Eotd - Electric Animal

Today's look was mostly done using shades from the Urban Decay Electric Palette. 

Products used:

Hard Candy Eyeshadow Primer
MAC Shadows - Kid, Saddle, White Frost and Brule
Urban Decay Electric Palette shades - Chaos and Gonzo
MAC Old Gold Pigment
Loreal Voluminous Mascara
Kiss Lashes in No. 11


1.  First I used a mixture of MAC Saddle and Kid in my crease to transition the brighter colours to come.

2.  Using a small shader brush and patting motions, I placed Chaos first in the inner and outer corners and blended inwards on the lid, and then placed Gonzo a little further in, blending inwards and towards the crease.

3.  Using a mix of Saddle and Kid, I reblended the crease to blend out the blue shades just added to the lid. 

4.  Using another flat shader brush, I packed MAC Old Gold onto the center of the lid, and blended outward adding more Gonzo and Chaos as needed to blend seamlessly.  I applied all the shades similarily onto my lower lash line.

5.  Using MAC Brule and a large fluffy brush I blended all edges on my upper and lower lash lines.

6. Finishing up I placed White Frost on my brow bone and blended it out, and added Mascara and falsies.

Who else is loving the electric palette!

LoTR Tutorial sneak peeks.

Watery eyes and eye issues abound making makeup hard for the last week, but here's a sneak peek at what's to come, some Lord of the Rings themed eye looks and tutorials! Can you guess the inspiration for each look?

Tulip placement tutorial

So today’s look is going to be a “tulip placement” tutorial.

Tulip eye shadow placement involves darker shades around the inner and outer perimeter of your eyes, with a pop of lightness or colour on the center of the lid.  This eye shadow placement typically looks its best when on people who have a generous amount of lid space, but it’s gradually becoming my go to favourite.  

You can use any shade range you’d like, from soft and light neutrals to bold contrasting colours, but what is important is seamless blending.   The center of the lid must be blended believably into the inner and outer corners, and the crease must be blended out softly for a flattering and finished look.

So let's get started!


1.  Prime your eyelids and apply any necessary base for your colours to pop.  Primer extends the life of your eye look and keeps your lids from creasing, and a base provides either a texture for pigment to grip to or a lighter colour to really make the eye shadow you apply brighter.

2.  Start with your transition colour.  Apply it into your crease with a large fluffy brush then take this on your inner and outer corners to help transition the colours there later.

 
3.  This is really your choice because it can be done with blending or with multiple shadows.  You can either apply your dark colour and blend or use a medium then darker shade in the same tone.  I’m taking a shade darker than my transition colour but lighter than my final colour to help keep the blending soft and seamless.  I apply the heaviest amount of pigment on my very outer corners and blend inward with a denser blending brush.  Finally with a larger blending brush and no product blend this into your crease to darken it up.  Apply more shadow into your crease if need be, but keep it softer than the inner and outer corners.

4.  Taking my darkest shade I apply this concentrating on my outer and inner corners and then blending inwards using the same brush on step three.  If it’s too dark and the edges are too harsh, I will take my medium toned shade and use that to blend out the darkest shade some more.  Take your large fluffy brush and again blend this into your crease.  We still want the crease to be lighter so don’t apply anymore colour just blend what you’ve already laid down.

5.  Time for your pop of colour! Take the shade you’ve chosen for your lid, and pat it on.  To help blend it, take some of the shades from your inner and outer corners and blend inwards to the new colour, or blend outwards with the new colour into the darker colours.    Blend it all out with a light shade above your crease to keep it fading to your skin tone.

6.  Mascara, liner (if you choose to) and lashes.  Smudge the colours in a similar pattern under your eyes. 

Brush Maintenance!

Due to some irritated eye issues, today is going to be about brush maintenance!

Brushes are a pivotal part of makeup application.  A good brush can make up for a poor performing product and a great brush can be kept for years, so it's important to take the proper care of your kit.

