Today's post is all about your lashes! They a key part of your makeup look for school and, personally, I feel like the focus of your eyes should be on your lashes, because they will make a difference. Personally, I don't feel like fake eyelashes are the way to go when you're in school or even uni, although I have heard it's a must for some girls out there. However, for most of us, fake lashes are too much for the everyday, so I'll show you the two things you need for great lashes that will draw more attention to your eyes!

First of all, you have to curl those lashes! You may not believe it but doing so will make a huge difference, even if you're blessed with great lashes, curling them will make them even better. Personally, I don't feel like pricier eyelash curlers are better than the cheaper ones, I own one from H&M (the golden one in the picture above) and it works wonders for me! It was only 3.99 euros and they also have it in pink or black, if that's more your style. However, I have two other options, both very affordable, that are a bit more sturdy when it comes to the grips.

The one on the left is the ELF Mechanical Eyelash Curler and the one on the right is the Sally Hansen La Cross Double Curl. They're both under 10 euros, I believe, so it's more of a personal choice than anything else. Do keep in mind to curl your lashes before applying mascara or anything else on your lashes, since using them after may rip out some of your lashes and you definitely don't want that.

Now, as for the absolute essential for your back to school makeup look, we have mascara. We all need it and love it and it's one of the few beauty products even young girls can wear. The type of mascara you buy depends on what you need it to do: do you want it to give volume or length? Also, it depends on what look you prefer: spidery lashes or no clumps? Depending on what you want, you can find the perfect mascara that will do everything you want for a not so high price too! Here's some options that will suit just about any taste (however, do keep in mind I like my mascaras to make my lashes look natural but amazing at the same time, so spidery lashes won't really be achieved with these mascaras, sorry).

Avon SuperFULL Mascara: from what I've seen from review online, I love the way the lashes look after using this mascara. It definitely gives you length and a bit of volume, while not looking like fake or spidery.

Essence Maximum Definition Volume Mascara: I can guarantee you this mascara is to die for. I have this and it's my holy grail, I can't leave the house without it. Not only does it make your lashes look genuinely black but without being too overwhelming for school, but it also gives them an amazing amount of extra length. I do not have the biggest lashes out there but they look so much bigger with this baby that even my mum (who does not understand or use makeup) noticed they looked a million times better and complemented me on them. I don't, however, feel like this gives a lot of volume, unlike what the bottle says. Plus, it's under 4 euros. Do I need to say more?

Maybelline The Rocket Volum’Express Mascara: this is my favorite mascara out of all the Maybelline mascaras. I personally don't like The Falsies or Colossal, they look too spidery for my taste. However, with this one, it's the perfect amount of length and volume for back to school.

Maybelline Full ‘N Soft Mascara: if you're not looking for anything too dramatic and you just want natural looking lashes but with a little bit of extra length and black, this is the perfect mascara for you! No clumps, no spidery lashes, just really beautiful looking lashes that nobody will believe you're even wearing mascara.

L’Oreal Voluminous in Carbon Black Mascara: if you're looking for a mascara that will give you a ridiculous boost to the length of your lashes, this one is a gem. Not only will your eyelashes look much longer, but they will also be very dark, all for a very reasonable price. Don't go too crazy on the coats though, it may get a bit spidery if you do.

Revlon PhotoReady 3D Volume Mascara: like most products in the PhotoReady line, this doesn't fail to surprise me. You don't need more than one coat of mascara to get a boost of volume and length. A little goes a long way with this one and it will definitely draw the attention to your eyes.

Maybelline Lash Discovery Mini-Brush Mascara: if you have very tiny lashes, this is your best choice. The size of the brush will help you reach all your letters easily, making sure you will get the product on all of them, unlike some of the other mascaras out there with bigger brushes. This is also great for your bottom lashes!

That's all from me for today! There will only be a few more posts on this series (lips, eyesbrows and eyeshadow) and then I will probably move onto either back to school outfit ideas. Let me know in the comments below what post you'd like to see next and any other feedback you may have!

Hello! Today's post is all about your cheeks, so I'll be talking about blushers, bronzers and highlighters. Now, keep in mind all of these are optional since we are talking about school and what you wear really depends on your age and what you feel comfortable wearing. So if you feel like one of these isn't really your style, just skip that step, I'm sure you'll still look great in the end!

