My current everyday makeup menu

I have a quick, fresh-faced makeup look going on at the moment that's perfect for a Monday morning!

A classic Autumn look on a budget

Autumn makeup, how I love you. Autumn is my favourite season, September my favourite month, and with their arrival comes a desire, no, a need, to add new shades to my makeup collection. 

But my goodness it costs a lot! I've been drooling over the Chanel and Nars Fall Collections and sadly realising that I can't afford to stock up on my favourites and still afford food, hot water and an internet connection.

So that's where this post started - how can I get the same lovely autumnal shades without breaking the bank? After a good hunt around online and in the makeup stands of Boots and Superdrug, I found budget products to recreate the same lovely looks at a fraction of the price.

An Autumn Look

Happy September, everyone! It's my favourite month of the year. Here's a little makeup look I tried last week. It's soft and coppery and pinky and all round lovely and flattering and seasonal. 

My foundation is Nars Radiant Tinted Moisturiser in Finland. It's become my go-to summer base - it feels, smells and looks wonderful, it blends so easily, and as a bonus it contains SPF 30. I've used Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla under my eyes and a little on my nose and chin to minimise redness.

I've used Bourjois Colorband crayon in Brun Dadaiste with Rimmel Exaggerate Liner in Rich Brown for a soft smoky eye, topped off with Rimmel Wonder'full black waterproof mascara. I love the colour of the Bourjois crayon but I find it could benefit from a primer underneath. The eyeliner is excellent and performs well above its budget price - everyone should have one! I particularly like the Rich Brown because it's exactly what it says - rich, dense colour that doesn't fade. The mascara is simply my usual mascara at the moment and it's really good for those of us who have sensitive eyes but find non-waterproof mascara smudges too much.

Cheeks are Guipre from Sleek's excellent Blush By 3 palette in Lace. It's a fantastic palette for summer and, although this is a budget palette, the blushes blend beautifully and don't irritate my sensitive skin. Guipre is a warm pink with gold shimmer to rival the best Nars blushes. The shimmer gives a lovely warm glow to the skin. I've used l'Oreal Glam Bronze bronzer in Sun Bronze on the high points of the face and under my cheekbones for a little more warmth, although this step is optional because the highlight from the blush adds contour to the face. 

Lips are my favourite shade - Nars Sheer Lipstick in Mayflower. It's a gorgeous shimmery peachy pink that lives permanently in my bag because it's my 'my lips but better' shade. 

Brows are Rimmel Professional Brow Pencil in Black Brown. This is the only brow product I've used for a while because it's incredibly long lasting and it's a nice soft ashy dark brown.

Hmm what else? I topped everything off with a swoosh of Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Powder in Pale Yellow. This powder has lasted an incredibly long time and as you can see from it's been well loved!

Thanks for reading!

The 3-Product Glam Look

The inspiration behind this look was simply, 'how can I transform my face using the minimum number of products?' 

Orange You Looking Good?

I thought I was living a fulfilling makeup life until I stepped into the warm, glowing light and saw the truth: orange is amazing. 

Hiding Tiredness

AKA 'the hangover face'. This is the failsafe makeup look I use when I look and feel awful, but can't lie around in bed binge-watching cartoons and drowning my sorrows in Ben and Jerry's.

Due to a combination of less sleep than usual and not enough water, I look and feel like a decrepit crone today. Happy Monday, everyone! 

Optional accompaniments to this post: a cooked breakfast, a coffee the size of your head, about five chocolate croissants. 

Soft smoky eyes and plummy lips

Who invented the rule that you need to choose between your eyes and your lips when doing your makeup? How boring is that?