When you use a brush it can have a large build up of product, bacteria and a lot of other not so fun things that you probably don't want to think about.  Now if you're just using them on yourself, constant sanitation may not be your goal, but keeping them in top shape is always a good idea. 

The key to proper brush maintenance is knowing what your brush is used for, knowing what your brush is made of, and knowing how to keep it in shape.  Some brushes do not benefit from constant washing, some only require spot cleaning, and some should be cleaned for every application.

Face brushes are important to keep clean.  Think of all the oils and bacteria on your face.  Think of all the oils and bacteria that can transfer.  A dirty brush is a haven for bacteria to multiply and it can wreak havoc on an acne prone skin.  It's important to keep whatever is going to be in contact with your face clean.  These are the ones I'd recommend cleaning the most often.    Eyeshadow brushes should be washed, but it's not necessary to wash them every use.  You can spot clean a brush enough so that you can keep using it without worrying about the muddying of colours on it. 

There are differing opinions on what to use to clean your brush, and with so many options who is to know whose choices are the best. What I'm suggesting are just some products that work well for me.

Johnson's Baby Shampoo:  This is a cheap option for a nice deep clean.  I usually use this once a week for my worst brushes, to get them nice and spotless for the new week.

MAC Brush Cleaner: This is good for a spot clean when you don't want to deep clean your brush, but I find it still has a drying period so it doesn't really help when you need a clean brush immediately.

Cinema Secrets Brush Cleanser: This is amazing for instant spot cleaning.  It does have a strong vanilla like scent but your brushes are immediately dry and ready to use again.  I like this when I have to switch between colours with my favourite brush.

Dove Bar Soap: This is what I use to clean my Beauty Blender and blending sponges.  It gets them clean, it's gentle and what else can I ask for?

How often do you clean your brushes?

Posting schedule

Hi friends!

I've been trying to decide how I want to stagger my posts and while originally I wanted to post daily, I also work full time and work has been very trying these last few days.

So because of this, I've decided on a three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) posting schedule. This post doesn't really count so what I'm going to do is have a new tutorial up for tomorrow and go from there!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and the things I've had to say so far, and here's to new content!

Cheers

Eyeshadow Placement

Today I’m going to go over the basics of eye shadow placement, and show you an easy to replicate way of doing your makeup. 

A very typical eyeshadow placement is something like this:

All of us have probably seen countless tutorials in which many different colours, textures and finishes are used but the placement is the same.  There are reasons for this.  This is generally one of the most flattering placements for a wide assortment of faces and eye shapes.  The lighter shades in the inner eye open up the eye and make it appear wider, the darker shades in the crease of your eye provide some depth to your face.  It’s a very tried, tested and true formula but is happily easy to recreate. 

As always, the shades I’m using are not needed to do this look.  What I’m going for is to show you ways to use this placement for a multitude of colours.  I’m using what’s flattering to my skin tones and eye shade, and what’s already in my stash and readily available.  This can be recreated with all sorts of colours, from neutrals to brights and glitters.  Unfortunately I don't have photos to accompany the steps today as I had an early start, but it's a very basic look and should be easy to follow!

1.  Prime your eyelids.  I always include this step because my eyelids are very oily.  The primer keeps my eyeshadow lasting all day and keeps the colours appearing brighter.

2.  Back to my best friend the transitional shade.  Even if you’re using all brights, a transitional shade in a colour slightly darker is going to be highly helpful to you when blending. 

3.  Take a colour slightly darker than your transitional shade to deepen the crease.  Blend with a large fluffy brush.

4.  Take a colour that is lighter than the previous colours and apply it all over your lid.  Blend into the crease with the same large fluffy brush.

5. Take a colour that is the lightest of the shades you are using and highlight the inner corner of your eye.

6.  Finally, take the darkest shade and apply it directly to your outer eyelid, and blend.  You can finish it up with blending darker shades under the lower lashes or eyeliner to complete the look.