Essence Silky Touch Blush: now these happen to be my favourite affordable blushes out there. I have quite a few shades (my favourites being number 20 aka Babydoll and number 50 aka Sweetheart, which is sadly going to be discontinued). These blushers are super affordable, they're only 2.99 euros here in Portugal and they're quite pigmented. They're powder blushers, so I usually apply them with a big fluffy brush and I don't even need a lot to get the right amount of colour, while still making it look natural. It's a great choice overall, plus they're bringing in some pretty interesting shades for the Fall!

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush: for those of you who are more fond of cream blushers, Maybelline has this really nice option. They're cream blushers that have a powder finish, so you can apply them like cream blushers and when they're set, they won't look all shiny and glowy like regular cream blushes out there.

Revlon Cream Blush: if you're more into cream blushes, just go for the Revlon ones! They melt into the skin and give you a much more natural look than the powder ones. Plus they're perfect for those of you with drier skin, while powders would suit oilier skin types. This blush will give you that boost of colour while being lightweight and looking very natural.

H&M Bronzing Powder: this is the bronzer I actually use. The downside is that it only comes in two colours, so fair skinned ladies won't be very pleased, but I am. It's matte, light and you get a huge amount of product that will last you ages (I've had it for months and I haven't made a dent on it, really). If the colours available work on you, you have a great bronzer that will look really natural but it will also define your features, all for around 3.99 euros. However, if you're not happy with the colour selection, look at the options below for more!

Maybelline Fit Me Bronzer Pressed Powder: this bronzer comes with a brush that you can use for contouring, although I usually like to use a big fluffy brush, but it's personal choice, really. The colour selection is definitely better. This bronzer isn't very pigmented, so it's perfect if you're trying to get a very subtle look, but it may take you a little while until you get the right amount of product on your face, since you have to build it up. If you're looking for a natural contouring however, this is a great choice for a school look.

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder: this is definitely more pricey than the last two blushes I showed you. However, it's a really good choice if you have fair skin thanks to their lighter shades. They also have some great shades for the darker skinned girls, so it's worth the extra dollars/euros/whatever currency you use. Not to mention it's not tested on animals, so you can have a cleaner conscience when you use it.

Moving onto highlighters, I have to be honest, I don't use them on a daily basis (I barely use them, actually). However, if you do feel like you need or you want to highlight for the school day, I'd recommend going for a cream highlighter, since it will give you a more natural look. Also, use it wisely -- a little goes a long way -- since you do not want to look like a shining mess.

Nº7 Skin Illuminator: very affordable, don't get scared by the glitter. It may look like something a fairy princess would wear but if you use a small amount and blend it in well, you won't be able to notice. Instead, it will just give you a nice glow.

L'Oreal Magic Lumi Highlighter: although some seem to think this is a concealer, don't be mistaken, since it is not. It may look like one but it's actually a very nice highlighter. Don't put this on dark circles or imperfections, it will only highlight them and bring unwanted attention to them, which is certainly the opposite of what you want to do in that situation. If you use it right, you'll fall in love with this, although some people claim it's a bit pricey for how much product you get. It's personal choice, I believe.

Nyx Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator: this product hasn't been really used to its advantage and I feel like a lot of the negative reviews on the internet are thanks to improper use of the product. People claim it's too shimmery and it looks like makeup for an 11 year old girl, but all you need to go is use it properly. If you want to use this as a highlighter, try mixing it with a bit of your foundation to take away some of the shimmer. However, I feel like this can be used for a great cream eyeshadow, especially Gleam! So it's still a good product for a good price, you just have to be a bit inventive on how to use it for your day to day life.

And that's all I have for today! I'm sorry if some of the choices for highlighters weren't the best, I really never used it (maybe once for a wedding) so it's not my area of expertize, but I mainly went from what I heard from reviews online and then added my own common knowledge of makeup in general. Hopefully, you learned something useful in this post and I'll see you on the next post where the focus will be entirely on the eyes!

