Get to know me

Hey! This post is going to be a little 'get to know me' using questions I found on Beauty type, but first I've got something to say.
In my first blog post, I wrote that I was obviously hiding behind makeup and that I wasn't happy with myself. I have now decided this is not true. It is true that I am not happy with the way my body looks, and I do think that I look better with makeup. But in all honesty, I enjoy sitting at my dressing table, and going through the process of picking colours to use that day, and applying them using different techniques I have picked up. I enjoy researching new products and reading other peoples reviews. I just love makeup and skincare, and I am now beginning to see makeup as a form of art, which it is! I was never very creative at school, but sit me with an eye shadow palette and (in my opinion) I can choose what colours will work well together and on my skin tone. With that out of the way, on to the questions!


1. Do you have a middle name?
 This is going to sound bonkers but I'm not sure. I think I do, my name is Rachel Lee Macey (yes my dad spelt it the male way), and because its spelt like that, I've always thought that my name is Rachel-Lee, ever since I was tiny.

2. What was your favorite subject in school?
 English, I used to love creative writing in Primary school, and as I got older I loved the fact that I couldn't be told my opinion on a text was wrong.
 
3. What’s your favorite drink?
Definitely monster energy, I am fairly sure my blood is about 75% monster.
 
4. What’s your favorite song at the moment?
At the moment, I think it is Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, but it changes regularly.

5. What would you name your children?
Jamie and I decided on Scarlett or Jessica for a girl (I love that Jessica Roberts sounds like Jessica Rabbit) and Todd or Finn for a boy.
6. Do you participate in any sports?
I love swimming, but that's it. I used to hate PE lessons.

7. What’s your favorite book? 
The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald. I read it for A level English and at the time I could really relate to Daisy.

8. What’s your favorite colour?
Usually I would say pink, no questions asked. But at the moment I am really loving purple.

9. What’s your favorite animal?
Cats. I am a crazy cat lady.

10. What’s your favorite perfume?
Thierry Mugler Alien

11. What’s your favorite holiday?
Probably Christmas, never really thought about it.
12. Have you graduated from High School?Well I got my GCSEs and my A-levels so I think thats the english equivalent?

13. Have you been out of the country?Yes, when I was younger I was fortunate enough that my parents would take us to France every year. I've been to America when I was a baby, and since finishing school I've been to a few different places including Egypt.

14. Do you speak any other languages?
Not really well, I was taking a French module at uni before I had my year out.
15. Do you have any siblings?
Yes, I have a younger brother.

16. What’s your favorite store?
Well I prefer to go makeup shopping rather than clothes, so I'd probably say Debenhams or Boots.

17. What’s your favorite restaurant?
Royal China in Harrow, I freaking love dim sum.
 
18. Do you like school? 
I didn't at the time, but like everybody always says I look back and miss it. Now that I've had a year out of uni I'm also missing that.

19. Who are some of your favorite YouTubers?EssieButton, HudaBeauty and Goss.
20. What’s your favorite movie? 
I don't know, I do love The Great Gatsby as I think it is a really great adaptation of the book.
21. What are some of your favorite TV shows?Pretty Little Liars (Who is Charles?!), Orange is the New Black, Holby City, and I am currently rewatching Misfits

22. PC or Mac?I have a PC but I would love a Mac
23. What phone do you have?
I have the iPhone 6.

24. How tall are you?I’m 5’6. Quite short in my family.

25. Any pets?
Ah. I have a dog, four cats, a rabbit, a hamster and a bearded dragon. If I had my way I would also have guinea pigs and a snake. And probably a lot more cats.

I hope that gives you all a better idea of the crazy cat lady writing these posts!

Thank you for reading, and don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin' and Instagram
 

Quick update on life: Jamie has been away since 21st February, and I had another operation on my nose on 9th March, improving my breathing and straightening my nose. I have spent 2 weeks, not being able to apply makeup (because my face was very bruised and sore) and with a plaster over my nose. I know that some people will think I am silly for having my nose straightened, and some say there was nothing wrong with it to start off with, but I was very unhappy with it, being bullied since I was about 12 because of it, and I felt that since I was having my nose operated on anyway, I might as well get a better shaped nose out of it. I had the final plaster taken off my nose on Monday, and I am already loving my nose and feeling more confident, whereas beforehand, I made every effort to only take photos face on, so you couldn't see my nose.

 I'm babbling, because I love my nose. But my point is, Jamie is finally back next week, and I can finally wear makeup, so naturally I have been practicing and trying out my makeup for when I go to pick him up.
I'd just like to point out, I am not a makeup artist, I'm not even very good at makeup, I just really enjoy playing with it, and these looks are my best attempt, so please be nice.

My first look is a very dark, smokey eye and red lip. I went with dark colours as I know Jamie likes them, its a bit darker and bolder than I would usually wear.

Hi nose!