And the finished product:

With 4 colours of a similar shade ranging from lightest to darkest, you can reacreate this in so many ways!

Smokey eye tutorial

One of the most important looks in any makeup lover’s repertoire is the smokey eye.  Deceptively simple, the smokey involves dark shadows smoked out around your eye and a misstep can take you from Kate Moss to a panda pretty quickly.

Smokey eyes vary from person to person but the most typical of a smokey eye involves an equation of something quite like this: 

Dark shadow all over lid + Blending shade + Dark shadow under lid = Success!

The shadow doesn’t have to be black and it doesn’t even always have to be dark.   Medium toned shadows smoked out can add a nice definition for a day time look and dark ones at night have that nice sultry flare.  But I’m all about doing and looking how you want so these rules are always made to be broken.

What I want to show you in some easy steps is how to recreate that smokey look, what tools you will need and what will help keep it going all night.  Because warm browns suit my tones the best, that’s what I’m going to work with.  You can feel free to substitute your own colours and create something tailored to your skin tones and eye colour.

Generally when working with smokey or heavily applied eyeshadow looks I apply my eyeshadow and then my base makeup.  Some dark shadows have a tendency to have a lot of fallout and I don’t want those flecks all over my foundation.  Other options include over powdering under your eyes and then blending it away, or using shadow shields.

1.  Prime your eyes.  I have oily lids so theBalm’s “Put a Lid on It” primer keeps my shadows from fading and creasing throughout the day.  This is not always required, but I recommend it.  Primer keeps your makeup lasting longer and can make colours more vibrant on the lid.

2. This is where I apply my transitional shade.  It’s typically a shade just a touch darker than your skin, and by applying it first it can aid in any later blending that will need to be done.  I take a large fluffy brush and focus the shadow directly into my crease.

3. Using patting motions, apply the darkest shade onto the lids focusing the colour heaviest on the lash line and bringing it up into your crease.  This highly varies by eye shape.  I bring mine up a little higher due to deep set eyes but if you have a lot of lid space to work with you can keep it lower.

 

4.  Taking the same blending brush used earlier, blend the edges of the darker shade into your transitional shade.  If it’s too dark, take some more of your transitional shade and blend it downwards into the darker shade.  We don’t want to keep blending upwards because that can take the dark colour too high and then we get into panda territory.

 

5.  This step is super important to ensuring a soft blend.  Grab a “blurring” shade, a shade similar to your skin tone but a bit lighter, and make sure it’s matte.  Apply this shade where your transitional shade ends, and blend downwards.  I find that blending downwards again keeps the shades from going too high up on my browbone.  This step will achieve that transition into your skin tone that can make a smokey look seem very professionally done.

 6.  To finish this look shadow wise I first take the three shades used on my lid (transitional, dark, blurring shade) and apply them similarily to how I did on the lid but do so on my lower lashline.  I smudge my transitional shade first, then I pat the darkest shade in closest to the lashline and blend down and finish up with my blurring shade (which is optional, because you can blend it later and clean up with concealer if that’s your thing).

 It’s at this point where you can jazz it up a little.  You can apply eyeliner in your upper and lower eye rims and make the look very dark and seamless.  You can add some glitter to make the look a little more fun, or you can line the eye with a flesh tone colour to open it up.  I avoid darker liners as I don’t have large eyes, because these darker liners tend to close up your eye and make them appear smaller.  It’s all a matter of personal preference though.  For this look I took a nude liner to open up my eye, added mascara and then some thick and fluttery lashes.


 

The most important tip I can give when it comes to blending a smokey eye, or really any eye for that matter, is to use clean brushes wherever you can.  It might take a few brushes to complete a look but it keeps you from muddying up the shadows or applying too much right at once.

What’s your favourite smokey eye shade?

Let's talk brushes.

