Makeup Challenge videos and blog posts circling around the internet for a while now and I thought i'd adapt it slightly as i'm from the UK and make it the £20 Makeup Challenge. I know i'm not the first to do this and i'm sure I won't be the last but I thought it was time to shop my stash to see what products can make up a full face for £20 or less- definitely a challenge but not impossible!

Foundation was the hardest for me. I love the L'Oreal True Match but that would've been nearly half the budget gone as it comes in at £9.99. Instead I opted for another foundation that I love but unfortunately is too dark for me, however I thought I could make it work, if I was very light handed. It's the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 hour foundation in the shade 200- Soft Beige, this comes in at £7.99 but it's on offer regularly at £4.99 in places like Boots, Superdrug and Wilko. I admit, I cheated a little.
This foundation is medium to high coverage and offers a dewy base to last a long while. 25 hours? I don't know who wears makeup that long anyway?

Next up is concealer, I chose the Seventeen Phwoarr Paint in Fair which is £5.49. I've used the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer for a while now and although it's good, I just fancied a change. I heard this one is great(it is) for under-eyes especially to cover up those pesky bags, apparently it's also a dupe for the Bobbi Brown Corrector Concealer so i'm not complaining there. My skin has been quite good recently, i'm touching wood as I say this...so I've not yet had to use it on blemishes or redness but i'm sure it'll do the job just fine!

Now onto contour/bronzer. I'm fairly new to this step but with practice I love how it can add so much dimension and shape to the face, as well as giving my very pale face a bit of colour. In order to practice I picked up a bargain which I absolutely love, its an MUA Pressed Powder in the shade 04- as it's not actually a bronzer and is a face powder this is matte which is perfect for contouring. This was only £1, MUA is so affordable!

This Sleek Blush in Rose Gold is a beautiful pinky coral shade with a gorgeous shimmer running through. This could also act as a highlight as well as adding colour to your cheeks. These blushes are so pigmented and are only £4.49, I must go and look at the other shades to see what they offer ready for Autumn/Winter.

For mascara I've gone for the Collection Lengthening Mascara in Ultra Black. I've not had the best experience with collection mascaras before, they seem to have gone very dry and flaky quite quickly but this one is different. I received this in a beauty box and sort of wrote it off to begin with, I wanted to mix it up a little and try something else instead of Benefit's Roller Lash- I'm so glad I gave this one a go. On my lashes I found this creates a look very similar to the Roller Lash and this is only £2.99! What!? I know!

Last but not least is lips, I used the Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lip Pencil in Rose Quartz which I found in the pound shop, I believe it was Poundland so yes- this was only £1. If you didn't know Poundland often have Rimmel, Sally Hansen and a few more well-known brands so if you have a look i'm sure you'll find some hidden gems that are worth a go for a pound!

I'm afraid I haven't got a picture of what the finish look as I'm not yet comfortable with posting pictures of myself on here, apologies for that! However, these products created a lovely natural look that is perfect for summer!

This look came in at £19.96, so yes it was actually under budget.

I know, I didn't include something for eyes in terms of eye shadow. However, you could switch out the Sleek Blush for an MUA or Makeup Revolution palette/eye shadows as most of them are £4 or less.

I also didn't include something for brows as I use the Soap and Glory Brow Archery which would've taken up half of the budget. I don't do my brows everyday but if you wanted something to tidy them up a little and set them in place you could use a clear mascara which I know you can pick up in Boots and Superdrug for £1-3.

I'm so impressed I was able to do a full-face of makeup for under £20. You can definitely find some bargains in the drugstore that compare to high end products so you don't have to blow the budget!

What's your favourite drugstore/high street makeup brand/product?

Please let me know in the comments!

♥   ♥   ♥

Favourites this May.

Hello!

So today is Bank Holiday Monday, as I've got a day to myself I thought i'd get a post up! This is going to be a small-ish roundup of my favourites this May 2014, as the title suggests! Now I have a week off and although I have a lot of things to get done this week as I am finishing my first year at college soon, I am hoping to get some blogging done! So lets just get straight into it.

Collection Lasting Perfection concealer- £4.19

The first two of my favourites come together as one really, first is the much loved Collection Lasting Perfection concealer, I have this in shade 1 Fair. Now I purchased this a few months ago, I used it for a while and I wasn't overly impressed but it did the job within budget, for some reason I went off this concealer and forgot about it. Recently I picked this out and thought i'd give it a whirl again and I'm loving it, perfect for covering the spots that have been breaking out recently, although I am still looking for the perfect under-eye concealer- this is well worth it for under £5!

Real Techniques Pointed Foundation brush(from core collection)- £21.99

As I said the next links to the concealer, its the Real Techniques Pointed Foundation brush. Now I know the name doesn't suggest this but I just feel the brush is too small for foundation. I've been using this for my concealer, under my eyes and to cover blemishes- this brush is so quick to blend and doesn't leave the streaky brush marks you sometimes get!

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water- usually £4.99

I've been trying to get my hands on the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water but every time I went into my local Boots, it was sold out and double the price in Superdrug! I made a trip down to another boots a little further away and got it! I've been using this to take off my makeup when I get in late for work and really can't be bothered to do the full cleansing routine. Yes I know that sounds disgusting but this takes off the makeup and cleanses at the same time without the need for a deep clean wash afterwards! Amazing!

MUA Heaven and Earth Eye shadow Palette- £4.00

I don't think I've said enough about this palette but I love it! It's the MUA Heaven and Earth palette. I must admit i'm not the best at applying eye shadow but i'm learning and I've found a way that works for me. This is the perfect neutral palette, with beautiful gold, bronze and champagne shimmers that are subtle enough for day to day looks! I'm hoping to do a more in depth review once I feel more confident with eye shadow!

Topshop 'High Vamp Skaters'- £20

And the final pictured here is my Topshop Skater style shoes. I cannot begin to explain how much I've been loving these this month- so much to the point that I've worn them nearly every day and they're still in good nick! I saw a few Youtuber's with these and instantly fell in love! At £20 I just couldn't let them go, now I've seen the pink and white pair and am lusting over them both! Watch this space to see if I *accidentally* get my hands on them, haha!

Finally the last things that I've been loving this month aren't pictured but i'd thought i'd tell you another few.
1. The weather. I live in Wales and i'd be lying if I said its been amazing all month, but there have been the odd days like today where the weather has been so lovely, so warm and summery! It's also been a tad stormy this month too, I must admit I love it when its like this! Just feeling all cozy inside listening to the rain and thunder. Its been the perfect mix this month haha!

2. Doing things. Well that's way too vague, but my confidence isn't the greatest, i'm working on it but it will take a while. This month I've been able to voice my opinions and not be afraid what people will think, especially at college. I'm so glad to say I've stuck at college for the whole year- In September I panicked and cried every morning and nearly didn't end up stepping foot back inside the building. It took time but I got over that and have near completed my first year at college!
I also attended an interview last week and for the first time it went well! I was actually able to form sentences while in there, it resulted in getting invited back for a trial day which is tomorrow! After much thinking, I decided it's something I don't want but I am going to attend to say I've done it.

And that's it for my favourites this May! This month has well and truly flown by! I can't even believe that next month we will be half way through the year of 2014 already, whaaat!

Comment below what you've been loving this month and maybe some suggestions of under eye concealers that won't crease!? Also let me know what you'd like to see on my blog!

Talk soon,

Amy X