If there’s one thing I get asked about A LOT over on Instagram stories and the blog … [ after are you sure your all there? ] is my eye makeup; my routine, what products I use etc.etc

So after the results of a little poll I conducted came back stating 90% of you would like to read about my eye makeup , I listened and here I am.

The 10% who didn’t want me to write about it you may as well leave now…

I started experimenting with eye-makeup when I was about 15 and since then have always played up my eyes. I love a smudgey dark brown verging on black eye. Lashings of mascara and black eyeliner in my water line which makes your eyes pop.

Don’t get me wrong , I’ve not always got it right. Hell no. There are photos of me sporting bright blue ‘spiky’ mascara and bushy ungroomed eyebrows. I also had a very dodgey perm. Not my best look.

So I’ll start with skincare, because it’s important to have a good base.

When recommending skincare I always like to point out that I am 47 years old and my eye area is fairly dry which is a bummer as my skins fairly greasy. Go figure?

So my love of skincare started at an early age and I’ve religiously used an eye cream since I was around about 14 or 15.

Luckily my Mum was a ‘Ding Dong Avon calling’ lady and there were always lots of samples to hand. When I couldn’t afford a ‘proper’ eye cream [ and Mum got wise and hid the Avon samples from me] I’d apply Vaseline. As long as I went to bed with a moisturized eye area it was ok. I figured something was better than nothing.

Vaseline is also great for conditioning your eye-lashes. Every night to this day before bed I coat my lashes in Vaseline.

When I’m flush I treat myself to a Talika Lipocils – £39.00 which is a fabulous conditioning gel that you apply like a mascara. It lengthens and strengthens your eye lashes in 28 days and is a lovely treat. You condition your hair, so why not your lashes? You can read all about Talika // HERE

I’m currently using an eye cream by Korean brand Blossom Jeju which I was sent to try from Skinsider a few months ago. Korean brands are renowned for their results and I’m happy to report its a good little eye cream.

Can we just take a minute to appreciate the beautiful packaging [below]. It does make all the difference doesn’t it?

What I personally demand from an eye cream is that it’s not heavy or overly greasy but highly moisturizing. I can’t stand my eye area to feel tight. I like it to feel plump and refreshed but not overloaded with product.

This is cooling on application and apparently tackles puffiness. I say apparently as I don’t actually suffer from puffiness I go the other way, dark and sunken. Let’s call it Zombie chic. So I cant actually comment on this.

I like an eye cream that sinks in quickly and doesn’t sit on the skin, so you can apply concealer without it slipping away, or rubbing off .

That it’s not heavily scented.

Blossom Jeju Camellia Soombi Deep Eye Cream – £50.00 ticks all these boxes and I would happily buy it again.

So let’s talk about makeup…

My staples:

I always, always curl my lashes. I use a bog standard pair of eye lash curlers from Boots which cost a mere £4.00. I’m sure you would be-able to  purchase something more ‘wappy dappy’ but they all do more or less the same thing and I’m perfectly happy with these.

On no makeup, makeup days curling my lashes and applying a slick of Vaseline makes me feel alive and kicking. The same applies to beach days when I’m on holiday.

I’ve had my eyebrows micro-bladed a few times now [ I was practically bold before – I blame a Kylie Minogue stencil set and pluck happy Tracey ] and they could really do with topping up. Micro-blading generally lasts around 18 months before it starts to fade. Unlike a tattoo the pigment doesn’t penetrate as deep on your eyebrow area.

I fill in any sparse areas and add definition using Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil in 05 – £20.00. Another great brow pencil is Anatasia Beverley Hills Brow Wizavailable from Cult Beauty £22.00. I tend to alternate betweem the two. I highly recommend them both.

Under eye Concealer comes courtesy of GlossierStretch Concealer -£15.00 which I only recently blogged about. Suffice to say it’s fabulous and my stand out product of 2017 // HERE

I’ve used the same black khol eyeliner pencil for the past 15 years. Lancome Noir 01. – £17.50. Obviously I’ve purchased a lot of these over the years; it’s not the same pencil !! This may also sound a lot for of an eyeliner but it seriously lasts for months.

Out of all the eye liners I’ve tried it’s definitely the best for depth [ it’s a dark black , black ] and it has serious staying power. I hardly have to reapply it during the day.

I tend to flit between a couple of mascaras but again the best I’ve used and the one I always go back too is Max Factor False Effect lashes in Black– £10.99 from Boots. It gives you long, dark, thick lashes in a couple of coats without clogging.

I also favour Lancome Hypnose – £24.50 which is slightly more expensive but gives a similar effect. Luckily one of my best friends bought me both the eyeliner,mascara and eye-makeup remover in a set for Christmas . They know me so well.

When it comes to eyeshadows I’m slightly more adventurous  but still have my favourites.

Up until Christmas my everyday choice of eye makeup would have been Urban Decays ‘Smokey Eye Palette’ – £35.55 which is a corker of a set. 12 beautiful shades of smoke, which give you lots of options … from subtle to full on glamour.

High (champagne shimmer w/micro-glitter)
Dirtysweet (medium bronze)
Radar (metallic taupe w/iridescent micro-glitter)
Armor (metallic silver-taupe w/tonal sparkle)
Slanted (light metallic grey)
Dagger (medium charcoal w/micro-shimmer)
Black Market (jet-black satin)
Smolder (deep plum-taupe)
Password (cool taupe matte)
Whiskey (rich brown matte)
Combust (soft pink-taupe)
Thirteen (light beige satin)

High is absolutely beautiful to highlight your inner eye. Whiskey and Black Market are great in your socket line to create definition.

However [ drum roll ] I may have got a new favourite, which is actually very similar to the above.

I was bought Clarins ‘The Essentials Palette’ which is a collection of 10 very wearable shades. They range from a cream through to dark brown, deep purple . They are highly pigmented and long lasting .

There are 5 matte and 5 satin shades. They don’t have names and are just numbered 1 to 10.

I tend to use shades 1, 2 or 4 on my eyelid and a mixture of 6 and 7 in my crease line to add definition. They are really beautiful colours. 4 is a fabulous sparkly gold which is great to highlight the inner corner of your eyes and to line under the bottom lashes.

Sometimes I just wear shade No. 6 all over the lid and blend it out for a bold brown eye.

I can’t find this exact set on line [ maybe my Aunt’s had this a while! knowing her maybe years] but there is a new essentials collection inspired by the shades of winter …mainly blues and greys – £23.34 reduced from £35.00// HERE

I was also bought an eyeshadow set from another fabulous friend . It’s by Temple Spa who have recently branched out into their first range of makeup.

This is a collection of 5 neutrals that I’ve not actually had chance to use yet but when I do I will report back.

Over Christmas I bought the Gold Rush Glitter palette from Primark for just £4 , this was loads of fun. I really love a lid loaded with glitter.

So there you have it – my eyes in a nutshell .

I have been asked if I will do a makeup tutorial and while I’m not ruling it out I’ll need to practice first.

If you’ve seen my insta-stories … you’ll know I’m all over the place and talk about a million miles an hour ! BUT 2018 is the year of never say never …

So I’m never saying never – I’m saying maybe and watch this space … and if you do have any questions please ask away!

Until next time, Tracey x