I first applied bourjois healthy mix serum using a damp Real Techniques miracle complexion sponge, as I am only practicing these looks I didn't want a really heavy foundation. I really love this foundation, I find it perfect for a no makeup-makeup look, and it is light enough for everyday wear, and is moisturising, whilst retaining good coverage. I'm lucky in that I don't need too much, in the way of coverage, I have dark circles under my eyes but that's about it. I do suffer from very dry, dehydrated skin, and sometimes eczema, but I shall write about my skin woes in a different, skin care related blog post -  soon to come. I then started on my eyes. I applied Benefits stay don't stray eyeshadow primer. I like this primer, I have also tried their lemonaid, and that made my eyeshadow crease somehow? That said, I haven't tried using eyeshadows without a primer, so I don't really have any comparison for stay don't stray. However, I do like that the primer evens out the skin tone on my eye area, brightening it slightly and I just use my ring finger to pat it into my eyelid. I then applied a base of eyeko's fat eye stick in smoke, just on my lid, and blended out with Real Techniques deluxe crease brush (I find this fluffy enough for blending, and relatively inexpensive.) Next, I applied creep from my Urban decay naked palette, using RT accent brush, to the outer corner of my lid, then used a flat eye shadow brush (unbranded) to pat gun metal from the naked palette across my lid, then back in with the deluxe crease brush to blend everything together. I then decided that I needed a bit more sparkle, so I put a dab more stay don't stray on my lid, and then used my finger to pat a silver glitter from star gazer across my lid, then back in again with the deluxe crease brush, to make sure there were no harsh lines, and everything was blended nicely. Once I was happy with my eye shadow, I started the mammoth task of applying liquid liner. I used benefit magic ink and applied it as close to my lash line as possible, then attempted a small flick. At this point I had some trouble, some of the glitter got into my eye and it started watering, so the liner smeared, and it was just a mess. I cleaned up as best I could, happy that I hadn't applied concealer or anything yet. I then applied a coat of benefit roller lash mascara, I was really loving this mascara, it does give amazing length and curl, and I thought it might be my holy grail, until I received my Mac studio fix lash (Cinderella collection) but again, that is another blog post. Next it was time to conceal, and unfortunately I have lost my mac concealer, so I had to resort to my old miss sporty one (don't judge me, I haven't been able to go out and buy a new one!) It did a reasonable job of brightening up my dark circles, I just pressed it into the skin using my RT sponge, but I am definitely going to try the Nars creamy concealer next time I'm shopping. I then applied Mac mineralize skin finish natural using RT powder brush, which I love because it is so soft., hoola bronzer to contour, applied with F9 contour brush from MUA and benefit high beam to highlight, patted across my cheekbones with my ring finger, and just under my brow. I chose a moisture drench lipstick from No7 in soft paprika. I got this lipstick using their match made service, (I also got the foundation) and I think the lipstick is a good match, it suits my skin tone and brightens up my face, in my opinion.

The second look I tried to create was a pink, lighter look. I am planning on wearing a pink jumper when I go to pick Jamie up so I thought it would match nicely. I started off with the same base. I decided to use too faced chocolate bar palette. I applied strawberry bon bon with the flat eye shadow brush across my lid, and candied violet in the outer corner using the accent brush. However, the pink colour wasn't as dark as I would have liked, so I went over it with dear cupcake (a LE shade) from Mac Antonio Lopez creative copper palette. I used a wet brush with this colour, to get a more intense colour payoff. I then went back over the darker purple shade with cherry cordial from the chocolate bar palette, and I preferred this colour combination much better, the colour pay off was better, and I then blended them all together with the same RT brush as before. Next was the same issue with liquid liner (I am determined to get it right soon!) and a coat of Benefit roller lash. I finished this look off with a touch of Mac peaches blush, using a Mac 129SE brush (from the stroke of midnight collection) I applied a touch of Mac Angel to my lips, but otherwise kept this look quite simple, mainly concentrating on the eyes, I didn't want heavy contouring or highlighting to distract from the eyes.

I am still undecided as to which look I will go for when Jamie comes home, but I really enjoyed creating both, and playing around with three different palettes that otherwise hadn't had much attention. I am liking the pop of colour that the pink adds, as I am used to wearing mostly neutrals, but I think that the smokey eye and red lip creates a more made up look, especially with the glitter, and is what I wanted for the occasion, whereas the pink I think would be easier to wear for an everyday look. Let me know what you think, and any suggestions for different looks to try.

Don't forget to follow me on bloglovin' and Instagram

Rachel x

 

 

First post

I have been reading numerous beauty blogs recently, and figured, this is a great excuse for all the makeup I buy. So here goes
In the summer last year, I discovered makeup. I've always worn makeup, but I discovered Mac, and other high end brands. Maybe I had been living under a rock, I don't know, but I realised how much better I could feel with makeup.
This, however soon turned into an obsession. A few months later, and a few thousand pounds later, I have realised its actually become a problem. The thing is now, what am I trying to do with all this makeup? I don't wear it everyday, I don't have time to apply proper makeup before I go to work.
All the foundations, contouring and lipsticks cannot hide that I am clearly not happy with myself, and through this blog, I entend to share my journey, keep myself motivated and figure out how to change the way I view myself.

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