Slam Dunk Festival: Beauty

Yesterday I mentioned about attending my seventh Slam Dunk festival up in Leeds on Saturday. I spoke all about what I find most comfortable to wear and what I think works well in terms of 'fashion'. You can read all about this post here.

Today I'm going to run through what I'm planning on taking in terms of Make Up and Haircare. I've had some massive make up mistakes that i've learnt from over the years at Slam Dunk - nothing humilating but just not using make up that fits in with a long, hot day when you need your face to stay in place for a good 12 hours or more. I'll be bringing up my tips throughout this - these are by no means tips that would apply to you but they're things that I know to steer clear of.

FACE - Prep

 

The POREfessional Primer Mini - Benefit - I actually own so many of these sample pots that travelling is so so easy when it comes to choosing a primer. I'd of personally taken my MAC Prep and Prime but its just too big to cart about with me.

Revlon Colorstay Foundation in 150 Buff - I was told how amazing this was from Carly on Carlys  Beauty World and was sold as soon as she said it really did last 24 hours for her. Although my aim isnt to keep it on that long - its going to be a loooong day and I need some ultimate staying power on my face!  Sadly the bottle is glass so I don't intend on taking this with me so I found this teeny Dior sample pot which I've now poured some in to take with me on the day/for the next day.

Face 2

- I totally forgot to include my Hoola Bronzer by Benefit in this photo so just pretend thats in there ;)

Fake Up - Benefit -This is a dream to use, it covers up undereye bags perfectly and really soothes your face as well giving great coverage - this is what I tend to use as my top up rather than reapplying shed loads of foundation.

Cupcake Blusher - MUA - Superdrug - Not normally my blush of choice but with this being so slim and small, I think its a must for Slam Dunk as it'll hardly take up any space in my bag! 

Gimmer Brow - Benefit - Now my aim for this is to use solely as a top up - my eyebrows are usually very good to me on public outings and stay in place so I'm hoping if I use my Browzings by Benefit in the morning before I leave, I can just use this to define in the day. 

Stay Matte Powder - Rimmel - This has yet to be used out of the house and if I'm honest I'm dreading taking this out as powder has a tendancy to smash everywhere but I cannot find a powder that isnt break able (and loose powder is a no no with drunk Stevie okay?) If you do know of one thas affordable please tell me cos I don't want to take this at all but I kinda have no choice if I want my face to stay where it should! 

EYES

 

High Impact Mascara Sample - Clinque 

Collecion 2000 - Fast Stroke Eyeliner

I decided to go super simple with my eyes this year - mainly because I just can't be bothered battling with panda eyes or worrying if my make up has ran. If you comfortable with shadows and usea good eye primer, then I'm sure you'll be fine but I recently used a Maybelline Colour Tattoo when the weather was hot and it was all over my eyes by the end of the day so I'm choosing to stay well away this year!

LIPS 

Collection 2000 - Berry Crush Lip Stain - Lipstick is just a big no no for me at a festival. Its messy and I constantly feel like its falling off my face or on my teeth. This stain is really easy to apply and its fairly faint on me. I have since realised I could take a lipstick for the afterparty so no doubt I'll opt for my trusted MAC one. 

BRUSHES

Real Techniques Mini Trio - Easily the best invention for any outing. I will be taking larger brushes in my bag for the next day but for during Slam Dunk these are a complete dream!

Blusher Brush taken from a Benefit Blush - These fit the size of the MUA blushers perfectly so I'm going to use these to apply it! 

HAIRCARE

 

Loreal Matt&Messy Salt Spray 

VO5 Ultimate hold Hairspray

Tangle Teezer

Perfect just to keep my hair looking presentable and tame throughout the day. I usually take abobble and throw it up by the end anyway!

BAGS

 Disney Villians Make up Bag - Purely so I dont have any make up spillages in my bag

Studded hangbag - USC - This is a bit bigger than it looks in the photo - but I'm one of those girls that actually likes to carry her stuff and I usually buy merch etc so this is perfect for it throughout the day.

I'd just like to point out I am taking the obvious things like face wipes (terrible but perfect for travel), moisturiser (dry skin will most likely occur), deo, perfume etc etc. I just don't put these up - I would recommend taking a small travel deodrant as it can get pretty hot but I'm sure you don't need me to tell you to use deodrant!

Thats my Slam Dunk Face - it looks like quite a lot but by the time I've taken my brushes and 3 top up items that'll be it for the day then! 

Whats your festival face? Do you have a holy grail item you swear by for eventslike this?? 

xXx

Benefit - Gimme Brow Review

Benefit Gimme Brow Gel - £14.00 - Will add a BUY link once released in UK. (USA LINK HERE) 

I've been lucky enough to get hold of this before its public release here in the UK after Benefit held their Beauty Special on QVC TV. (Its a good job I only have 2 days off a week).

Being quite late on the eyebrow train and only really getting into shaping etc the past 2/3 years, I've had to learn fast what products work best for me and being an complete Benefit Brow-Zing girl, I was wondering weather or not this product would be everything I was hoping. I usually do quite a defined brow as the rest of my make-up is quite natural so it makes me feel a little bit more 'acceptable' on a day to day basis.

After watching the MUA apply the wand (its pretty much a teeny mascara wand) on a variety of women, I was shocked at just how quickly it gave them a natural looking brow. She actually applied it to another girl with ginger hair like myself and again, I was amazed at how good it looked. Based on this, I opted for the light/medium shade as my eyebrows are naturally light brown so I knew this would match my brows with no real disapointment.

When it arrived, it came in such a teeny package and to be honest, the whole product is very small but I'll get onto that later.

So, applying this product was an complete dream. I'll admit, watching QVC means I did copy the MUA technique of vertical application, but it was perfect. It literally takes about 5/10 seconds to get a shape in your brow.

Natural - Just 'Gimme Brow' applied

This is ideal for anyone on the go or if like me, youre not on top form in the mornings. A slight personal downside means I'm going to start relying on this as unless I'm going on a night out, I'm shamefully lazy with my make up and I hate relying on a priduct simply because 'its easier'. I could happily swap to this product tomorrow knowing how easy it to apply and its stayed on all day.

Its taken me a little while to get used to having such a lighter more natural shape (which i'm aware if better, but like i say, i love my defined shapes)



The only fault I've found in this, is the size, I bought this for £14 which I'm hoping won't be an introductory price (although they said it was) as for what you get, I wouldnt want to be pay much more, I could see myself going through package after package of this and my bank couldnt cope with that!

Minus this, its perfect and I know I'm going to have to start limiting when I use it due to fear of running out so quickly, I'm thinking my dog walking days where I usually go barefaced because I'm feeling lazy.

Testing

I've spent just under a week wearing this product and feel I can justify when I say just how long it stays on. The pack states it applys to your brows and your skin, which I instantly feared the dreaded slip and shine face but nothing at all.

The first few wears I wore it with a bit of Brow-Zing powder over the top as I was daring enough to go for a complete natural look and it didn't budge for 12 hours.

9am

When I wore it without powder (purely for review), I found it did start to fade on my arch and outwards but its not often you'd wear JUST this product.

9pm

Overall, I cannot rate this enough and think as a standby product or as a daily touch-up its perfect, the only reason I wouldnt use this everyday is simply because I'd find myself having to rebuy this much more than my bank account would like.