Makeup Withdrawal

Showing posts with label Tutorial. Show all posts

Pictorial: Mauve Look with Femme Fatale Cosmetics

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Good afternoon!

Yesterday afternoon, I was fooling around some of my new Femme Fatale Cosmetics shades when I created a look that I really liked. Even though I only used two eyeshadow shades, I felt like they worked very well together to show off a whole range of hues in the pinky-mauve-purple family.

How I Wash My Brushes - An Overly Detailed Account

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Hi friends!

Before I talk about brush care today, I thought I'd just have a bit of a heart-to-heart with you guys. My heart hasn't been in blogging recently, for the first time in years I have writer's block (though calling my blogging "writing" is a bit of a stretch as it's mostly me just throwing jumbled up thoughts on products at you, dear reader) and the whole not having great internet thing wasn't conducive to active blogging. Truth is, I've also been pretty preoccupied with fertility.

Morgan and I have been trying for a while now, and I've known pretty much since I was diagnosed with PCOS a few years ago (got a great look at my ovaries, ack) that we wouldn't likely conceive without medical assistance of some sort. Now that we've settled down in our first house, I feel almost an urgency to fill up all these quiet, empty bedrooms (don't worry, polish and makeup still get their own room) so expanding our family has been our top priority.

Tutorial: Highlighting & Contouring With Cream Products

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Hello!

Today I have an extremely long post and tutorial about how I apply contour and highlighting products that are cream in formula. Usually my goal is for a natural look that emphasizes how natural light hits the face and casts shadows. Recreating this effect is particularly rewarding for photographs as the face can look very flat and washed out through a camera. The skin also looks a bit more taut and overall the face can appear a bit slimmer, which hey - can't go wrong with that!

There are a few advantages and drawbacks to using cream instead of powder. It's particularly appealing to those with dry skin as powder can further emphasize dry patches but using another emollient product may not be the best choice if your skin really tends to shine with oil. I find using cream products to be more time consuming since I apply with one brush and then blend with another tool whereas with powder, I can apply and blend with the same brush. However, I do find cream to be more natural looking than powder

Rather than attempting to blend contour and highlight shades at the same time (a very daunting task as accidentally muddling the shades together can look horribly murky and quite dirty), I choose to apply one at a time.

I'm using Graftobian Hi Def Glamour Creme Foundation in Hazelnut to contour. It is a deep brown that is in the neutral range and suitable for most skintones (though darker skin tones and those with super cool undertones may want to use even darker or cooler shades). I'm also using a beauty sponge (such as a BeautyBlender or any of the similar sponges out there)

Here's what Hazelnut looks like. Left to right: a single streak, blended out and a smaller amount fully blended out.

What I like about Graftobian Hi Def Glamour Creme is how much high coverage it has. You only need a tiny bit of product. I've seen some tutorials out there where it looks like half the face is covered with the contouring product. However with the Hi Def Glamour Creme, I barely need a few swipes because of how much color payoff it has.

I start out with primer, concealer and foundation already in place (check this post out for the full face routine). The sponge should be damp but not soaking, I rinse it in water and then squeeze it out in a towel.

Using a concealer brush, I map out the areas for contouring with a few strokes. Again, less is more with this particular product and for the more natural effect I'm hoping to achieve. I trace right under the cheekbones, under my lower lip, down the sides and around the tip of my nose, the temples and the area closest to my hairline above my forehead. It's hard to see, but I also traced right under my jaw.

Using the bottom of the tear drop shaped sponge, I lightly bounce and pat to blend in the contouring product. I'm always advocating bouncing instead of dragging, we don't want streaks or worse; the dreaded completely caked look.

I use the tip of the sponge for the smaller areas such as the nose and under the lip. Again, light dabbing motions rather than dragging the sponge.

With contouring done, I reach for a lighter shade to highlight. I'm using another Graftobian shade, Graceful Swan which is a little lighter than MAC NC20. I'm opting for a shimmer/sparkle free product for this particular natural look. I apply product on the top of the cheekbones, the point of the chin, down the nose and a create a triangular shape on my forehead.

Naturally, I don't want to use parts of the sponge already dirtied by my contour color. Instead, I use the widest part of the sponge, where it curves. Bounce, bounce, bounce.

