the belle lumiere

SKINCARE

How many times do you wash your face daily?

I went through a stage where I was only washing my face at night, but I’ve somehow gotten back into the routine of cleansing both morning and night. I’m not really sure how or why I’ve switched back to doing it twice a day, but I can’t really tell if it makes any difference to my skin.

What skin type do you have? (dry, oily, combo)

I have oily combination skin. I hate the fact that my skin gets so shiny during the day, but apparently those with oily skin have younger looking skin as they age? I’ll take whatever positives I can get!

What is your current facial wash?

I wash with a Cetaphil Cleansing Bar in the morning, and Dermalogica Precleanse/Special Cleansing Gel at night.

Do you exfoliate?

Yes, twice a week. If I feel like my skin needs a bit of an extra boost I’ll use Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant a couple of extra times a week. Though I am on a serious conservation project with that until I near the end of Project 10 Pan.

What brand do you use?

At the moment I either use Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub, Skin MD Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel Wipes or Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator.

What moisturizer do you use?

I’ve just used up a tube of Dermalogica Active Moist and have moved on to Ultraceuticals Ultra Moisturiser Cream. I really love this moisturiser for winter, it’s so thick and it smells like vanilla. (with no artificial scent added, all natural vanilla!)

Do you have freckles?

I do have a few freckles on my cheekbones towards the side of my face. I don’t have as many as I used to as a child, I figure they have faded because I avoid sun exposure as much as I can?

Do you use eye cream?

Yes, at the moment my favourite is the This Works Tired Eye Serum. It’s nice and light but feels really good on my eyes first thing in the morning.

Do you or did you have acne prone skin?

I suffer from hormonal breakouts along my jaw line that drive me craaaazy. Thankfully my skin is a lot better than it was during my teenage years. (hello tomato face)

Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?

No, I don’t think I would ever use anything that harsh on my skin.

MAKE-UP

What foundation do you use?

Givenchy Skin Tonic Stretch Cream foundation in the shade “lift dragee”.

How about concealer?

Benefit Erase Paste – I love the fact that this is nice and creamy, blends well and doesn’t cake and go all crusty!

Do you know your undertone color?

Tomato red? Ha. Seriously though, I do have pink undertones. Oh for beautiful olive toned skin!

What do you think of fake eyelashes?

I think they’re amazing if applied properly! I am a total klutz with fine motor skills. My best friend manages to apply them perfectly to the outer corners of her eyelids and they look incredible on her. I am destined to have stumpy little lashes for eternity.

Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months?

I figured it was something like that. I usually only ever have 1 or 2 in rotation so they get used up before they can get too far past their use-by date.

What brand of mascara do you use?

My favourites are Lancome, YSL & Givenchy.

Sephora or MAC?

I am a recent convert to the land of MAC, though my experience with Sephora (albeit only when travelling) was always positive. MAC wins this round because Sephora is not available in Australia.

Do you have a MAC Pro-card?

No, and nor would I classify myself as a pro!

What makeup tools do you use in make up application?

For foundation and creme blush I use Beauty Blender. I cannot rave enough about how great this is for even foundation application. I also have a sporadic collection of makeup brushes (that I am planning to streamline soon) but my favourite brushes are by Chanel and Napoleon Perdis.

Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?

I use Benefit Stay Don’t Stray primer on my eyelids.

For the face?

I don’t use a primer for my face because I found it pointless & it never seemed to aid with foundation application, more like it made things worse and awkward. I also hate the feeling of having too much product stacked up on my skin.

What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?

MAC Naked Lunch or Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eyeshadow in Champagne.

Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?

I use a pencil eyeliner because of my shaky fine motor skills. I could ask my 2 year old daughter to apply liquid eyeliner and it would look more professional than if I did it myself.

How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?

Never. Mascara on the other hand….

What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?

I use Napoleon Perdis Loose Eye Dust eyeshadow a lot when I’m going out at night, but it’s a messy process that stresses me out a bit. I will say this though, they last a LONG time. Just don’t sneeze near them because they spread far and wide really easily.

Do you use mineral makeup?

I do use Bare Minerals foundation when I get the urge. I like the coverage that it offers, but right now I’m loving my liquid foundation too much.

What is your favorite lipstick?

Givenchy Rouge Interdit Lipstick in Seductive Rose or Christian Dior Rouge Dior Lipstick in Stage Red.

How about lipgloss?

NARS Lipgloss in Chihuahua, MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner in Petting Pink or Chanel Aqualumiere Gloss in Candy Glow.

What is your favorite blush to use?

For creme/liquid blush I love Becca Lip & Cheek Creme in Rosebud, MAC Blushcreme in Ladyblush or By Terry Rose de Rose Liquid Blush in Fresh Rose. For powder I am loving Estee Lauder blush in Peach Nuance or Chanel Irreelle Blush in Tea Rose.

Do you buy your makeup on ebay?

No, I believe that if something is too good to be true (ie: super cheap cosmetics) then it normally is. Also I prefer to buy things shiny and new because I’m OCD like that.

Do you like drugstore makeup?

I don’t dislike it, but I don’t buy a lot of my products from there.

Do you go to CCO’s? (cosmetic company outlets)

I am not aware of any of these existing in Western Australia. If I did I would probably check it out. (and possibly go bankrupt)

Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?

Yes, my best friend and I are planning on taking some courses this year.

Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?

Only if it’s something fidgety like putting on false eyelashes or applying liquid eyeliner. Otherwise I don’t think I’m too clumsy.

Name a makeup crime that you hate?

People who are mis-matched with foundation colour and look like they’re walking around with an orange mask on.

Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?

For myself I prefer neutral makeup looks, but I can definitely appreciate colourful shades on other people.

Which celebrity always has great make up?

Liv Tyler. She embraces her fair skin and is never OTT with her makeup choices. I look to her a lot for makeup inspiration!

If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?

Lip balm. I go crazy if I have dry lips! (my current favourite is Lucas’ Paw Paw Ointment)

Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?

I usually go without makeup on the weekends unless I’m heading out somewhere special. If not I’ll either go completely makeup-free or just use a bit of tinted moisturiser and some mascara / lip gloss.

Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?

I think so, I think it’s a different way of looking good.

In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?

For me personally it would have to be Givenchy. I love their foundation, blush, mascara, eyeliner and lip products. They tick all the boxes!

What do you think of makeup?

I think it’s a lot of fun, but nothing that I ever take too seriously. I know a lot of people think that makeup is a waste of time, and for them that is fine. For me I see it as adding the finishing touches to a picture. A few little additions here and there can perfect the look! Oh, I also think I spend way too much money on makeup and need to curb that habit.