Bourjois Happy Light Base Serum Matte/Lumiére: this primer is somewhat pricey (it's around 18 euros here in Portugal) but like the Bourjois products I showed in my last post, they do come with their perks that are worth spending a bit more on. There's 2 versions: the matte one, for those of you with oilier skin; and the lumiére version, for everyone else. They both give your skin a great glow, without making it look shiny or oily (and the matte version helps you control your oiliness throughout the day!). Plus they only have one colour that fits everybody, so you don't have to worry about shades. I'm actually considering buying the lumiére version for back to school, although the bottle seems a bit small in person.

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser: now you all may be familiar with Maybelline's Baby Lips, my personal favourite, and you know it's a great product. Maybelline came out with this primer from the same line, promising to visibly blur your pores, giving you the impression of softer skin. Who doesn't want that? It's also very affordable, so you can totally buy it without regretting how much money you spent on it.

Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer: this primer is formulated with photochromatic pigments, which diffuse light to minimise flaws and also helps brighten your skin. It's also very lightweight, while it also helps your foundation last longer. Although I never tried it, I've heard quite a few people rave about this so I'd give it a try.

Rimmel Stay Matte Primer: this primer works on all skin types, controls shine, mattifies, and it never feels dry on your skin. It's the perfect choice for the girls with oilier skin, since it truly caters to your needs and it's also quite affordable.

Maybelline Cover Stick: this concealer is great for blemishes, more so than dark circles, but it will also help with those. There's also a green version, that will help with the redness in your face. I used to have one of those but from Essence and it was pretty good, it gives you a lot of product and it's quite easy to apply with your fingers.

Sonia Kashuk's Liquid Light Concealer: this particular concealer is great for under eyes and any dark spots in general. It's quite affordable and you can also apply it with your fingers (remember to use your ring finger, it's the one with the lightest touch and it will help you be careful when touching such a sensitive area).

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser: you've probably seen quite a lot of youtubers using this concealer and they're right to do so, because it's very affordable, especially when it's great for dark circles -- not to mention it helps with the puffiness under your eyes. It also helps to brighten up that area, making you look more awake.

TIP: Always pick a concealer that's one shade lighter than your skin tone. Use that concealer under your eyes so it makes you look more awake and ready to face a boring day of school. If you're going for a concealer just to hide blemishes, go with your usual shade of foundation, since a lighter shade will bring unwanted attention to your blemishes.

And that's all for today! I hope you guys enjoyed this and if you found it helpful in anyway, leave a comment down below, it really helps me to know if I'm helping you out. Feel free to leave feedback and suggestions for future posts and I'll see you soon on my next makeup essentials post!

To start off my back to school series, I've decided to tell you all about my makeup essentials! I'll divide it into different categories since it'd be a ridiculously long post otherwise, plus I'll be talking about things that work on everyone, not just for my skin type/colour. I hope you all enjoy it and, as always, feel free to leave any suggestions or requests down below!

When I first thought about my makeup essentials for school time, I knew foundation was a must have. I totally understand that for some of you it may not even be an essential, especially for everyday wear, but as a college student, I feel like a lightweight foundation gives my skin that even complexion that I so desperately need. Of course, if you're reading this and you feel like you don't want to wear foundation everyday, you can just skip it or even go for a BB cream if you prefer those! I personally don't like any of the BB creams I've tried and I can't really afford the more expensive ones (again, I'm in college, I often find myself not being able to afford anything), so I just go for a good lightweight foundation for my skin type.

Talking about skin types, I should tell you all a little bit about mine so you know what works for me -- and keep in mind it may not work for you since everyone's different and so are their skin types. However, I will give you different options for different skin types, don't worry. I currently have combination skin at age 19, however I did have very oily skin back when I was 13 or 14. Only recently I've noticed my skin has been drying out and I think it's just one of those things that come with age, since I'm also less likely to break out now than I was back then. Anyways, I have an extremely dry forehead (and that little space between my eyebrows, just above my nose... I don't know what it's called but for some reason it refuses to stay normal), while my nose and chin tend to get oily throughout the day. Because of this, it's a bit harder for me to find a foundation that works, since I have the worst of both worlds and there isn't exactly a foundation that can both moisturise my dry parts and prevent the other parts from getting oily, so I have to just find the one that works the best for one of the problems and try to fix the other with something else.

