For this month’s The Beauty Thread, we’re bringing all the fashion vibes with our Junior Sales Executive, Isabella. She shows you how she takes her entire look from day to night, centred around this month’s Haul of Fame lipstick from NARS…
Lipstick is hands down my favourite makeup item and you’ll rarely see me without it. I’m sure my love of lipstick came from my mum, who is also a lipstick fanatic. With this in mind you can IMAGINE my joy when I found out NARS were doing a lipstick for our September Haul of Fame! I was so excited to have them on the site, and I can honestly say that NARS is my favourite makeup brand – I think all of their products are really high quality and I find that a little goes a long way with them, whether that be foundation, blush or lipstick.
I adore this month’s lipstick as it glides on and STAYS on! After my first application, I literally do not have to reapply for several hours. I also really love the colour, it’s a gorgeous pink that is extremely buildable. You can dab it on for a slight pink tint, or you can apply a few coats in the evening to make it brighter. Pink is my favourite lipstick colour; I just find it compliments my skin tone really well and makes you look healthy and natural.
DAY LOOK
My makeup style, in general, is quite simple and always has been: my main focus is always dewy skin and a nice lip. To start with, I apply my NARS Sheer Glow foundation which is one of my HERO makeup products! I have been using this foundation for 6 years… 6 YEARS! It’s just amazing; everything you want and more from a foundation. I don’t even have to use a lot for my whole face – I only use one pump, so it lasts me for about 4-5 months.
After I apply my foundation I like to leave my skin for a minute to let the foundation settle on its own before I start to apply bronzers and powders. I then move on to my eyebrows! Eyebrows are also something I love as I have naturally very dark eyebrows I don’t have to do much to them, but I always feel better when I fill them slightly. It just frames my face and eyes really well. I use the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade which is really easy to apply. I then do my eyeshadow which I like to keep very soft and shimmery. I use the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eye Shadow Palette, and I just choose to use the Salted Caramel, Semi Sweet and Marzipan shades, finishing with a nice slick of mascara (I have been loving the Catrice Eyeconista Lash Millionizer)!
For the rest of my face I use the Charlotte Tilbury Bronzer Highlight Duo Palette which is beautiful and really soft on the skin (it never looks orangey). I finish off with the Hourglass blush which is soooo lovely; it has light reflecting particles within the formula which catch the light so nicely. After lipstick, blush is my second favourite makeup item. Blusher brings a really fresh glow to your face and makes you look healthy and youthful – I don’t know how people can live without it! Lastly, my favourite step, my LIPSTICK! I always start by applying lip balm, my favourite at the moment is the Caudalie lip conditioner. I then dab my NARS lipstick onto my lips to fill them out with colour (I like to do this in the day to give them a natural finish). My makeup look never ever feels finished until I put lipstick on, I could not leave the house without it.
For my outfit, I went pretty comfy and casual and wore my new nude Zara bodysuit with blue jeans and white trainers. I threw on my favourite H&M nude jumper before I walked out the door. I really like nude colours and I always find them really complimentary to any kind of style. They also look fabulous with a pink lip.
NIGHT LOOK
For my night time look I tend to go darker and heavier on the eyes, and really buff up my bronzer. With my foundation I still use my NARS Sheer Glow but I sometimes add in a pump of my Dior Backstage Face & Body which I have in a darker shade, this just gives my face a slightly more tanned look and ensures that my bronzer isn’t like an orange line against my skin! I still use the Charlotte Tilbury Duo Palette, but I also use my Tom Ford bronzer over the top. This is a really great bronzer and you barely need any! It is expensive but equally, it lasts forever. I dab my brush in slightly and do one sweep across my cheekbones and that’s it. I also like to use my Huda Beauty blush and highlight palette for my night time look as I find the products stand out better on my skin and pick up light particles really well.
With my eyes I like to start with the Salted Caramel shade again, it is a great base colour for your eyelids and it blends really well with all the other colours! I then go in with Haute Couture (a darker brown) on the creases of my eyelids and apply Amaretto in the corner which I smoke out. As I have blue eyes I find brown eyeshadows and red undertones bring out my colour really well. I always put some of the smokey colour on the bottom of my eyes too as that really brings your whole makeup look together. I tend to go heavier on the mascara at night too.
With my lips, I start with lip balm again but this time I glide the lipstick onto my lips (instead of dabbing) in order to make them look bolder and plumper. I find it really makes a difference! It is crazy how different application techniques can alter colour. I then line the top of my lips slightly by my cupids bow (I don’t suit heavy lip liner, so I only do that tiny bit at the top). This makes a real difference and gives me that perfect pout! Depending on the occasion I also like to finish off with a slick of light pink lip gloss as it makes me feel more glamorous.
As much as I would like to say my night time outfit was super glamourous and I was dripping in sequins… I unfortunately wasn’t because that doesn’t tend to be my style! Comfort is a key factor for me in any outfit, whether that be day or night. I find that when you are comfortable you are more confident, and it really shows. So, with this in mind for my night time outfit I went with a white bodysuit, and nude (loving the nude again) paper bag trousers. I think this style of trouser in general is a very flattering wardrobe item and mine fit like a dream – super comfy! I paired this with a pair of white heels which brought the outfit together nicely, especially with the white bodysuit.
Once I put my shoes on I was ready to get up and go! Pass the Prosecco, please!
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS //
NARS Toléde Satin Lipstick
Catrice Eyeconista Lash Millionizer Mascara