Makeup isn’t always about having the most expensive products because the most expensive products aren’t necessarily the best.  Hundreds of blogs and websites can provide you with hundreds of dupes of luxury items at drugstore costs.  What I want to talk to you today is all about the tools to use.

Brushes fall into kind of the same comparative issue as makeup.  You have your higher end brushes like Japanese produced brushes verses your lower end brushes like ELF brushes and people come out on both sides of the issue.  Some say you can’t get the quality of luxury brushes at drug store prices, and others say you don’t have to mortgage your house to get something that works.

While both sides have great points what it really comes down to is what you need them to do.  Shape, weight, construction and hair type/softness all play a part in determining on if it’s the brush for you, not price.

Keep on reading for some personal suggestions and alternatives for your collection.

Crease brushes come in many shapes, sizes and hair types.  The most important thing when finding your perfect crease brush is to really understand your eye shape or what you want the brush to accomplish.  For example, a large, floppy crease brush might work for a nice diffused application but it won’t deposit as much colour as a smaller denser brush.  Or a natural hair brush used in a cream product won’t apply colour as nicely as a synthetic brush.  Here are some examples of brushes I use and would happily recommend.

Smashbox Crease Brush #10: This is a large fluffy natural hair brush, and is great for diffusing out the edges of any look.  Applies colour very lightly.
MAC 224: Similar to the Smashbox brush as it is another larger fluffy brush and comprised of natural hair, but it is a bit more tapered.  It also is good for a light wash of blending, blending two colours out and lightly applying colour.
Hakuhodou J5523:  This is made of goat hair, and is a much denser and less floppy blending brush.  It can apply colour more heavily than the previous two but still be used to get a nice blended gradient.
MAC 217: Another goat hair brush, and again smaller and denser.  Very similar to the J5523, but it isn't as soft.
Coastal Scents Pro Blending Fluff: Basically a dupe for MAC 217 but for under 5$!

When laying down colour on your eyelids what you’re probably going to find yourself reaching for is a paddle brush or a flat shader brush.  The shape and size that is best for you is again going to be decided by your application and eye type.  For a quick wash of colour a larger fluffier brush would be your first choice.  For precise application you’re going to want to look into a smaller type of brush.   To pack on colour you’re going to need a stiffer, denser brush. Another good blend between a crease brush and a brush to lay down colour is a pencil brush.  Being denser they allow for a much higher level of pigment to be deposited and are great for cut creases and really defined creases.  Here are some of my favourites and what I use them for.

Hakuhodou G5507BKSL:  This is a flat rounded tip eyeshadow brush.  It's made of natural fibers and is great for an all over eyeshadow application.  It's very soft and is one of my all time favourites.
Coastal Scents Small Natural:  This is a tiny brush, almost smaller than my pinky fingernail, but it is one of my all time holy grail items.  Because it is so small and dense, I get a very precise application of colour.  This is perfect for when working with multiple colours to keep the look from getting muddy.
Sigma E50:  I have this in a synthetic version and it is a large fluffy paddle brush.  Perfect for an all over wash of colour, and works great with cream products.
Quo Smudger Brush: This is a tiny little push smudger and it's perfect for applying shadow under your eyes and smudging it out for a smokier look.

When it comes to face brushes there are a few types I use often and there are a few that are used only when I use specific products.  While I use a large powder brush almost daily the brushes I use for blusher and contouring vary.  A natural hair powder brush may be good for applying blush, but when it’s a highly pigmented blush or cream blush, I reach for my duo fiber brushes.  My contour is applied with both tapered natural brushes and synthetic brushes and my foundation brush is completely dependent on the formula I’m using.  Read ahead for some recommendations on brushes and where to use them.



