Day 43 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Bright Coverage! Today’s makeup was all about covering up skin irritation. Before I even begin my instructions on how I did my makeup today, I have to share my horrible experience that preceded my makeup application. I obtained a sample of a face mask, which I try to do every so often to help my complexion. The product I tried is the Algamoor Mask by Moor Spa (product information can be found here). Following the instructions, I applied a thin layer of the mask to my face and left it on for 10 minutes before washing off with warm water. About five minutes in, I began to feel an uncomfortable burning/tingling sensation. The product is to help with oily or acneic skin, so I thought this was why. However, after rinsing I soon realized that I was experiencing an allergic reaction to the product! By way of history, I have never had an allergic reaction to any skin care product, and I’ve tried a ton of them! My face began to swell rapidly, burned, turned fire engine red, and broke out in hives. I took an allergy pill and the hives began to back down after about 30 minutes. It took almost 2 hours for the swelling to completely go down, and I still have remnants of the hives via small bumps all over my face. My face was also severely itchy all day! At the time I applied my makeup, my skin was also still very, very red and swollen. If you look closely at the photos, you can see that my face is swollen and there is a red hue to my skin. I will be contacting an Aesthetician friend of mine to let her know what happened and see if she has any recommendations. However, in the interim, I really recommend that you avoid this product!
Now on to The Challenge!
What you will need:
Instructions:
For my makeup application today, I decided to go with cool tones and a liquid foundation to try to offset and cover the redness. I began with a makeup primer to help smooth out the bumpy texture of my skin resulting from the allergic reaction. I then applied a light coat of Smashbox High Definition Healthy FX Foundation, which I highly recommend as it glides on easily, provides a nice coverage, and it has great skin care benefits. I applied concealer to my under eye circles and any majorly red spits, and dusted on a light coat of powder to set. I very lightly contoured my cheekbones with bronzer and highlighter, wanting to avoid adding too much bronzer, which could accent the redness of my skin. I then swept the highlighter down the bridge of my nose and lightly across my forehead to highlight and detract from the red tone. It’s not always recommended to highlight your forehead, as it could just make your skin look oily, but in this case I needed to! I chose a plum blush (I don’t think I have to keep emphasizing why I’m using cool tones, now do I?) and applied it to the apples of my cheeks only.
Moving to my eyes, I applied eyeshadow primer, and while that dried I golden-green cream eyeshadow from the crease of the eye to the brow, blending from the inner to outer corners of the eye. I applied the bright green eyeshadow to the eyelid, and followed it by applying the bright yellow eyeshadow into and slightly above the crease. The main focus of my eye look was the bright green liquid eyeliner. I applied it to the bottom lash line first. I then drew a line moving from the center of the bottom lash line outward bast the outer edge of my eye, allowing the line to slightly tilt upward with the shape of my cheekbone. I then drew a parallel line moving from the outer corner of the eye outward, ending at the same point as the bottom line. I chose to leave a gap between the two lines to create an interesting shape.
With regard to the liquid eyeliner I used, I have to note that I’ve had an issue with this particular product. It’s not that its a liquid liner (I’ve used these a million times without any problems), it seems to be the product itself. I’ve never had any issues with NYX products before, and I’m actually a fan of the brand. I’m not sure if this particular bright green liquid eyeliner was defective or not. It would not glide on smoothly, leaving odd gaps in the line, as well as flaking off shortly after application. On top of that, this bright green liquid eyeliner actually burns a bit on application (not just this time when my skin is irritated, but also in the past). Has anyone else used the NYX Studio Liquid Liner, whether in Extreme Green or not? If so, have you ever had a problem with it? I will definitely keep using NYX products, and I’m willing to try the Studio Liquid Liner in another color to see if that works out better. Although I’ve had issues with this liner, I still keep using it for the vibrant color it provides. I always get a ton of compliments when I wear it, even with smaller applications.
Getting back to the application for today, I finished the eyes off with two coats of mascara to the top lashes and one to the bottom. I then finalized the whole look with a plum-colored lipstick to complete my plan of attack to distract from my red-hued skin.
There you have it! I think I fairly succeeded in concealing my poor red, irritated skin. What do you think? Do you have any tips for covering such tones? If so, share! Of course, be sure to also share any photos, ask any questions you may have, or share any ideas you want me to try our via reply post, my Submit page above or Email Me!
See you tomorrow for Day 44 of The Great Makeup Challenge!
Note: All products I recommended above are available from Sephora, Ulta, your local department store, your local drug store, or through Amazon.com.
Day 41 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Neon! After finishing my week-long series of inspirational looks from The Colorist October 2011 issue, I needed a new idea. In considering what to do for today’s look, I started reviewing the recent resort fashion collections. As with the collections we saw throughout 2011, a common theme amongst them were pops of bright (often neon) colors. To me, this is a perfect way to cheer up on a drab Fall day. I’ve always been a fan of a pop of color, and lately I’ve been exploring using unexpected lines in makeup. So I decided to combine both today, taking inspiration from a Spring 2011 look above. Starting with today’s look, I’m going to explore some various ways to play with these bright colors. Remember: if you have any specific bright colors or color combinations you want me to try out, or any shapes you want to see, send me a message via reply post, my Submit page above or E-mail Me! I welcome the challenge!
What you will need:
Instructions:
Today’s inspirational look above is rooted in a very bare-skinned look as the base for the bright eye makeup. My skin has a tendency to look sickly if I go with too bare a look. I know my limitations. So I varied this a bit to meet my skin’s needs. I opted to go with the same base I’ve been using the last few days, as I feel that its really helped to present an even, warm complexion. I began with a tinted primer, applied concealer to my under eye circles, and dusted on a light coat of a warm powder to set. I then applied eyeshadow primer to my eyelids, and while that set I moved on to contouring my cheekbones. I opted to go back to using both parts of my favorite bronzer/highlighter palette, applying the darker shades of the palette to the hollows of the cheekbones and the lighter tones to the tops of the cheekbones. I applied both very lightly, to add just a subtle contour. To add a touch of color and warmth to my cheeks, I lightly applied a warm beige blush to the apples of the cheeks.
