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 42 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Brilliant Brights for Follower Friday! Once again, it’s time for Follower Friday! Today’s question comes from Shala, who asks:
“What is a good lipstick color for redheads?”
I’ve been a (fake) redhead many times in my life, and I’m very aware of the makeup challenge that comes with it. The wrong shades can make your complexion look muddied or sickly. Natural shades of red present more of a complication, as they will pull out any warm tones in makeup (oranges, reds, yellows, pinks, etc.). My past experience has taught me to avoid these shades when going with red hair, and I’ve learned a few tricks for picking the right color to accentuate the hair color instead of compete with it! So for today’s Challenge, I’ll address Shala’s question, as well as continue our brights theme.
Remember: if you have any specific bright colors or color combinations you want me to try out, any shapes you want to see, or a question for Follower Friday, 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 look was all about a great, bright pink. I wanted to choose a coordinating color that would play off the pink without overwhelming it, so I chose to go with bright blue. It’s a bit Barbie, but I love the combination and contrast. I kept with the base I’ve been using the last few days: applied a tinted primer; concealer to my under eye circles; dusting of a warm powder to set; contouring cheekbones with my favorite bronzer/highlighter combination palette, applying the darker shades of the palette to the hollows of the cheekbones and the lighter tones to the tops of the cheekbones; and eyeshadow primer to my eyelids. I finished the base with a very light dusting of a sheer light pink blush to the apples of my cheeks, blending slightly upward with my fingertips along the hollows of the cheeks where I naturally flush. I didn’t want to detract from the main focus of my look with a strong blush, so I opted for one that was pale and without shimmer.
Moving to the eyes, I began by lining the inner rims with black inner rim liner. I then applied a light, neutral shadow to the entire eye area to provide a lightening effect with setting an even base for the bright colors, adding to the enhancement. I then applied my blue eyeshadow to my eyelid only. The bright blue eyeshadow in this palette is on the sheer side, so if you use this one you may need to keep layering the eyeshadow until you reach your desired level of intensity. I opted to maintain the blue eyeshadow in a fairly sheer application with this look.
Next, I applied my hot pink eyeshadow. If you are a redhead like today’s follower, Shala, I recommend avoiding warmer shades of pink (depending on the shade of your hair and your complexion, of course). Cooler tones will work better, but typically I do not feel that pink eyeshadow works well for redheads. I really love shades of purples and greens (once again, cooler tones) on a redhead. You can definitely also go with our bright blue eyeshadow for contrast. As for my use of the hot pink eyeshadow, I began applying the eyeshadow to the crease of the eye, using an angled eyeshadow brush and beginning at the inner corner and working outward. At the outer corner of the eye, I drew a diagonal line with the pink eyeshadow up and out to the end point of my eyebrow. I then drew a line across to meet the pink eyeshadow at the center of the crease of my eye. This created a wedge-like triangular effect at the outer corner of the eye, and by drawing the line that led back to the eye with my eye closed, it provided a natural dip in the line itself. I filled in the wedge I created with the pink eyeshadow, continuing to layer the color throughout until I reached the intensity level I was seeking. Remember: you are in control of the level of intensity of any eyeshadow, adjusting same by how much you add or subtract while applying. I finished the pink part of my eye look by lining the upper lash line and inner corner of the eye with hot pink eyeliner.
Moving back to my blue color, I lined the bottom lash line with bright blue eyeliner. When I reached the outer corner of the eye, I continued drawing the line straight outward, ending at the end of the brow line. I then drew a line with the blue eyeliner straight upward to meet the top point of the board meeting the top point of the pink wedge I had created. I then created a line moving back downward along the outer edge of the pink wedge back to the eye. This then also created a blue wedge at the outer corner of the eye, which I filled in with the blue eyeliner and topped with a dusting of the bright blue eyeshadow. The addition of the blue eyeshadow on top helps add to the intensity of the color and increase the staying power.
Now to address Shala’s question for the day. My biggest recommendation for redheads when choosing a lipstick is to choose a shade with an underlying cool tone. You can choose from red, pinks, and purple shades of lipstick, but you should look for shades with cool tones such as a blue undertone. I am also a big fan of plum and burgundy shades that are big for Fall. I find that it helps offset the natural warmth of red hair, providing a nice contrast as well. I do recommend trying to stay away from brown shades of lipstick. My person opinion is that it can make your complexion look muddied. I have the same stance on orange lipsticks (and warm tones altogether), as it serves to actually overemphasize the warm tones in your hair and complexion in a not-so-pretty way. For my lipstick today, I chose a lip stain in a vivid pink with blue undertones that would look stunning with red hair (and every other hair color as well!). Some people may not be comfortable jumping into such a vivid shade, but I recommend you try it. As with almost all makeup, you can adjust the intensity by applying more or less. No matter what shade you decide to go for, the key is to look for those cool hues. If you use that as your guide, as a redhead you can’t go wrong!