MAC 109: This is a small natural fiber contour brush.  It has a nice dome shape and fits the hollows of the cheeks well.  I use it for many things.  It's great for applying blush and highlighting precisely and buffing it out, it's great for contouring your cheeks with and it also applies foundation well.  When using it for foundation keep in mind that with a small buffing brush such as this, you're going to get a heavier coverage.
Real Techniques Blush Brush: This is a huge fluffy brush.  It's great for an all over application of powder for a lighter coverage, or for lightly applying blush in a larger area.
MAC 189:  This a duo fiber brush which means it is both synthetic and natural fibers.  What that means is that it is great for applying cream products! I use this for all my cream brushes to apply and then buff them out.

The final tool may not be a brush but it is a necessity in my routine, and that is a sponge.  There are many on the market and it’s up to you to decide to splurge (Beauty Blender) or save (Quo, Real Techniques, etc).  Whichever you choose to go with, a dampened sponge can apply foundation with almost an airbrushed effect and will always find a home with me!

Today's look, Smokey Marsala

Hello there,

Here is the look for today, breakdown and application tips below:

Products used:

TheBalm Put a Lid on it Primer
MAC Kid
MAC Texture
MAC Saddle
MAC Brule
Josie Maran Coconut Water eyeshadow in Rio de Rose Gold
Sephora + Pantone Marsala palette shades in Marsala and Hot Chocolate
Essence I <3 Big lashes Mascara
Kiss Lashes in No. 11


The most important thing to do when going for a smokey eye is to understand how to layer the products to get a nicely blended finished look.  I started by priming the eye and then with a large fluffy brush (Smashbox Crease Brush) I blended out MAC Kid to use as a transitional colour.

Taking a small shadow brush, I applied MAC Texture on my inner and outer lid, and blended it into the crease and inwards on the lid.  I used the same brush and applied MAC Saddle, and blended it into Texture. Again on the same brush, I applied first Marsala and then Hot Chocolate, each time applying a smaller amount to create a gradient, and blending each shade into the crease.  Finally, I used MAC Brule to blend out the colours towards my brow bone and create a faded effect. 

Taking Josie Maran's Coconut Water Eyeshadow in Rio De Rose Gold, I applied it directly onto the center of my lid, and used my finger to blend it in.  I applied Texture and Marsala on my lower lids on the inner and outer corner, and Rio De Rose Gold in the center to mirror the look. 

I finished it up with Essence mascara and Kiss Lashes in No. 11.

"My Precious.."

Today I'm going to talk to you about one of my favourite type of makeup products.   I'm going to talk to you about setting sprays.

Makeup setting sprays (like any other kind of makeup) come in a variety of formulas all tailored to a specific function.  For example, they can be used to prolong the life of the makeup you've applied, to take away a powdery finish or to mattify an oilier skin type. The idea of setting your makeup with some sort of spray isn't a new one.  A common "insider" tip that has lingered for years was to just set your face with actual hairspray!

Thankfully since brands have caught on to the popularity and products have been updated a bit since then, there are many on the market for not only makeup artists but for even the most casual of makeup fans out there.  If you're interested in reading about some of my favourites, then settle in!

(Apologies for the low quality, technical issues with a camera at the moment)

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray - Retails for 36$
What is it? : A weightless setting spray that keeps makeup looking just-applied for up to 16 hours.

Urban Decay's All Nighter was one of the first makeup setting sprays I tried and while we should take all makeup claims with a grain of salt, I actually really love this spray. Created by a partnership with Skindinavia, UD's All Nighter is paraben-free and good for all skin types.  To apply simply mist 3-5 times on your face after applying your makeup.

What I like about it is it actually does live up to the claims of prolonging my makeup.  Between work and commuting, I need my makeup to last upwards of 10 hours a day.  When I apply UD All Nighter,my blush and foundation are still visibly there, having only worn off around my nose and mouth.  This can also take away the powdery look some finishing powders can leave your skin with.


Make Up For Ever Mist & Fix - Retails for 34$
What is it? : A universal setting spray that locks in makeup and keeps color fresh.

