Beauty Changes

I wrote a post similar to this a couple years ago, titled beauty changes I've made in the last year, so thought it was time for an updated version. Looking back, it's hard to believe I didn't do some of these things, and I'm sure it'll be the same in the future.

The biggest change has to be wearing foundation. I used to just wear concealer, but as well as the eye area and blemishes, I had to start putting it on the bottoms of my cheeks to cover redness, and on my nose because my freckles make it a lot darker than the rest of my face. I thought it'd be more cost effective to buy a foundation, even though I hadn't got on with them in the past. I also liked the prospect of trying an entire new category of makeup. Comparing my recent passport photo to my driving licence photo taken four years ago, you can see a huge difference. This is the only good before and after I have, since I avoid having my photo taken!

I used to wear liquid/gel liner on the odd occasion, but started wearing it daily towards the end of last year. I got into the habit of pulling my eyelashes out (yes, I know), so started tightlining to disguise this. I then started drawing a thin line along the base of my lashes, and now I wear it to a medium thickness. I rarely add a wing/flick, though, because it's so much effort getting both eyes even, and they tend to smudge on me more.

I used to smudge eyeshadow out on my bottom lash line. It was always a taupe, and I did this for years. Since wearing gel eyeliner, and looking back on the few photos there are of me, I decided to stop applying it. I feel like my eyes look bigger without it.

I never used to bother with lip products, but then when I did, and for a long time, it was about tinted balms, stains, and lipsticks. I associated lip gloss with the cheap, glitter-filled gloopiness you'd find when you were younger. They've come a long way since then, though, and now the formulas are a pleasure to use. I've bought a handful from various brands in the last year, and I've yet to be disappointed (one swatch in store and you can separate the good ones from the sticky, unpigmented ones).

Although I've yet to master the contouring of my cheeks (it's difficult when you have no cheek bones whatsoever and rosacea), I've started doing so under my chin and along my jawline. I'll also do my forehead, but tend to use a bronzer over a cooler shade here.

Highlighting was another thing I'd do on the odd occasion, but it's become a regular part of my routine in the last few months. It's quick and easy to do, and can really brighten your overall look.

I can't imagine going to bed without slathering my lips in lipbalm now, but I used to. I can feel the remnants of toothpaste drying them out by the minute, and unless I moisturise them, my lip products the following morning won't apply in quite the same way.

I don't know if perfume is considered a beauty item, but it's part of my routine like any other product. I rarely wore perfume in the past, just fruity body sprays, but my sense of smell has matured since then, and I now spritz myself with a scent every morning before I leave the house.

I'd love to know of any changes you've made recently, and why. Have you started using a new product/technique, or even stopped doing something?