Well, Shala, I hope that answers your Follower Friday question! Be sure to let me know how it works out for you! Share any products you try out, your experience with them, and, of course, photos! If there are any other redheads out there with recommendations, feel free to chime in on your recommendations and favorite products!
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 43 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 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 32 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Fresh-Faced. First and foremost, I survived my first month of The Great Makeup Challenge! I want to send out a big thank you to everyone out there who’s been following along, sharing, and offering suggestions and words of encouragement!
Starting off my second month of The Challenge, and after going through a week of heavy Halloween makeup (good and bad!!), I decided I want to do something a little more light and airy: a fresh-faced look. After all, a week of heavy makeup can be very taxing on your skin. I was inspired by a spread in the October 2011 issue of The Colorist magazine, which featured photos of various fresh-faced looks (although the magazine is all about the hair!). The photo above just screamed fresh, healthy, and glowing to me. So that’s what I decided to do.
What you will need:
Instructions:
As always, I started with primer, followed by my standardconcealer to cover up my undereye circles. I honestly didn’t sleep well last night, and there my circles were especially dark as a result, presenting a bit of a challenge! I then set my base with loose mineral powder. In an effort to keep some semblance of summer around, I’ve been trying to keep my skin warm as we approach winter. I’ve been using a self-tanning moisturizer daily, and as such, I didn’t need to use a heavy foundation or even a tinted moisturizer today. Now, on the other end of the spectrum, if you happen to have the beautiful porcelain skin of the girl in the photo above, good for you! With such a skin tone, this look can be especially flattering.
Once I set my base, I moved onto contouring. I was aiming to obtain that nice flush that you can see in the model’s cheeks above. I opted to use my favoritebronzer/highlighter palette, first blending all of the colors and lightly dusting over my entire face for a warm, glowing effect. I then began contouring my cheekbones by applying the darker shades of the palette to the hollows of the cheekbones, and the lighter tones to the tops of the cheekbones. Once I was happy with the shape of the cheekbones, I moved on to my blush. When reviewing the photo, the blush is a pretty rosey color, and is focused on the apples of the cheeks, moving upward into the hollows of the cheeks. This leaves thehighlighter on the top of the cheekbones to capture and reflect the light. Following suit, I applied a rose blush to the apples of the cheeks, and worked it slightly upwards over the bronzer in the hollows of my cheeks, blending with my finger tips.
Now, the photo does leave a little to the imagination regarding what exactly was done with the eyeshadow. From what I can glean, there appears to be a soft grey shade in there. So I decided to go that route, and to also keep up the warm tones with a rosey-grey shade as well. I first applied a neutral shimmery shadow from the inner corner of the eye, working outward and upward along the brown bone. I applied the warm grey eyeshadow to the eyelid only, and then worked the grey eyeshadow to into the crease only. I then lined the inner rims of my eyes with black inner rim liner, and lined the bottom lash line with a copper-colored eyeliner.
I then thickly lined the top lash line with black eyeliner. As you can see in the photos above, this line continues outward past the inner corner of the eye toward where the brow ends. There’s a simple trick to getting this line. When your eyelid is closed, start lining in the inner corner of the eye, moving outward. As you reach the outer edge of the eye, keep lining straight out. When you close your eye, the line will appear to be almost perfectly straight out. However, when you open your eye, it appears to have some shape ti it. Let your own line be your guide, and it will make it a lot easier on you! To finish the eyes, I swiped on two coats of black lengthening mascara to the top lashes. I left the bottoms bare.
Finally, for my lips I wanted to add a touch of color and shine, but still keep the natural look I was going for. I tried out Covergirl Natureluxe Gloss Balm in Coral, and it added a nice shine a touch of color with the added benefit of moisturizing my lips.
Show me some of your fresh-faced looks! 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 33 of The Great Makeup Challenge!