Here we have the completely look, before applying blush and powder.

Hope this was helpful! Please, if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask!

Products featured were purchased by me. Post contains an affiliate link. For additional information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

"Full Face" Base Makeup Routine

Thursday, February 13, 2014

I always get a good chuckle when people compliment my skin on Instagram. The small images size on IG do seem to be pleasing but I attribute any "flawless" skin remarks to a foundation that photographs extremely well.

I don't have clear, smooth, dewy skin. Acne has plagued me ever since I was nine years and thanks to hormonal issues, continues to be a constant battle. Breakouts are kept in check with a combination of diet and birth control. Thanks to glycolic acid peels, most of the pitting is gone but I still have some hyperpigmentation and enlarged pores.

Natural Brow Tutorial

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Some guys and gals have silky, soft looking brows that are quite beautiful. Me? I have coarse, very thick rooted brow hair that grows like weeds. The hairs stick out in every which direction. Untrimmed, they have a tendency to look like caterpillars. Filling in brows has become somewhat of a ritual for me, so I thought I'd share my pretty detailed process. This is my softer looking natural brow, I adjust accordingly when going for a stronger, bold eye looks or more purposefully unruly look.

Products:
-Concealer
I use two shades, one lighter than my skin tone and one that matches my skin. My Graftobian Hi Def Glamour Creme Warm Palette isn't technically concealer but it suits the purpose perfectly because I can mix lighter or darker shades depending on my tan (or lack of, really).

-Brushes
I use three different brushes. Sephora #22 Pro which is technically for eyeliner, but the bristles are really resilient and it can produce a really fine line. I also use a thicker, very stiff natural bristled brush for "blending", the #12 Smashbox Angled Brow Brush (sadly discontinued). The concealer brush is for clean up, the thinner and more flexible, the better. I'm using Smashbox #5.

- Brow Gel
I'm using Essence Lash & Gel Mascara. I have a review coming up, actually. I switch it up, I use wax sometimes too but then I'll need another spoolie to brush the brows, the nice thing about gel is that it has one built in.

-Brow Powder
I'm using Anastasia Brow Duo in Granite. It's a bit darker than I would like but more importantly the undertones are perfect so I just use it sparingly. I also use pencils or even brow markers sometimes but lately I've really been favoring the softer look that powder can give.

Start with naked brows. Now, I usually apply a bit of conditioner in the shower to them to help soften them a bit, before washing it off with face wash. I've also trimmed them quite a bit (unhindered each hair will be approximately 2-3 times longer than pictures. Really, really long. Longer than my eyelashes, sadly) and plucked out the strays. I could write a volume on how I shape my brows, so a post for another time. I pluck every day because the roots are so dark and they grow back crazy fast.

Using the lighter shade in the brow powder and the thin precise Sephora #22 brush, I sketch a line under the bottom of my brows, using a light hand on the inner part of the brow and also as I hit the arch.

I use the darker shade to lightly underline the tail end of the brow.

I repeat the process for the top of the eyebrow. For a brow that is not as stark and unforgiving, I start a couple centimeters away from the corner. The lighter green shade represents the lighter shade of the brow powder, the darker green is the darker half of the duo.

Using the other clean, thicker brow brush I start blending in short, choppy strokes. I don't start at the end of the brow closest to the nose, but rather start in a few centimeters in. The light to dark shade shows the progression of the strokes. If need be, I pick up the tiniest bit of powder to fill in any gaps. When I've reached the end of the brow tail, I use upward strokes to fill in and blend the corner closest to my nose. I don't use any more powder, the amount left on the brush from blending is perfect for a feathered out look. I'm not a bit fan of brows that are too heavy in coloring at the "head", they tend to resemble tadpoles (and that's the kinder implication).

I brush on brow gel which sets the hairs and give them light hold as well as further blending. Upwards at the head and outwards as I progress along the eyebrow.

Finally I use concealer to clean up, like you would do for a manicure. I trace the lighter shade under the brow and the shade that matches my skin above the brow, extending each beyond the brow. I then blend away from the hair.

So this is the final look after the concealer is blended out. Hopefully my small novel about eye brows doesn't seem so daunting. Sometimes I think I over complicate things!

Anyone else have any neat tricks and tips for brows?

