All this week we’ll be taking a look at some blogger beauty confessions in our Pick ‘n’ Mix Beauty Questions feature. The premise is simple: we give our featured bloggers a list of 20 random questions, they pick 10 of those to answer, and then we get a lovely insight into their beauty habits.

Here’s another fellow Cardiffian, the wonderful Louise..

Louise a.k.a Lou Lou, is from Cardiff and set up her beauty and style blog in April this year, after discovering some lovely ladies and gents on Twitter, who were equally interested in the search for the perfect lipstick/blush/[insert favourite beauty product as applicable]. Inspired by the beauty bloggers of Twitter, she decided to take a good look at the products on her dressing table (ok, in a drawer unit, on bathroom shelves and in various under-bed storage boxes is the slightly less glamorous reality!), and take an even closer look at all the gorgeous products which are yet to make it into her make-up bag and her wardrobe.

1. What is the most envy-inducing product in your makeup bag?
It has to be my Guerlain Rouge G lipsticks. The packaging alone is amongst the most glamorous items I own. I love how the mirror pops up from the side of the case when you slide off the top of the case. These usually retail at £28.00, which is more than I would usually pay for a lipstick, but I’ve been lucky to pick them up in the sales for half price. I got my first one (Gaela, a light bright pink) in a blog sale and recently purchased my second one (Geisha, a classic red) in the Escentual sale. I LOVE this shade, as it’s the perfect way to add a pop of colour to a look and some glamour to the contents of your handbag!

2. Which products do you keep coming back to?
One of my fairly recent discoveries has been L’Oreal Superliner Carbon Gloss, a felt-tip pen style eyeliner. In addition to being really easy to use, it is also a good price (£6.19)

3. Are you a one brand gal/guy, or do you like to switch it up?
I am of the opinion that when there are so many gorgeous products out there, it would be silly to restrict myself to just the one brand. Saying that, I do have particular brands that I love for certain items, e.g. my love of Nars blushes has been well-documented on my blog and in my tweets! However, to me the main thing is that a product performs well. Therefore it doesn’t matter if it’s high-street or high-end, if it works and I love it, then it’s earned its place in my make-up bag.

4. What is your everyday makeup routine?
1. Primer – Benefit Pore-fessional. If I need a bit of a boost then I apply some Clarins Beauty Flash Balm a.k.a. Miracle in a Tube, which is a lifesaver on those mornings when I need a little (o.k., a big!) skincare boost.
2. Foundation – Rimmel 25 Hour, although I do seem to always return to Estee Lauder Doublewear.
3. Neutral eyeshadow – Currently using a ‘Gift With Purchase’ No7 eyeshadow in Wheatsheaf since my MAC ‘Retrospeck’ ran out, but if anyone has any suggestions would love to hear them!
4. Slick of black eye-liner – L’Oreal Superliner Carbon Gloss
5. Mascara (after curling of course!) – Paula’s Choice Illicit Lash mascara.
6. Bronzer – Nars bronzer in ‘Laguna’. I don’t particularly like the overly-bronzed look, so I use this more for contouring.
7. Blush – I love Nars blushes as the texture and pigment are brilliant, and I find that they are long-lasting. My day-to-day one is ‘Orgasm’ and I also use ‘Sin’, which has been described as “instant cheekbones”.
8. Lipstick – I have been opting for brighter shades over the last few years, from pinks to bright reds. One of my regular day shades is MAC’s Viva Glam in Cyndi, a corally-red.
9. Blotting powder – I love Daniel Sandler Invisible Blotting Powder which keeps any shine at bay.

5. What was your beauty routine in your teens?
In my teens I didn’t really use much makeup (hard to believe I know, having seen my current everyday routine!). After cleansing with Clean & Clear skincare I used to apply concealer on any blemishes and then apply some lipstick in either Rimmel’s ‘Coffee Shimmer’ or Boots 17 ‘s ‘Clearly Carnation’.

6. Give us an indispensible beauty tip!
A slick of lipstick can do wonders for a girls’ confidence and glamour levels, and always makes me feel more ‘done’.

7. How do you store your beauty goodies?
My first thought was, “In every available space”, since I do own a lot of beauty products. I’m not sure my boyfriend was expecting quite so much space would be needed for all of my beauty-related goodies when I moved in, but my thinking is : “Love me, love my beauty products!” I keep my everyday items on the bathroom windowsill in a Mister Mascara Make-up Organiser. Body and skincare products are stored in a 3 drawer unit, and my other make-up is stored in a vanity case. I also have a box under the bed where I keep all my nail polishes.

Since finding out about ‘Give and Make Up’, which sends unwanted (unused) products to women who are in refuges having escaped domestic violence, I have had a clear out. I am determined to try and keep the beauty mountain under control, and am committed to having a regular clear out, thus freeing up some space and helping women who really need it.

8. Do you consider yourself to be a fashion-led beauty lover, or a classic beauty lover?
I don’t really try any extreme beauty looks, so I guess I would be considered a classic beauty lover by a lot of people. However I love seeing the latest fashion-led beauty looks, even if I don’t always try them out myself. If I think a ‘fashion’ look will work for me, then I love to give it a go (with a bottle of makeup remover close at hand just in case I end up looking like an extra from ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’).

9. What brand/product/person introduced you to the world of beauty?
As I mentioned above, my first lipstick was Rimmel’s ‘Coffee Shimmer’. If you were a teenage girl in the late 90s then you probably owned this, or its close relative ‘Heather Shimmer’. I tried this again recently for a ‘Life in Lipstick’ guest post I wrote for Get Lippie and it is safe to say that it won’t be making an appearance again. ‘Hot chocolate smeared over my face’ is not really the look I go for!

10. Do you multitask when applying your makeup, or do you need complete concentration?
I am definitely a multi-tasker when it comes to applying my make-up.