Moving to the eyes, I lined the top inner rims only with black inner rim liner and lined the bottom inner rims with inner rim brightener to really open the eyes up. I then applied applied a light, neutral shadow to the entire eye area to set a light, eye-opening base for the bright shadows. For those bright shadows, you can opt for eyeliners if you have them, but I used what I had in stock, bright shades from my limited edition bright Givenchy Le Prismissime 9-Colors Eyeshadow palette. I began by first applying the light purple shade in the palette to the under eye area. Using an angled brush, I began at the inner corner of the and worked my way outward. When I reached the center of the eye (where the lash line naturally begins to turn upward), I drew my line straight outward, ending just past my natural brow. I applied additional layers of the purple color on top of the line I created until I was satisfied. I then moved to the bright orange shade. Once again using an angled eyeshadow brush, I began at the inner corner of the eye, arcing upward to just below the brow, and created a line mimicking my brow arch as it moved outward. When I reach the end of the brow, I created a sharp, straight line outward, running parallel to my purple line. I layered the orange shadow as well until I reached the intensity I was looking for. I then finished the eyes with a quick swipe of two coats of lengthening mascara to the top lashes and one to the bottom.
I finished the look with a simple orange lip gloss to add a little punch of color and shine to the lips.
The look was overall very simple, but very fun. Today’s weather was dark, dreary, cold, and rainy. The bright colors provided a bit of a pick-me-up. Try it out for yourself! Of course, if you do, don’t forget to share! Post your photos, ask any questions you may have, or share any ideas you want me to try our via reply post, my Submit page above or Email Me!
See you tomorrow for Day 42 of The Great Makeup Challenge!
Note: All products I recommended above are available from Sephora, Ulta, your local department store, your local drug store, or through Amazon.com.
Day 40 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Precious Gems, Part 4! Today’s look wraps up my series from the Precious Gems pictorial in the October 2011 issue of The Colorist. Today’s look is the most dramatic of the group, and, as you will note in some of the photos above, can go dark and evil very easily. In the right proportions, however, I think it can be a great evening look. The color focus for today features gold, bronze, and ruby tones. Lest we forget, it’s also time for Wednesday Product Reviews, and today I will be reviewing the ruby lipstick from Maybelline used in yesterday and today’s look, as well as a bonus review of the Too Faced Eye Shadow Primer I’ve been test-driving. So let’s get started!
What you will need:
Instructions:
In the name of you, my followers, I committed a makeup sin last night: I slept in my makeup. My reasons were twofold: (1) I wanted to see just how long-lasting I guess for two reasons one to see just how lasting the Maybelline New York Superstay 24, 2-step Lipcolor was; and (2) I wanted to see how well and how long the Too Faced Eye Shadow Primer would last. Yes, this means that I was willing to torture my skin for the sake of my blog. No need to send thanks, this is where I will just go ahead and issue a preemptive “you’re welcome.”
Now, before I dive into the product reviews, I’ll first start where my makeup plans for the day started: with a good moisturizer. After sleeping in my makeup, I gave my face a good cleansing this morning, and it needed some good skin care to help keep it in the fairly good shape its been in recently. So I went with the same base as yesterday, helping to just add a light base that still provided nice, even coverage overall. In case you missed it, it breaks down as follows: I began with a tinter primer, applied concealer to my under eye circles, and dusted on a light coat of a warm powder to set. When reviewing the inspiration photo for today, which offered a partial side view of the look, I noted the strength of the bronzer application as part of the contour. So I opted to use a darker bronzer, applying it with a heavier hand than usual. I applied the bronzer a bit heavier closer to the hairline, and diffused it as I moved down the cheekbone hollows to the apples of the cheeks. I then finished contouring by applying highlighter to the tops of the cheekbones.
I then applied eyeshadow primer to my eyelids, which leads me to the first part of my Wednesday Product Review: Too Faced Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer. As you may have noticed, I’ve been using this eyeshadow primer for six days now to really get a feel for how it works. As I stated on my first day of trying the product, Day 34 of The Challenge: “The eyeshadow primer went on smoothly and lightened the eye area slightly, which helped conceal my lack of sleep even more!” This initial reaction held true through each day that I used the product. It not only glides on smoothly and dries quickly, but it also is not overly oily or drying, which I’ve experienced with other eyeshadow primers. The bonus of a light tint is very helpful for providing an even color to the eye area, instantly brightening the eye, and nicely covering the natural dark tones of my eyes that I keep complaining of (part heredity, part stress/lack of sleep). The big question is how long it lasts. The main purpose of an eyeshadow primer is to: (1) present your eyeshadow from creasing, running, flaking, etc.; and (2) help it stay put and last. When we put effort into our eye makeup, we want it to last. So how did this eyeshadow primer perform? Exceptionally well. I’ve always had a favorite eyeshadow primer and have recommended it to everyone I know (Urban Decay Primer Potion), but I really do like this one and it will probably end up in my makeup took kit on a rotating basis. When applying eyeshadow, this primer really holds it in place, prevents creasing and smudging, and it even keeps the layered shadows I’ve been using the last few days from running into each other. With eyeshadow, it is not uncommon for it to slowly wear off and be gone by the end of the day. This eyeshadow primer prevented that. During my six day try-out, when I reached the end of the day, and I began my makeup removal process, my eyeshadow was still perfectly in place as if I had just put it on. So it definitely passes the test of same-day lasting power and anti-crease (and stray, smear, etc.) benefits. Now, as I had stated earlier: I slept in my makeup last night. It is not something we set out to do, but it was a way to really put the makeup to the test. For full disclosure, I do have a habit of rubbing my eyes, making my eyes water, and generally giving them a hard time during the night. When I woke up this morning, approximately 50% of my eyeshadow was still there. Considering it was on for 24 hours, and I put it through the ringer overnight, I consider this a success for this eyeshadow primer. For all of these reasons, the Wednesday Product Review of Too Faced Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer is: A+!