Day 25 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: Halloween Makeup - Day to Night of the Living Dead! For today’s look, I decided to address a recurring theme in all of our lives: we are busy! I know I’ve partially addressed this in the past with my instructions in the Pink and Multifunctional challenge. I wanted to apply the same theory to Halloween makeup. I’m looking at it from the perspective that Halloween does fall on a weekday this year, and many people may be going to a party after work, a busy day of running errands, taking care of kids, etc. So not everyone may have time to put forth a large amount of effort into their Halloween makeup (and/or costume!). So today I’m starting with a quick and simple makeup look that you can wear throughout the day, and then I’ll follow with a 10 minute (approximately) application that you can execute quickly, get changed, and head out to your Halloween party. So, of course, I’m calling this one Day to Night of the Living Dead! In case you didn’t figure it out yet, I’m going to be doing a day look transformed into a zombie look! (And, as you can see from the photos above, I’m not afraid to get ugly for you, my followers!)
What you will need:
Instructions:
First, for the day look I wanted to do a quick five to ten minute application that would set the stage for the night look, but still look good throughout the day. Follow the steps from the Five Minute Wake-Up Makeup challenge, applying your base, contouring your cheekbones, and applying a touch of a light shimmery peach blush to the apples the cheeks. For the eyes, I used th Too Faced Naked Eye palette, which contains two corresponding, easy-to-use colors and instructions to do a quick simple naked eye effect. I applied the shimmery pink shadow on the entire eyelid and area, from the inner to outer corners and along the brown bone. I then applied the matte brown shadow to the outer corner of the eyes, into the crease, and along the very outside of the bottom lash line. I finished the eyes with a quick swipe of two coats of mascara to the top lashes and one coat to the bottom lashes. In my exploration of trying out new brown-toned lipsticks, I added Wet n Wild MegaLast Lip Color in No. 915B, a rosey-brown lipstick, to my lips to help play up my pout.
That, quite simply, is the day look. Quick and simple to get you through your day, looking natural yet fabulous. Go out, run your errands, go to work, or, in my case, go get your hair done! When you get home, it’s time to quickly change and get your zombie on for your Halloween party!
Okay, a few things I need to talk about regarding the zombie look before I get into the instructions. First of all, I’m a huge zombie fan. I love zombie movies, and I love zombie costumes! Now, zombie looks can really go to the extreme. People who are usually zombie fans really are diehards for the look, and they put a lot of effort into it. As much as I want to show you one of those extremely detailed looks, I need to think about people who don’t have the time to put into such a look. When you really think about it, you can do a basic zombie look (clothing and accessories included) when get you home from your crazy day and get out the door in overall less than half an hour.
On a quick style note: what this probably one of the easiest ways to put together a quick, simple zombie outfit is to first grab some of your old clothes (maybe ones you don’t wear much anymore, or that you just wear around the house when you’re cleaning or working in the garage or doing something that has essentially destroyed the clothes). Get them dirty! Tear them up! Shred them! Destroy them! Basically, take the approach that these are the clothes you were wearing when you became a zombie. Maybe you were buried in them, so coming out of the ground they got dirty. Remember that in these clothes you are on the hunt; you’re out there tackling and killing; you’re creating other zombies! So for your clothes, they would naturally get ripped up, worn down, dirty, and tattered. Take a pair of pants and a shirt and just destroy them! You do that, and you’ve already got your outfit. For a quick hairstyle, all you have to do is go crazy! Muss up your hair, flip it over and mess it up with your hands! Put too much product in to purposefully make it stick up, out, down! Throw some dirt in it if you’re willing to go that extra mile! If you do this when you get home, it should only take you couple of minutes. That’s it for the styling, and now it’s all about the make up!
Forgive me, diehards, and understand that because this makeup is all about simplicity, ease, and time, it is not the most perfect zombie look! These are the quick tips on how to get the basics of the zombie look when you don’t have much time to do it! For the zombie look, the color palette calls for greens, blacks, browns, and reds. The goal is to think of a dirty, rotting look, with a hint of blood.
For my zombie base, I started by blending the olive green eyeshadow with the matte brown shadow, and applying my concoction across my face neck, over my eye,s and onto the ears. I approached this application as if I was applying my regular base powder, but extending it further to prevent harsh, awkward lines. The application does not have to be precise. The color is not supposed to be even across the entire face. The key is to shoot for a messy look, so some areas can be darker while others are lighter. After all, if you’re crawling out of the grave and you’re decomposing, your skin tone is not going to be perfect. We don’t exactly decay evenly. So add some more green to certain areas and more brown to others. Additionally, stay away from shimmery eyeshadows. Zombies aren’t shimmery!