Zoya Textured Stars & Stripes Tutorial

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Hi folks!

Zoya's PixieDust polishes are my favorite textured polishes in terms of formula and final gritty effect, so I used two shades to create a 4th of July manicure to share with you.

You'll need:

-Zoya Chyna
-Zoya Liberty
-Zoya Purity
-a piece of foil or other surface for nail polish
-a dotting tool, birchwood stick or toothpick
-a fine nail brush
-Q-tips or brushes and polish remover for clean up.

Paint your nails using Zoya Chyna and Liberty. I used Liberty on my pointer and Chyna on the other fingers, two coats each. Wait for them to dry completely.

Pour out a bit of Purity on the foil. Then let it sit for a while, stirring it with your dotting tool to occasionally to test it.

You want the polish to pull away in strings. Too runny and it'll drip away in big blobs, too dry and it'll get chunky and break instead of creating thin strings (like pulling taffy!).

Pull up strings of polish and wrap it around your nail, a circular motion with your tool. Each time, dipping the tool into the polish to pull up more strands of polish. If the polish starts drying out, add a drop of fresh white polish.

When you've spun enough of the strands around your red nails, use the thin brush and fresh white polish to draw white stars on the nail painted with Liberty.

Finish the look by cleaning up with remover around your cuticles. Since it's a textured look, no topoat is necessary!

Zoya Pixie Dusts are $9 each and can be found on the Zoya website.

Easy patriotic manicure, right? Did anyone else do any 4th of July or Canada Day nails?

Some of the products featured were sent to me for review. For additional information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

EOTD + Pictorial

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

I was unhappy with how yesterday's pictures turned out so I redid the look and photographed it again in the sun today. The pictorial is rather short because I made it with Instagram in mind, you know- do it four steps.

Prep brows and prime lids. Apply a matte bone highlight under the brows and pat on a matte black shade on the lid. I'm using LORAC Beige and Rock & Republic Fatalistic.

Apply a matte brown in the crease, blend outward. Apply a white shade in the inner corner if desired. I'm using LORAC Cappuccino and a white NYX shade from a trio, can't recall the name.

Using a hoof shaped brush (also called a contour brush, check this post to see what they look like), stipple your duochrome cream shadow over the lid, starting in the inner corner, working your way across the darker shadows. I'm using Maybelline Color Tattoo in Waves of White.

Apply mascara and liner. I'm using Milani Grandissimo mascara + Essence Volumizing Lash Powder and La Femme Cake Eyeliner Sealer (with Rock & Republic Fatalistic). Done!

Quite simple, isn't it? It really makes duochromes pop though, layering them on top of a matte black shadow.

Products featured were purchased by me, for my own use. For additional information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Bright Purple + Magenta Look Pictorial

Sunday, April 21, 2013

So I couldn't fall asleep so naturally I made a pictorial on a whim. I love bright makeup but hate doing tutorials of any sort because they are so time consuming. But when you have the whole night ahead of you... welp, enjoy.

I wanted to use Make Up For Ever #58 because last time I used it, it photographed horribly. It looked much more red than the vivid magenta it actually is. I also wanted to use it without looking like I had pink eye, so I used purple and heavy liner to

Some of the things I used include:

MUFE #58, #92 and #133 LORAC Behind The Scenes Eye Primer, NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk, La Femme Eyeliner Sealer and Calvin Klein Night Dusk (but you can replace that with black liquid liner). Yeah, sorry my MUFE palette is dirty. But that foam divider is ridiculously hard to clean once tainted with shimmer.

Start out with primed eye lid and filled in brows.

Apply NYX Milk with a clean fingertip to the lid, blend outwards with a brush.

Apply MUFE #58 to the crease.

Blend like your life depends on it. Windshield wiper motions.

Use a small brush to pat MUFE #92 on either corner of the eye, staying below the crease.

Blend the purples towards each other, staying below the crease. Smudge the purple under the lower lid as well. Pat on a bit of the shimmery pink MUFE #133 on the ball of the eye and also a soft fluffy brush to lightly sweep a bit where the magenta meets the brow bone and the inner corner of the eye.

Line your eyes. I went for a bold, sharp wing. Also tightline for an intense look. Curl lashes, apply mascara. Apply false lashes if desired (eh, I didn't).

Done!