Moving back to today’s makeup application, I applied the eyeshadow primer again today, and while it was drying, I lined my inner rims of my eyes with black inner rim liner. The eyeshadow today was a bit more of a challenge than I originally anticipated. When applying, I had to make a lot of adjustments, blending colors here and there, adding and subtracting colors as needed, etc. In the end, I was happy with the resulting look, although it was a bit dark for my daily tasks, and I worried that it seemed to verge on a costumey look. Regardless, I began by applying a yellow eyeshadow just under my eyebrow, creating a narrow line that followed the brow. I applied the bronze shade beginning at the inner corner of the eye, and moving it upward along the inner arch of the eye to end just under the start of my brow. I gently blended the shade outward from the inner part of my eye with my finger tip. Although part of the look, I usually avoid applying dark color to the inner arc of my eye, as it immediately results in an overall darkening effect to the eyes themselves (do I need to remind you of my dark circle issues again?). However, since it is an integral part of the look from the inspiration photo, I went with it.
Next, I applied the rust eyeshadow to the eyelid, and began creating and an angled shape upward from the lid. Using an angled eyeshadow brush (I think I need to do a segment on tools, as brushes and other tools are so important to makeup application), I drew a diagonal line moving upward and outward with the rust eyeshadow (think of the \ on your keyboard), reaching up to meet the yellow eyeshadow. I then repeated the same line at the outer corner of the eye, filling in the center section created with the rust eyeshadow and blending with my fingertips to soften the edges. Moving to the black eyeshadow, I used a second angled eyeshadow brush to line the bottom lash line, beginning at the inner corner and moving outward, and extending the line past the outer corner to end in line with the top point of my outer rust eyeshadow line. I then played connect-the-dots, connecting the black eyeshadow line to the outer rust eyeshadow line, and filling in the center section with the black eyeshadow. Using my fingertip, I blended the black and rust eyeshadows at the outer corner to prevent any obvious lines. I went back and made any adjustments I felt necessary. Once I was happy with the shadow, I finished the eyes with two coats of mascara to the top lashes and one to the bottom.
Now to the second part of our Wednesday Product Review: Maybelline New York Superstay 24, 2-step Lipcolor, in No. 025 Keep Up The Flame. As noted, I started to try out this product yesterday, and I slept in it to see if it stood up to its 24-hour claim. The product itself involves a two-step process. First, I applied the color side of the lipstick, allowing it to dry before I moved on to the second step. I was instantly smitten with the color. It is a beautiful red that would be gorgeous on most skin tones. If you apply it heavier or with a second coat before it dries, you can darken the shade to meet your needs. The color is applied with a wand reminiscent of a lip gloss. There is a negative to this application: with the wand, it can leave a blob of color. This, of course, can be spread out. However, the negative is that the color dries very quickly, so if you don’t spread it out instantly, or don’t get the color perfectly on the lips (move outside your lip lines at all), it can dry and stain before you have time to correct it. My advice is to have your trusty Q-Tips on hand and pre-dipped in makeup remover for quick correction. Of course, the quick drying time is also beneficial as it timing on the application process down. As the product was drying, I could feel it tightening and drying out my lips. This is where step two of the process comes in: you apply what is essentially a moisturizing lip balm over the color once it dries. It instantly adds moisture and a beautiful shine to the look. The product recommends re-applying the balm throughout the day, and I found out why when I let it go a few hours without doing so: if you don’t, the color begins to crack and flake. This, of course, is a bit of a negative. If you forget to keep applying the balm, the resulting flaking is not pretty. Additionally, you can’t just apply the color or the balm over the flaking to correct it: it just makes it worse. You actually have to scrub (and I mean scrub - makeup remover is recommended) off the remaining flaking color prior to re-application. The color does last, though, and it passed my overnight test. I woke up with the color still there and very strong on my lips (although the flaking had started, of course). In the end, for the Wednesday Product Review of Maybelline New York Superstay 24, 2-step Lipcolor, in No. 025 Keep Up The Flame, I give it a B. It has great potential, and lots of positives, but I highly advise that you really stay on top of your balm application!
That wraps up today’s Wednesday Product Review and our Precious Gems segment from The Colorist. Check in tomorrow as I try to come up with a new theme! Of course, don’t forget to post your photos, ask any questions you may have, or share any ideas you want me to try our via my Submit page above or Email Me! I still have a long way to go in The Challenge, and I need help with ideas!
See you tomorrow for Day 41 of The Great Makeup Challenge!
Note: All products I recommended above are available from Sephora, Ulta, your local department store, your local drug store, or through Amazon.com.
Day 39 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Precious Gems, Part 3! Today’s look is once again a continuation of the Precious Gems pictorial in the October 2011 issue of The Colorist. The color focus for today is on deep blue and gold tones with a pop of ruby. The combination was surprisingly flattering. Try it out for yourself! If you do, don’t forget to share wish me via my Submit page above or E-mail Me!
What you will need:
Instructions:
As Fall’s chilly weather is settling in, my skin is beginning to dry out a bit. I knew I needed to go with a thicker moisturizer this morning, so I wanted my makeup base to remain light to prevent clogged pores and breakouts. I began with a tinter primer, applied concealer to my under eye circles, and dusted on a light coat of a warm powder to set. I then applied eyeshadow primer to my eyelids, and while that set I moved on to contouring my cheekbones. I opted to go back to using both parts of my favorite bronzer/highlighter palette, applying the darker shades of the palette to the hollows of the cheekbones and the lighter tones to the tops of the cheekbones. As I’ve noted with the other looks in the Precious Gems portfolio, this look did not utilize blush, instead focusing on the eyes, and in this case, the lips as well.
