What’s In The Beauty Bag – Blogger Sophie Kiely Shares Her Secrets

Pretty packaging, hero products, must-have purchases…make-up is a subject we could spend hours chatting about. Everyone has their tried and tested buys and in a bid to find out more about the best way to get bang for your buck, we decided it was time to call in a little expertise. Beauty bloggers make it their business to trial run products and are up to date with the latest releases before they even hit the shelves. In a new weekly feature, we’re going to quiz beauty bloggers on their make-up essentials and why these are the products they return to time and time again. This week, we're chatting to Sophie Kiely of BeauxHeaux.com

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I absolutely adore makeup and cosmetics and one of the perks of being a blogger is that I get to test and trial lots of really cool products. It's not all glam as during the week I work in an office so I have to play it safe where my face is concerned but I like to change it up at the weekends. I am also extremely brand loyal  so it does take a real wonder product to impress me. The Base: Without a good base, no matter how much you invest in your makeup it just isn’t going to last the day for you. I always start by prepping my skin by cleansing, at the moment I am using this wash by Neutrogena which can also double up as a mask. It really is a no frills product and you can pop it on in the shower for greater convenience plus it leave s skin lovely and tingly feeling super clean. I also ensure to exfoliate a couple of times a week to promote a healthy glow. I’ve been using this gentle scrub by St Ives for years now and cannot fault it. I tend to change my daily moisturisers quite a bit and right now I’m loving this Seaweed matifying lotion by the body shop which absorbs any oiliness on the skin’s surface and also has added SPF which is very important, yes, even in Ireland. If I want to go a step further in achieving a super matte base I will use a little of MAC’s Matte Cream on my T-Zone which I apply with a little brush. Alternatively, if I want to get my glow on I love to use Clarins' Beauty Flash Balm. This cult product is great to achieve a dewy glow and is so hydrating it can also be used as a mask. The Face: The next step is building upon that gorgeous base. I have two go to foundations; MAC Studio Fix in NC20 for my matte days (there’s a reason why it’s a best seller!) and Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk in 4 which is another holy grail product for many women. I apply using a MAC brush for a seamless finish. Luckily, I don’t usually have to conceal too much but when I do I turn to my trusty MAC product. It has a sponge applicator so it’s really easy to apply and blend. If I haven't had much sleep, I need a bit of reinforcement and will use the Isa Dora concealer palette too. This palette has four different formulas, all of which do their own little job. I will then set my face in place using MAC Natural Skin Finish in Medium. I prefer pressed powders as they are easier to work with and I don’t really like to use too much. I hate the term “contour” and unfortunately I think this practice is very hard to get right unless you’re a pro! Therefore I steer well clear. I do however like to highlight a little and always use MAC’s Soft & Gentle. I sometimes use this on my collar bone to make it pop (not literally) and a sweep down the chin can be nice with a tan. I have also been known to sculpt a cheek bone on occasion! I like to use a matte bronzer to achieve this, I find MAC’s Give Me Sun particularly good when I’m wearing tan. My favourite blush is NARS Deep Throat (what is with all the rude names?!) It’s a gorgeous peachy colour with a little gold shimmer throughout and I absolutely adore it. The Eyes: I typically go for a smoky eye and don’t use a whole lot of colour, sadly I’m just not that adventurous. For summer I’m loving a brown and bronze smoked out look and I think this will look fabulous coming into Autumn too. It’s easy to take a look like this from day to night by adding a little sparkle. MAC’s All That Glitters and Melon (pigment) are great to add that extra glitz. I also really like the Sleek palettes for a more affordable alternative. They come in such an extensive variety and are fabulously pigmented. I find a gel liner way easier to use then a liquid version. MAC’s Blacktrack is my favourite hands down and is what Dita Von Teese uses to achieve her signature feline flick. I use a really fine brush and gradually build my line up. I have naturally long lashes which are really straight so I have been using Benefit’s latest mascara Roller lash to achieve a nice curl. Some days I will even use MAC’s Zoom Lash to build up length and thickness before applying Roller lash to curl and define. Brows are of the greatest importance to me. They make such a difference in framing your face so I always ensure mine are on fleek! I use a MAC brow pencil in Stud which is a very dark brown/black to create definition. I will then use a MAC shadow called Brun to fill the brows. I watched a Youtube video from Kim K’s makeup artist Mario recently and he actually uses this same shadow on her brows, I felt special! The Lips: For every day wear it has to be a nude lip for me. I would say my top 3 lipsticks are (in no particular order!); Crème Cup, Velvet Teddy and Viva Glam V. As you can see some get more wear than others. I mix and match these lippies with different liners to create an abundance of different looks. Most of the time I keep it matte but if I’m feeling like a change I’ll add on some Viva Glam V gloss. Every once in a while when I’m feeling a little sassy I’ll do a red lip, recently I’ve been using MAC’s Cherry liner paired with this Kate Moss for Rimmel which I like as it’s quite moisturising and smells gorge. The Beauty Bag: I don’t really have any fancy makeup storage system, to my shame! Most of my products are kept in a drawer or boxes at home. I bring my essentials for the day with me in this little Commes Des Garcons pouch. It’s ideal as it keeps my bag neat and tidy and is also easy to keep clean with just a damp cloth. Above all, it looks super chic. If you're a beauty blogger and want to tell us all about your beauty dos and dont's, drop a line to Cathy at cathy.donohue@her.ie