Any fellow near-blind ladies out there?! I can't see a thing without my glasses or contacts, and if you're blessed with less than perfect eyesight yourself, you'll know that applying makeup can be a slightly tricky business, especially first thing in the morning. I'm actually ashamed to admit the amount of times I got so close to the mirror my brush handle ended up hitting the mirror while the other side poked me straight into the eye... Please tell me I'm not the only one! Anyway, I've been wearing glasses and contacts for the past ten years, and I think it's safe to say I managed to figure out some great application techniques and tricks that help bring out your features despite the specs and make your eyes feel comfortable all day long when you're wearing your contacts.

As mentioned, if you're short-sighted, applying makeup without your glasses on can be an interesting process. First things first, I noticed that it's a whole lot easier for me to apply makeup with short-handled brushes, as I can get closer to the mirror and actually see what I'm doing. I also find that light, neutral shades on the eyelids work best. I mean, if you're feeling the smokey eye, obviously go for it, but with my glasses already creating shades around the eye area, I prefer brightening things up and leaving bolder shades for my lips. Large frames, which I personally am a fan of, also bring attention to the under eye area, so concealer is a must, and I also like to add a bit of eyeshadow under my eyes for some definition. When I'm wearing glasses, I never focus on creating gorgeous, layered eye makeup looks. The frame usually runs straight through that bit, so I rather apply a single shade and pop on some mascara. Speaking of which, curling your lashes beforehand is a must! If I don't do it, my lashes always end up hitting the lenses, and I'm sure you agree it's the most annoying thing ever. For the same reason, I also stay away from super lengthening and volumizing mascaras. For additional definition, a thin eyeliner on the upper lid works way better. And now my favourite part - the eyebrows. I always make sure mine look perfect, and I suggest you add some definition to yours too, especially when you're wearing glasses. Trust me, it makes all the difference. Moving away from the eyes, a nice, soft blush is your friend too. It instantly brightens up and lifts up the face, adding some much needed colour to the neutral eye zone. 

When you're wearing lenses, you can go with pretty much whatever look floats your boat, as there's no frames to disrupt your face, so to speak. But what you have to be more careful about are the actual products you use. Breathable daily disposable contacts like Focus Dailies by FeelGoodContacts are a good place to start. You'll avoid itchy, dry and bloodshot eyes, as using a brand new pair every day will prevent you from putting in an already used pair that potentially contains particles of makeup you wore the day before. Eye drops can be a life saver as well! I make sure to have some in my bag every time I'm on the go, especially if I'm wearing heavy makeup, which tends to make its way into my eyes by the end of the day. If you're wearing powder products, it's bound to happen, which is why cream products are much kinder to the eyes, along with hypoallergenic products and products suitable for sensitive eyes. Having said that, if you can't stay away from all the amazing powder pigments like I can't, just make sure you at least close your eyes during the application. And definitely, definitely stay away from applying eyeliners in the waterline. Oh, and avoid flaky, clumpy and fiber mascaras. They're the worst. Just two weeks ago, when I was trying out a new mascara, I had a 'contacts meet mascara fall out' situation on my hands, and it wasn't pretty...

That's it from me today! I do hope there's someone out there who will find my tips helpful. But really, out of curiousity, how many of you are wearing glasses or contacts? Let me know in a comment below!  

I can be a bit of a one trick pony when it comes to my foundation and my eyebrows. Nine times out of ten, I'll reach for the same products and use the same techniques, but hey, you know what they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Since I'm planning to film quite a few makeup tutorials in the upcoming months and don't want to start every video with the exact same five-minute-long process, I thought I would film this foundation and brow routine now, and skip the same-old-same-old parts in my future videos. Does it sound like a good deal?

It's no secret that putting on makeup hasn't been my top priority in the past few months, but there's one product I've been loving even on my no makeup days. Filling in my eyebrows can sometimes take me ages, because not only do I have to mix different coloured pencils or eyeshadows to get my eyebrow shade right, but I'm also very finnicky. If they don't look right, I consider my whole face makeup ruined. Having said that, sometimes (meaning many times) I don't have 15 minutes on my hands just to get my eyebrows looking perfect, so there's been an extensive search going on in Sandraland. The search for the product that will require a minimum amount of time and effort for the best result possible. I've obviously known about Benefit's Gimme Brow for quite a while. After all, Benefit always finds a way to hype up their products. But something has been holding me back from buying it. That something is the shade selection and, well, the price tag. After months of unsuccessful 'let me try to find a dupe' research, I gave in, walked into Boots and threw this baby into my shopping basket. Best. Decision. Ever.

Truth to be told, Benefit's Gimme Brow surpassed my expectations. It doesn't give me the full blown bold brows I admit I still prefer (although if I build the product up I can get very close), but it fills them in very nicely and very quickly. And the shade I took home with me, medium/deep, is the perfect match for my eyebrows! 

The tinted gel does the magic of evening the tone and covering some sparse spots, while the tiny brush makes sure the application is precise. The gel is supposed to be waterproof, long-wearing, natural-looking and buildable, which are the statements I can happily agree with. The fact that I haven't been using anything but Gimme Brow for the past few months tells you a lot, I think. 

The only thing that bothers me about this product is - yup, you guessed it - the price tag. To spend 17.50 pounds on such a simple product is a tad over the top, but call me crazy, I now consider it money well spent. I just hope that a dupe will be out soon, because I'm not sure if I can be spending so much money on my eyebrows for much longer. Especially now that I don't have an income. Let's just hope the tube I have now will last for a while! Have you tried any brow gels yourself or maybe even found a great dupe for this one? I would love to hear your thoughs! 

My eyebrows are very high on my makeup checklist, preceded only by under eye concealer. I feel naked when I don't fill them in. Does anyone else feel like that? From time to time, I get people asking me how I get them the way they are, so I think it was about time for me to film 'My Eyebrow Routine' video. I'll tell you everything you need to know to get your eyebrows from crap to fab. To hear my tips on shaping, grooming and filing in, simply watch the video below.