Moving to the eyes, I began by lining the inner rims with my favorite black inner rim liner. I began trying out the Clarins Colourful Horizons Eye Colour Palette, first applying the light, neutral shadow to the inner corner and along the brow bone. I then applied the gold shadow to the eyelids only, and I must say I was quite impressed with the gold tone. Gold is one of those shades that can run too dark, too light, too yellow, too shimmery, or not shimmery enough. The gold shadow in this palette was a great shade, and it will definitely be a staple in my makeup routine moving forward. On a side note, this palette also contains an emerald green shade with a touch of gold shimmer that would be perfect for the Emerald Precious Gems Challenge that I did yesterday. Back to today’s challenge, I applied the shimmery bronze shadow from the palette to the crease of the eye, and then slowly blended it up and above the crease from the inner eye outward. I also extended the bronze shadow out past the outer corner of the eye, softly arcing it downward as a I did so. I must note that I was not as impressed with the bronze shadow as I was with the rest of the palette. In the palette itself, it appears more bronze, almost coppery, but upon application it comes out more brown. However, I don’t feel that it negatively affected the overall look.
Now, one of the main parts of this look is the deep blue shadow under the eyes. Although I have a massive makeup collection, I realized that I didn’t have a deep blue shade. It just happens to be one of the few colors that I don’t really wear, so I had to improvise a bit. I lined the bottom lash line with the dark blue liner from the tokidoki Brillante Glitter Eyeliner Set. Although my goal was not glitter, it was the closest I had to a dark blue liner. I then applied the darker blue shade from the Givenchy Le Prismissime 9-Colors Eyeshadow brights palette over the top of the blue eyeliner, extending the color past the outer corner of the eye to meet where I left off with the bronze shadow. I then applied the blue shadow to the inner corner of the eye, lining both the top and bottom lid of the inner corner, and gently blending with my fingertip. I then finished the eyes with two coats of mascara to the top lashes and one to the bottom. Although my eyeshadow was a vibrant blue instead of the dark jewel tone used in the inspiration photo, I was quite pleased with the result. I think I preferred the juxtaposition of the bright color against the warm golden tones.
The last part of the look was the ruby red lip. For this, I decided to try out a new product: Maybelline New York Superstay 24, 2-step Lipcolor, in No. 025 Keep Up The Flame. With tomorrow being time for our Wednesday Product Review, I thought that this would be a good time to see if the product really lives up to its 24-hour promise. Following the instructions, I applied the color side first, allowing it to dry before moving on. I was quite impressed with the color right off the bat. It was the perfect shade of red for me. As the color dried, I could also feel it tightening and drying out my lips in the process. I’m assuming that’s why the second step is to apply a balm. Once the color dried, I applied the balm, which instantly made my lips feel moisturized again while adding a pretty shine. Now I’ll see if it actually can last!
Check back tomorrow to see if Maybelline New York Superstay 24 hour Lip color actually lives up to its promises! Of course, don’t forget to post your photos, ask any questions you may have, or share any ideas you want me to try our via my Submit page above or Email Me!
See you tomorrow for Day 40 of The Great Makeup Challenge!
Note: All products I recommended above are available from Sephora, Ulta, your local department store, your local drug store, or through Amazon.com.
Day 38 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Precious Gems, Part 2! Today’s look is once again a continuation of the Precious Gems pictorial in the October 2011 issue of The Colorist. The pictorial focuses on jewel (or gem, whatever your preference) tones, and today’s look focused on emerald tones. I’m a big fan of this look, and I believe the color combination is one that will work for almost every skin tone and hair color out there. Try it out for yourself! If you do, don’t forget to share wish me via my Submit page above or E-mail Me!
What you will need:
Instructions:
For my base today, I began with my favorite tinted moisturizer, applied concealer to my under eye circles, and dusted a warm powder over it all to set. I wanted to give my skin an overall warm glow, so I blended all of the shades in the Wet ‘n’ Wild MegaGlo palette and lightly dusted it over my entire face and neck. I then contoured my cheekbones, first applying a warm bronzer just under the tops of the cheekbones, and then applying a highlighter to the tops of the cheekbones. As with most of the looks that I’ve been mimicking from The Colorist, this look does not entail the use of blush.
Moving to the eyes, I applied an eyeshadow primer, and while that was drying, I lined the inner rims of my eyes with black inner rim liner. I began my eyeshadow by first applying a shimmery neutral eyeshadow along the brow bone. I applied an emerald green eyeshadow to the eyelids, and then, using a small, angled eyeshadow brush, I lined around my entire eye area with the emerald green eyeshadow. Next, I applied the olive green eyeshadow to the crease of the eye and slightly above. I then applied the olive green eyeshadow in an almost circular fashion around the outer corner of the eye and underneath, creating a line just below the line I had drawn with the emerald green eyeshadow. I dabbed a yellow-gold eyeshadow to the inner corner of the eye, blending it with my fingertip outward into the green shadows. I then lined the outer lash line with a dark green eyeliner, and finished the eye look with two coats of lengthening mascara to the top lashes and one to the bottom.
The lips in this look are a nude understatement to really let the eyes tell the story. I applied my favorite nude lipstick from Sephora, but then I dabbed a touch of pink lip gloss to the very center of the lip.
That, my friends, is my precious gems emerald look for the day. I highly recommend that you each try this one out! As I noted above, the colors utilized in this look are flattering for almost everyone. You don’t necessarily have to apply the makeup as heavily as I have (or you can go for more!), it’s completely up to you! Just be sure to let me know how you do!