Make Up Forever's Mist & Fix is pretty similar in its claims to UD's All Nighter.  It's supposed to prolong the makeup that you've applied and set it for a much more natural finish. 

What I do find with MuFE's is that it is a bit more moisturizing which can be a blessing or a curse.  Formulated without alcohol, it has what I (as an oilier skinned person) would call a dewier finish.  Equally as beautiful, but I tend to shine up mid day and need to blot more.  Makeup still lasts upwards of 10 hours.

Skindinavia's Makeup Finishing Spray (original) -
What is it? : A lightweight, breathable mist to set liquid and powder makeup and holds your makeup in place for up to 16 hours.

Skindinavia's Makeup Finishing Spray, for me, wears extremely similar to UD's All Nighter.  Not really a surprise, as Skindinavia was part of the creator for the UD version. 

I do however find myself with my makeup wearing for a little longer with Skindinavia's version when compared to UD's version.  I also find it a little more drying on my skin so I don't need to blot or powder as much.  Makeup again still lasts upwards of 10 hours, with minor wearing on my nose and chin.


While these three are my favourites, I do have some honorable mentions:

MAC Fix + - Sets makeup nicely, is not meant to make it last longer.
Caudalie Beauty Elixir - Makes my skin look the nicest, extremely strong and long lasting smell.
Graftobian Makeup Setting Spray - Alcohol based, long lasting but strong smell.


What are your favourites?

Look of the day using MAC Cosmetics

So to kick things off, I thought I'd start with a look I sported today. 

Generally when I have a day in I don't plan on wearing makeup, but after depotting the majority of my MAC powder products (eyeshadows and blushes) I couldn't help but renew my love for some of the shades.

Products used:

Wet 'n Wild Primer
MAC Expensive Pink
MAC Naked Lunch
MAC Texture
MAC Kid
MAC Corduroy
MAC White Frost
MAC Brule
Diorshow Iconic Overcurl
Essence I <3 Extreme Volume Mascara
Kiss Lashes in No 11.

To create this look today I started by priming my eyes with Wet 'n Wild's  primer.  Then on a fluffy and large blending brush (Smashbox Crease Brush) I applied Kid as a transitional colour to my crease to aid in further blending later.  Focusing primarily on the lid towards the outer corner of my eye, I applied Expensive Pink.  To really make sure I packed the colour on I used a small eyeshadow brush with densely packed bristles.  Using the same brush, I applied Naked Lunch on the inner third of my eye.

Taking that same fluffy blending brush, I applied Texture to my crease to further define the shadow there.  Switching to a more densely packed blending brush (Hakuhodou J5523) to ensure more colour was deposited, I applied texture again focusing directly into my crease and outer lid to ensure more pigment was deposited there then diffused outward.  Taking that flat eyeshadow brush I then applied White Frost to my inner tear duct.

Finally I took my J5523 and Corduroy and applied it into my outer lid and blended it into the crease and outer lid.  To finish the lid and blending, I took a clean large blending brush and a tone similar to my skin, Brule, and blended out any harsh edges.  And to complete the look I smudged a combination of Texture and Corduroy under my eye and finished it up with Dior Mascara on upper lashes, and Essence on lower and added falsies.

 

“Try not. Do… or do not. There is no try.”

I've been saying for months that I was going to attempt to blog, but that inner nagging "who would want to read what I have to say" is a persistent little thing.  I definitely don't lead an exciting "Beauty Blogger" life and I don't even wear makeup 99.9% of the time.  What can I add to the vast and ever growing "Beauty Community"?

But as a great Master once said, “Try not. Do… or do not. There is no try.” 

So here I am.
And here you are!
Hello you! You look lovely today.
Who are we kidding, you look lovely every day.
Thank you for joining me.

What can you expect, you ask? Well, what I intend to post are snippets of my life, nerdy past times, makeup reviews on products I am loving, applications and tutorials on how I achieve some looks and hauls and swatches of new products that I hoard.

Welcome to the dark side.