Next, I smudged black eyeshadow around my eyes, including under the eyes and down the sides in the nose, and into the hollows of my cheekbones. Once again, you don’t have to blend it evenly. In fact, leaving streaks are even better! The whole point is to obtain a sickly, hallowed appearance. I applied the black eyeshadow until I was happy with the look, using my fingers to blend, smudge, and smear. I then swiped on another coat of mascara, but before it could dry, I let it smudge everywhere, using my fingertips for extra smudging effects.
Now, as you may recall we had applied that rosey-brown lipstick for our day look. Add another layer of it, but then smudge it around the mouth and in a downward motion, as is if it was a smear of blood and dirt. This sets the base for our recent feeding. On top of this I sneered to read my red cream eyeshadow to add more of a blood effect. Now, you have to remember that as blood dries, it actually takes on a brown tone. So the addition of the red cream eyeshadow on top of the rosey-brown lipstick gives it a more natural drying blood look. Feel free to add smudges of red around your face and neck areas, as if you have either cuts or blood from your victims.
Take a step back and look if there are any areas where you feel like you want to make any adjustments. Add any of the colors wherever you want, and I highly recommend using your hands to smudge and make it messy. In the end, the entire look should take you approximately ten minutes, and rushing through the application can even help to the messy factor that you are going for.
And that’s it! It may not be the most theatrical or best zombie makeup out there, but it works for those of us that don’t have the time in between our daily lives and getting into costume. If you have more time, go for it! Take it to the next level!
But don’t forget to share your tips and photos with me! Show me your best zombie looks, both past and present! If you have a costume that you’ll be wearing and want me to create a coordinating makeup look, want to share your Halloween makeup photos and tips, ask any questions you may have, or share any ideas you want me to try out via reply post, my Submit page above. or Email Me!
See you tomorrow for Day 26 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 22 of 365 of The Great Makeup Challenge: I love olive! For today’s look I decided to play with deeper green tones. My goal was to create a gradation of color across the eyelid starting with a shimmery gold-green tone and ending with a dark olive tone with a touch of shimmery black to the outer corner. A mixture of a dark green with a black can be really stunning on the eyes, and it offers up a different take on the smoky eye. Enjoy!
What you will need:
Instructions:
For my base, I again went with the tinted primer combination, mixing two Sephora primers(the sheer glow and highlighting Base Sublimatrice Primers) to get that nice glow. I really wanted warm, glowing skin to offset the darker colors I was using for the eyes. I applied concealer under my eyes and set with a loose dusting of powder. You may have noticed my recent obsession with warm skin. I live in an area where the Fall season triggers the start of pale, sickly skin. As the sun goes away and winter sets, I lose that nice warm glow I picked up during the summer. This year, I’m not ready to let it go just yet, so I’m using my makeup to warm up my complexion instead. To do just that, I used one of my favorite bronzer and highlighter combination palettes yet again. I applied light dusting of the darker shades of the palette across my entire face and down the neck, and then worked the color into the hollows of my cheeks and along the bottom of the jawline for definition. I finished with a sweep of the lighter shades up the tops of the cheekbones to the temples to complete the contouring look. I then applied my favorite beige blush on the apples of the cheeks, and topped it with a shimmery peach blush.
Moving on to the eyes, I began by applying Victoria’s Secret Beauty Rush Cream Shadow in Going Green, a shimmery gold-green color, to the entire eye area. I smoothed it on the eyelid, in the inner corner, and up along the brow bone. Next, using a pretty olive eyeshadow, I began by applying a very light dusting from the inner corner of the eyelid, increasing the amount of color (a.k.a. a thicker application of shadow) as I worked my way across the lid to the outer corner of the eye. I then worked the shadow into the crease, starting at the inner corner and working along the angle of the crease, moving upward from the center of the eye to extend the color outward to just past the outer corner of the eye, angling back in and filling in the center. I then added just a touch of the shimmery black shadow to the outer corner of the eyelid, arcing around the corner, and adding a small touch to the very outer lower lash line. I lined the inner rims of both eyes with black inner rim liner, and then lined along the lash line around the entire eye with a dark greenish-blck eyeliner. I finished the eyes with two coats of Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! on the top lashes and one coat of Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Waterproof Mascara in Very Black on the bottom lashes.
Finally, for my lips I decided to continue my exploration of brown lipsticks. Today I tried out a pretty warm chocolate color (Wet n Wild MegaLast Lip Color in No. 9140 Mochalicious), and I was quite pleased with the results!
Share what you try out and send me photos! And remember, if you have any questions about colors or products, ask away via my Submit page above or Email Me!
See you tomorrow for Day 23 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.