Post your photos, ask any questions you may have, or share any ideas you want me to try our via my Submit page above or Email Me!
See you tomorrow for Day 39 of The Great Makeup Challenge!
Note: All products I recommended above are available from Sephora, Ulta, your local department store, your local drug store, or through Amazon.com.
Day 37 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Precious Gems, Part 1! So I continued to be inspired by the October 2011 issue of The Colorist . In the issue, there’s a pictorial entitled “Precious Gems.” Although the magazine focuses on hair color, the makeup used for the models’ styling is what inspired me. The pictorial contains four different looks that involve various uses of jewel (or gem, if you prefer) toned makeup in different shapes and styles. I decided to try the pictorial for myself. For today, I thought I’d start with the look above, a blend of purple, blue, and gold. Enjoy!
What you will need:
Instructions:
For my base, I decided to actually start with a matte skin tone. Even though the skin in that photo is glowing, I decided to take a different approach to get the look. I started out with a BB Cream. If you recall, I had tried out some BB creams, and I used this particular one on Day 12 of The Challenge with mediocre results. However, I thought I would give it another try. Some products just take adjusting to get used to. Not sure what BB cream is? Check out my Day 12 Challenge post for all the details! After I let the BB Cream set, I applied my concealer to my under eye circles. I then dusted on my powder to set the base and give my complexion a warm, matte effect.
For my contouring today, I also mixed it up a bit. In my inspiration photo above, the contouring on the cheekbones looks like she could cut glass. I’d be interested to see the side views of the look to see how sharply they actually contoured the cheekbones. However, since no such photo was provided, I had to use my imagination with this one. I began by applying a dark, warm bronzer into the hollows of the cheeks, blending up and out towards the hairline. I chose a darker bronzer shade than my typical application because I really wanted the tone to stand out. Additionally, in applying the bronzer, I also blended it slightly on top of my cheekbones itself to provide the illusion of higher cheekbones overall. It’s an example of faking it with makeup. I then applied highlighter to the very tops of the cheekbones, blending up and out. Now, I know I stated that I wanted to start with a matte skin tone and take a different approach to obtain the glowing skin. For my next step, blended together all of the shades in the Wet ‘n’ Wild MegaGlo Illuminating Powder Palette and dusted across my t-zone. In case you are not sure what the t-zone is, it is the area across your forehead and down the,center of your face (bridge of the nose and down to the chin), which creates a ‘t’ shape. I decided to add a warm highlight to this area to pick up the light in all of the right areas without making my skin look oily (always a worry for me!). Once again, this look did not involve blush. However, with both the bronzer and the highlighter, I extended them over the apples of the cheeks instead to add glow and warmth.
Moving onto the eyes, I began by applying eyeshadow primer, and while that was setting I lined the upper inner rims of my eyes with black inner rim liner. This look varies from my typical inner rim lining. When reviewing the inspiration photo, I noticed that it appeared that the top inner rim and the very inner corner (top and bottom) of the eyes were actually lined. So this is what I did, including lining the inner corner of the inner rims. I then applied a light neutral eyeshadow to the inner corners of the eyes and the area between the eye crease and the brow bone. I then applied a yellow-gold shimmery eyeshadow to the eyelids only. Next, using a small angled eyeshadow brush, I applied a light purple eyeshadow to the bottom lash line. Once lined, I went back and created a ‘U” shape with the purple eyeshadow, moving from the inner corner to the outer, and allowing the eyeshadow to expand to a wider application at the center of the eye. I then moved on to my medium blue eyeshadow. Beginning at the outer corner of the (where the purple eyeshadow ended), I used an angled eyeshadow bruse to create a straight line upward to meet the outer edge of my eyebrow. I then created a second line with the blue eyeshadow from the end of my first line, straight back in toward the eye, ending in the crease in the center of the eye. I filled in the triangular shape created by my lines with the blue eyeshadow from the crease and out. I also filled the crease from the center of the eye to the outer edge with the blue eyeshadow. I finished the blue eyeshadow by adding a bit of the color to the outer corner of the eyelid around the yellow-gold eyeshadow, essentially allowing the blue eyeshadow to surround the yellow-gold eyeshadow in a wedge shape.
Now there are a couple of things in the inspiration photo that I think I see, but that I’m not really sure. First, after staring endlessly at the photo, to me it appears as if there’s pink shadow in the inner corner of the eye. I don’t know if it’s actually there or if it’s my eyes playing tricks on me. Either way, I decided it would be a great accent to the color palette already in place. Accordingly, I applied a bright pink eyeshadow to the inner corner of my eyes, blending it slightly outward to both the top and bottom colors. Second, to me it appears as if there is a darker shade outlining the bottom purple eyeshadow in the inspiration photo. Once again, I’m not sure if there is, but I went for it. I selected a deep bronze eyeshadow, and I lightly applied a line around the entire bottom eyeshadow, starting at the inner corner and working my outward to the very end of the blue eyeshadow at the brow. For my mascara, I wanted to use something that would really lengthen and separate, so I went with Lancôme Definicils Precious Cells High Definition Amplifying Mascara, applying two coats to the top lashes and one to the bottom.
The final part of this look is the lips, which have a very soft, natural tone with a touch of shine. For this, I opted to go with a tinted lip balm, which gave me just a hint of color with shine. Plus, it had the added benefit of moisturizing my lips!
So there you have it: the first of my four-part Precious Gems segment. Tell me what you think. and let me know if there’s any jewel/gem tones you want me to try out, or any color combinations that you want to challenge me with! Remember that I still need a lot of ideas! We are past the first month mark, but there’s still a long way to go! Share your photos and experiences, and show me some of your makeup skills!
Post your photos, ask any questions you may have, or share any ideas you want me to try our via my Submit page above or Email Me!
See you tomorrow for Day 38 of The Great Makeup Challenge!