Because of my skin type, I tend to go for foundations that work best with dry skin (since moisturising my skin before applying foundation simply doesn't work for me, it ends up not lasting long on my dry patches and only makes my oilier parts even oilier) and I try to fix the shininess with a good powder.

So now that you know a little bit about my skin type, let's talk about some good, cheap options for everyday wear! I looked for mostly drugstore foundations (since back to school season is expensive as it is, so we don't need to spend 70$ on a foundation) and even the ones who are a bit more high end are still relatively cheap, at least in my country. It may be a bit different for you where you live, some of these options may not even be available, but I'm sure you can find at least one of them.

Now, I must say I never tried any of these foundations since I did not wear foundation when I was younger and had actual oily skin, but I do know all of these have great reviews from girls with oily skins.

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 hour foundation: I never actually saw this on sell on stores here in Portugal but I've heard a lot of people talking wonders about it. Although I'm not sure it will actually last 25 hours (I don't even know why you'd need it to, I don't think anybody has foundation on for that long) but I do know it's very cheap so it's worth a shot.

Garnier BB Cream: For those of you who think foundation is too heavy for everyday, then this BB cream is perfect for you. Although I've never actually worn, I do know someone who uses it for everyday and she absolutely loves it. She has oily skin and she says this gives her a nice enough coverage, plus it has SPF in it and it's also good for your skin. And did I mention it's very affordable?

Revlon Colorstay: I don't think I have to tell you how good this is, after all there's a ton of reviews on blogs and on Youtube about this so you already know it's good. Sadly, I don't think Revlon is sold in Portugal, or at least not in supermarkets, It is, however, a great option at a great price. It is, from what I've heard, a bit more medium coverage, so if you don't want that much for an everyday look, maybe try one of the other two options.

Clinique Supermoisture Makeup: We all know Clinique is a pretty good brand and this foundation (although slightly more pricey than a drugstore foundation) is a very good choice for those of you with dry skin. I've never tried this but I've heard tons of good things about it so if you have the money to spend, I'd recommend giving this a shot.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum: In case you don't know, Bourjois is owned by the same person who owns Chanel. How fricking awesome is that?? Now I did try this out and I fell in love. I've been trying to find the perfect foundation for back to school that I could wear everyday for the whole Summer and I always go back to this one. It's just amazing, the colour matches me perfectly and it will help me hydrate my skin. It is a serum so it's lighter than a regular foundation and it's around 20 something euros here in Portugal, so I'm guessing it will be around that price for you too (I've heard it's a lot cheaper in the UK). People say it has a scent but I never noticed it while I tried it on, so maybe my sense of smell isn't that great? Anyways, I highly recommend this and I'm definitely going to buy it soon and probably even give you all a review on it!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation: I've heard this is also amazing and around the same price as the serum version. From what I've heard, this is more matte than the serum and also provides a bit more coverage. It's a pretty good option in case you don't want the serum, however do keep in mind it also has a slight scent to it, so if you're not into that you should try another one.

FOUNDATIONS FOR NORMAL AND COMBINATION SKIN

I don't exactly have any foundations I recommend for these two types because it's very subjective of what you need. BB creams will always be a good choice for normal skin types since they are good for your skin and they also provide a little bit of coverage.

In case you have combination skin like myself, I'd suggest you think about what you really need a foundation to do. Do you need it to help your dry spots or the oily ones? If you need it to help the oily spots, go with a foundation for oily skin and, as for your dry patches, invest in a good moisturiser before applying your foundation (maybe even a primer that will also help moisturise those tough spots). If you need your foundation to cover up your dry patches like I do, go with a foundation for dry skin, which will give you the hydration you need and invest on a good powder to apply only on those oily spots (it's okay if you need to touch them up every now and then throughout the day, if your skin's oily that will probably be a must have anyways, just make sure to bring the powder with you to school).

At the end of the day, you should go with what makes you feel comfortable and ready to face everyone each time you walk into that classroom. If you don't even need foundation or BB creams or anything like this, then skip it! Concealer on the right spots goes a long way so I totally understand if you want to skip this step. What matters is that you feel confident throughout the day!

And that's the end of this post! I hope you liked it and, in the next post, I'll be talking about the rest of the base face products of my essentials (aka concealer and powder). Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated so make sure to leave yours down there and, as always, I love you and I hope you have a great day!