Beauty blogs. I don’t really believe in guilty pleasures, because whatever makes you happy is a good thing, so get on with your good self but this is definitely one of my “I need a bit of a break/to look at pretty things/to feed the makeup habit” pastimes. I don’t think of myself as a uber girly gal. I happily swan around in sweatpants with no makeup (though there’s almost always SPF of some form on my face if I’m going outside) or dash up to the shops that way. Equally I like going glam if I’m going out or whacking on a bit of mascara and a good bright lipstick if I want a pick me up. And I wear an easy sort of “I can do it all in 10 minutes or less” everyday face for day jobbing. But I’ve always liked makeup since I first did ballet class and got to wear a little bit for concerts and my mum always made us take good care of our skins, so I do like to experiment and try new things. I have pretty sensitive skin and fussy eyes so am careful with what I try skincare, foundation and mascara wise but will confess to be prone to the allure of a new lipstick, a new nail polish or a new eye shadow. And by watching and reading beauty blogs I get to hear about new things and learn how to use them. Bonus.
So here are my current top 5 Beauty blogs/youtube channels (all these gals have both but I’ll link to the blogs as they will have links to the youTube channels). They’re all English. I don’t know why. I do follow a few US and Aussies too but for some reason the English gals are my faves. Maybe cos they embrace pale skin more than the US gals and I relate to pale skin :D.
Lisa Eldridge: Lisa is an English makeup artist (who does Kate Winslet and Keira Knightley among others and now Creative Director at Lancome I believe. Great makeup tutorials for almost any scenario you can think of on her videos and lots of good stuff on the blog. My second fave in the actual makeup artist category would be Pixiwoo.
Vivianna Does Makeup: Anna is a beauty blogger and very down to earth and watchable. She doesn’t do uber glam looks, so very relatable for everyday makeup plus a good cross section of cheaper and more expensive products. She also does a bit of fitness/healthy lifestyle stuff on the blog. And the odd baking video (check out the lemon drizzle cake).
Essie Button: Another beauty blogger with a similar approach to Anna. Also a Canadian transplanted to London. With a cute greyhound.
Caroline Hirons: Caroline is a skincare guru. Full of sensible advice, keen on products that aren’t full of crap and tells it like it is. Following her advice generally keeps my skin happy.
A Model Recommends: Ruth is a model but also very down to earth, not into crazy diets or being super skinny or anything you might imagine a model is. She does some more glam stuff (hey, she’s a model) and basic things. Currently pregnant and hence extra entertaining.