Note: All products I recommended above are available from Sephora, Ulta, your local department store, your local drug store, or through Amazon.com.
Day 36 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Fresh-Faced, Part V! Today wraps up my five-part inspiration series of fresh-faced looks from the October 2011 issue of The Colorist. If you’ve missed this week’s fresh-faced looks, be sure to check them out: Fresh-Faced Part 1, Fresh-Faced Part 2, Fresh-Faced Part 3, and Fresh-Faced Part 4!
What you will need:
Instructions:
For today’s base, I decided to follow with the steps I used for Fresh-Faced Part 4, as I think it worked rather well. I mixed my two favorite Sephora primers, and applied the mixture over my entire face, evening out my complexion and providing a touch of color and glow! I then applied my concealer to my undereye circles (you can tell from the photos above that my insomnia is weighing heavily on my eyes!), and added the brightening makeup I’ve been using this week to my entire face. I then set the look with a clear loose setting powder. I proceeded with my standard contouring tips, utilizing the Wet ‘n’ Wild MegaGlo palette. After adding the darker shades to the hollows of the cheekbones and along the jaw line for added definition, I applied the the lighter shades on the tops of the cheekbones. I started at the temples, moving my way downward to the apples of the cheeks. I then added the lighter shades to the apples of the cheeks in lieu of blush. My goal was to achieve the luminescence that the model has in this photo.
Moving to my eyes, I lined the inner rims with black inner rim liner. I applied a shimmery neutral eyeshadow from the inner corner of the eye, upward and outward to the area between the crease and the brow. I then applied a shimmery silvery-gold eyeshadow to the eyelid. Using an angled eyeshadow brush, I lined the bottom lash line with the same silvery-gold eyeshadow in place of eyeliner. I then began working on the outline of the main shape of the eye look. Using a soft, smudgeable black eyeliner, I began creating my line towards the inner part of my eye, where the eye crease naturally begins to level off after curving upward. From this point, I created an outward arc, moving above the crease of the eye, yet following the general shape of the natural crease. However, instead of moving downward with the crease at the outer part of the eye, I continued outwards until I reached where my natural brown ended, at which point I flipped the black eyeliner upward. I then softly drew a line with the black eyeliner from the outer corner of the eye, arcing it upward to meet the top line at the point where my brow ended.
Next, I applied silver eyeshadow to the crease of the eye, beginning at the inner corner and working my way outward. I then went back and filled in with the silver eyeshadow any area left blank between my black eyeliner line and my eye. I then worked dark grey eyeshadow into the outer corner of the shape I had created with the black eyeliner, allowing it to gradually become lighter as it moved inward towards the eye. I then went back with my silvery-gold eyeshadow and extended the line I had created underneath the eye outward to meet the edge of the line of my design. The eye look was all about blending and gradation, and I used my fingertips and smudge brushes to adjust into I obtained the look I wanted. I then finished the eyes with two coats of black mascara to the top lashes and one to the bottom.
I completed the entire look with a pretty peachy-pink lipstick topped with a gold lip gloss for a bit of shine.
Although I didn’t get the exact look as shown in the photo, I was pretty happy with the results. The varying shapes from this week gave me some ideas of different looks I can try out in the future.
Remember that I still need a lot of ideas! We are past the first month mark, but there’s still a long way to go! Share your photos and experiences, and show me some of your makeup skills! Post your photos, ask any questions you may have, or share any ideas you want me to try our via my Submit page above or Email Me!
See you tomorrow for Day 37 of The Great Makeup Challenge!
Note: All products I recommended above are available from Sephora, Ulta, your local department store, your local drug store, or through Amazon.com.
Day 35 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Follower Friday featuring Fresh-Faced, Part IV! It’s time again for Follower Friday! Today’s question comes from Amber L. in Pennsylvania :
“What is a good mascara for volume and length all in one?”
Great question, Amber! This is actually a common one that I am often asked. Today I will answer Amber’s question, and, in keeping this week’s inspiration from the October 2011 issue of The Colorist, it will be fresh-faced! If you’ve missed this week’s fresh-faced looks, be sure to check them out: Fresh-Faced Part 1, and Fresh-Faced Part 2, and Fresh-Faced Part 3 !
What you will need:
Instructions:
For today’s base, I decided to switch it up a bit and try something different to achieve the glowing skin I’ve been working towards. I mixed my two favorite Sephora primers, and applied the mixture over my entire face. It helped even out my complexion, give a bit a color, and add some glow! I then applied myconcealer to my undereye circles (got some sleep last night, so they are improving!), and added the brightening makeup I’ve been using this week to my entire face. I then set the look with a clear loose setting powder. I decided to go with the clear setting powder instead of my standard colored mineral powder to see if it would allow the glow to shine through more. It did dampen some of the glow, but it definitely let more shine through! Now, when you look at the photo above, which was my guide for today’s look, you can see the cheeks are done in much the same way that I did yesterday for Fresh-Faced Part 3 . As such, I followed the same steps to achieve a glowing look on the cheeks with a bit of contouring.
Then I got down to business with the main focus of the look: the eyes. To begin the eyes, I first applied eyeshadow primer, and once that set, I dusted a neutral eyeshadow from the inner corner of the eyes, upward and outward to cover the area from the crease to the brow bone. Although in the inspiration photo you can’t see exactly what color is on the eyelids, to me it looked like something with a golden tone. So I decided to use a shimmery gold eyeshadow, applying it to the eyelids only.
Next, I worked on creating the black line that is the odd focal point of the eye look. Using a black eyeliner, I began to line starting in the crease at the very center of the eye, drawing a straight line outward past the outer corner of the eye. When I reached the point where my eyebrow ended, I arced the line up sharply, creating a sweeping effect. I will be honest: I had to do the line a couple of times until I was happy with it. This is where Q-tips and makeup remover come in handy! I don’t always get it right the very first time, so if you don’t either, don’t worry about it!
Moving on, I began applying the dark grey eyeshadow using an angled eyeshadow brush. Beginning at the outer end of the black line I had created, I pressed the brush down, angled diagonally back toward the eye, creating my outer edge line for the shadow. From where that line ended, I drew a straight line with the eyeshadow brush back to the outer corner of the eye, and then filled in the area with the dark grey eyeshadow. I finished with the dark grey eyeshadow by applying it to the crease of the eye as well. I lined the inner rims with black inner rim liner, and lined the bottom lash line with copper-colored eyeliner, leaving the top lash line unlined.
Now for our Follower Friday question from Amber. As you can tell by now, I am a big fan of makeup products that do double-duty. When it comes to mascara, I’ve had trouble finding one single product that does everything I want it to. Quite honestly, the best mascara I have found to do both volumizing and lengthening is Benefit Cosmetics BADgal Mascara. It volumizes and lengthens beautifully. It’s not everything I want, but it’s close! Now, as I’m sure you’ve all experienced, most mascaras target one specific need (i.e. volumizing or lengthening, but not both). One tip that I have used many times when I was unable to attain the look I was going for with one product was to layer. Yes, I mean using more than one mascara! I would first apply my favorite volumizing mascara, and then I would top it with my favorite lengthening mascara. It really does work. Another helpful option is what I started today’s eyelash look with: lash primer. Not only does a good lash primer add length or volume and prep your lashes for mascara, it also can have moisturizing benefits to care for your lashes. Try some different products, and figure out what works best for you. Mascara is a very personal choice: the efficiency of the product depends on the user’s lashes. Don’t be afraid to experiment (or layer), and, Amber, let me know what works for you! As for me, I started off with one coat of lash primer to the top and bottom lashes, and followed this by applying two coats of mascara to the top lashes and one to the bottom.
I finished the look by applying a warm tawny lipstick and topping it with gold lip gloss. There you have it!
Do you have a favorite mascara? Have you tried out any interesting eye looks? Have any you want me to try? Share your photos and experiences, and show me some of your makeup skills! Post your photos, ask any questions you may have, or share any ideas you want me to try our via my Submit page above or Email Me!
See you tomorrow for Day 36 of The Great Makeup Challenge!
Note: All products I recommended above are available from Sephora, Ulta, your local department store, your local drug store, or through Amazon.com.
Day 34 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Fresh-Faced, Part III. This week’s inspiration comes from the October 2011 issue of The Colorist, and today’s look is a continuation of these looks. In case you missed them, be sure to check out the Fresh-Faced Part 1 and Fresh-Faced Part 2 looks! The inspiration photo above was part of the spread I’ve been using for the past two days. It offers a different take on eyeshadow application. I was a big fan of this look, and within two hours of putting it on, I got multiple compliments!
What you will need:
Instructions:
For today’s base, I began with a tinted primer, and I topped it with the Borghese Splendore Brightening Makeup I tried out yesterday to add some glow to my skin. I once againconcealed my undereye circles, although you can tell from the photos above that my dark circles are still popping through a bit! I need sleep! As usual, I then set my base with a light dusting of mineral powder. Now, when you look at the photo above from The Colorist magazine, there isn’t any color on the apples of the cheeks. The focus is on fresh, glowing skin. So I went with my standard contouring tips, utilizing the Wet ‘n’ Wild MegaGlo palette . After adding the darker shades to the hollows of the cheekbones and along the jaw line for added definition, I applied the the lighter shades on the tops of the cheekbones. I started at the temples, moving my way downward to the apples of the cheeks. I then added the lighter shades to the apples of the cheeks in lieu of blush. My goal was to achieve the luminescence that the model has in this photo.
Moving to my eyes, I began by trying out Too Faced Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer on the eye area to help keep my structured shadow in place. The eyeshadow primer went on smoothly and lightened the eye area slightly, which helped conceal my lack of sleep even more! I applied a light dusting of a shimmery white eyeshadow to the entire eye area. I then went back and added a heavier application of the shimmery white eyeshadow to the eyelid itself, starting in the inner corner and working it outward past the outer edge of the eye, angling it upward at that point.
To create the interesting shape, I chose one of my favorite grey eyeshadows, Estee Lauder Pure Color EyeShadow in Granite Block . I applied the dark grey shadow to the eye, beginning by applying from the inner corner outward above the crease. I began my line around where my lash line started, and at the point where my lash line ended, instead of following the curve of the eye crease, I used and angled brush to create a line pointing upward and outward toward the end of the brow. I then used the same angled brush to create a line back towards my first arcing ling, creating a triangle at the outer part of the eye. I then filled in the triangle with the dark grey shadow, and I went over the lines I had created with the dark grey shadow until I reached the shade that I was looking for. I then repeated these steps on the other eye, making any necessary adjustments to ensure that they were symmetrical. I finished the eyes by lining the bottom lash line only with I lined the bottom lash line with a copper-colored eyeliner, and leaving the top lash line unlined. I swiped two coats of mascara to the top lashes and one to the bottom lashes.
Finally, I wanted to keep the lips nude, but maintain the natural glow. I applied a pretty, creamy, moisturizing nude lipstick (I love multi-tasking products!), and finished it off with a dab of gold lip gloss to the center of the lips.
Have you tried out any interesting lines or shapes? Have any you want me to try? Share your photos and experiences, and show me some of your makeup skills! Post your photos, ask any questions you may have, or share any ideas you want me to try our via my Submit page above or Email Me!
See you tomorrow for Day 35 of The Great Makeup Challenge!
Note: All products I recommended above are available from Sephora, Ulta, your local department store, your local drug store, or through Amazon.com.
Day 33 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Fresh-Faced, Part II. As with yesterday’s Fresh-Faced look, I continued to have inspiration from the October 2011 issue of The Colorist. In the issue, there is a whole section of fresh-faced looks. Although the focus for the magazine is on the hair, the looks drew me in. So I thought I would try out the other looks this weeks as well. Today’s look seems mostly normal, with a hint of oddity. It is actually something I have seen coming across the runways over the last couple seasons: eye liner and makeup done in unexpected ways. So thought I’d give it a whirl.
Additionally, it’s time for our Wednesday Product Review! For me, this review is going to be twofold. First, I will review the Cover FX Clearprep FX Matte Foundation Primer and Anti-Acne Treatment that I have been trying out over the last week. Second, in keeping with our fresh-faced glowing skin trend, I’m decided to try out a new product for brightening the skin. I’ve actually had some followers submit different products that they recommended to get that glowing skin tone. This is one of them. It’s Borghese Splendore Brightening Makeup. Here we go!
What you will need:
Instructions:
Today I wanted to try out a skin brightening makeup. So to begin my base, I mixed my primer with Borghese Splendore Brightening Makeup, and applied as usual. The directions on the Borghese Splendore Brightening Makeup note that this is one of the ways that the product can be applied, as well as applying over your foundation or daily skin care, or even mixing in with your moisturizer. The product did instantly give my skin a nice glow, and it wasn’t too oily. This is something that I worry about with liquid brightening makeup, as I’ve had bad experiences in the past. I worry about the product itself being oily and causing breakouts or skin irritation, and I also worry that it will make my skin appear oily upon application. The product went on easily, did not cause any breakouts or irritation, and it didn’t make my skin look oily. So for this Wednesday Product Review, Borghese Splendore Brightening Makeup gets an “A!”
With regard to the Cover FX Clearprep FX Matte Foundation Primer and Anti-Acne Treatment, over the week that I have been using it, I have been breakout free. Additionally, the primer went on smoothly and did not irritate or dry out my skin. Upon application daily, the product did tingle for a bit and most definitely could not be used around the eye area! It is not the best primer I’ve used, but it does come with some benefits. As such, this Wednesday Product Review of Cover FX Clearprep FX Matte Foundation Primer and Anti-Acne Treatment gets a “B.”
Moving on to my makeup application for the day, I definitely was in need of undereye concealer today! Truth be told, I am an insomniac, and I will experience some severe bouts of same. This is one of those times, and, as such, my undereye circles are darker than normal. I turned to my trusty Benefit Erase Paste to help out, but when the circles are this bad, they won’t completely disappear. I don’t know of any product that can tackle them when they get this bad! Do you? If so, please share! As for now, my concealer gave me a start. I followed up with a very light dusting of loose mineral powder. I wanted to set my base, but I didn’t want to cover up the glow I had been given from Borghese Splendore Brightening Makeup. However, even with a light dusting, I did instantly notice that the glow was muted. As such, I decided to simply apply more of the brightening makeup to any areas that needed extra highlighting.
Next, I contoured my cheeks with my favorite Wet ‘n’ Wild MegaGlo, using the darker shades in the hollows of the cheekbones and the lighter shades on the tops of the cheekbones. I used the photo above from The Colorist for my frame of reference, and quickly noted that the main part of the look was the heavily flushed effect on the cheeks. Since there was not a profile photo of this look, I couldn’t be certain how the blush was extended and the cheeks contoured (or not). I took the approach of what my face looks like freshly flushed after exercise or other activities (including standing out in the 30° weather that is currently present where I live). So I wanted my blush to really stand out. Although the eyes do have an interesting aspect to them, the blush plays a prominent role in the overall look. I chose a pink blush that is almost exactly my natural blushing color. I have mentioned this before, but I wanted to reiterate this: when choosing a natural blush, you will not always find a perfect match in one product. It may take you a while to find the perfect tone, or you may need to mix and match to obtain the perfect shade! It’s okay to mix! It is rare to find makeup that is perfectly tailor made for every skin tone, so be patient and try new things! Since the flush in this look is so strong, I applied my pink blush heavier than I typically would, shooting for the hue I have after stepping in from the cold in the middle of winter. When I blush, I don’t just blush on the apples of my cheeks. As such, I blended my pink blush upwards over the bronzer in the hollows of my cheeks, blending with my fingertips. I then gently tapped additional brightening makeup with my fingertips to the tops of the cheekbones to give it that little extra pop.
Then I moved on to the eyes, applying a shimmery neutral pink shadow to the entire eye area, from the inner corner outward and upward to the brow bone. I wanted to set a warm glow to the entire eye area, providing a pretty shimmery base to further accent that fresh-faced, glowing effect that I’m seeking. I then lined the inner rims of my black inner rim liner, and followed by lining the entire outer lash line with black eyeliner, gently smudging the lines to add some softness. To me, the most interesting part of the eye look is the odd line in the eye area. I selected a soft-smudge grey eyeliner, and started lining just above the inner corner of the eye, arcing up and out towards the outer corner of the eye. The odd part? The line created is above the crease, which is not typically how we apply makeup! It appears almost like a stray line we decided to keep. You can, of course, make the line higher, lower, or sharper (I smudge the line a bit to give some softness). Play with it and see what you like. The point is to have fun with an interesting design. I finished off my design with two coats of mascara to the top lashes and one to the bottom lashes.
Finally, for a warm, natural lip, I applied a light pink lipstick, and then topped it with a gold lip gloss to the center of the lips only for a plumping effect.
Have you tried out any interesting lines or shapes? Have any you want me to try? Share your photos and experiences, and show me some of your makeup skills! Post your photos, ask any questions you may have, or share any ideas you want me to try our via my Submit page above or Email Me!
See you tomorrow for Day 34 of The Great Makeup Challenge!
Note: All products I recommended above are available from Sephora, Ulta, your local department store, your local drug store, or through Amazon.com.
