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Snow Queen Shoot :)
What an amazing day we had….So festive, so creative, so brilliant!!
Now I know this isn't something you guys may create often, but if your feeling artistic, or inspired then be sure to try out this look, as it is relatively simple, and easy to carry out and the results are so effective! Fancy dress, themed party, this would be great for :)
So I created two looks for this shoot, one more traditional Snow Queen look, and the other was slightly less 'classic'
The first look I created focused on the White Lashes from Eldora Lashes, they were the centre of the look!
For the Face I used MAC Studio Fix mixed with MAC Lustre drops, although a foundation that I am loving at the moment, which is so similar to the MAC one is one by Fashionista, and its £3!!!! Insane!
Mixing the lustre drops with your foundation will give you a beautiful subtle glow, which looks incredible in editorial/fashion shoots!
I then powdered down the face using MUA's translucent powder, contoured slightly using my Dermacolour pallet and then got on with the eyes!
I used my NYX white milk stick all over the lid, upto the brow to give me a white base to work with!
I then applied a pale shadow - MAC's Jest all over the lid up to the brow, giving the illusion of a larger lid!
I applied White Mascara from Stargazers to the top and bottom lashes, using a flat tipped brush to ensure maximum coverage of the natural darker shades of the lashes!
I then applied my lashes, prior to application I did enhance the lashes slightly using glitter, and small bits of iridescent 'snow' just to add interest to them! I applied the glitter and snow using my Crown Brush Silicon Applicator and eyelash/glitter glue :)
I also took my pink blusher in Nymph from Illamasqua, and applied using a crease brush, into the crease of the eye, and on the apples of the cheeks!
For the Lips, I took my pink blusher mentioned above, and lined the lips with a pencil shader, and filled them in using MAC's Vanilla Pigment, putting some gloss in the centre of the lip to add extra lustre!!!
Then the fun bit…I took my eyelash glue/glitter fix gel, and applied them to the face where I saw fit to have glitter/snow (everywhere) and got to work sticking the bits in place, I also took the interest down onto the neck!
The final thing I did was to dust off any unwanted glitter, using my ELF Fan Brush, and Sticky tape if it were required, and I then took my vanilla pigment and highlighted the centre of the nose, the bow of the lips, the cheekbones slightly and the brow bones!!!
I could have continued adding and adding but we were on a schedule, so I put the hair up in a classic bun, incorporated some of our lovely sprayed thistles, put my model in front of the camera and got on with look two!
Now the second look originally was going to be the 'unique/different' one but it turned out more classic than the one mentioned above!
I used for this second look, a foundation by maybelline 'touch of fit' which was a shade darker than the models skin, but this was the idea, no line was visible on her neck due to me covering her neck in Glitter (YAY)
I applied the foundation all over the face, down onto the neck, concealed slightly using my MAC Studio Fix concealer, contoured quite heavily using my dermacolour pallete, this was also intentional, as it was going to provide a base for the cheek interest!
The cheeks were contoured and highlighted using pigments, I used the Bronze Copper Sparkle MAC pigment on her cheeks, blending it into the face makeup, no definitive line is desired!
I then took my light blue/dark blue/silver glitter, and covered her in glitter :) My fave!!! Using my Crown Brush Applicator, and the Glitter Fix gel from Stargazers I applied the glitter to the cheek bones, the hair line, I used the glitter to structure the face, the jaw and then down again onto the neck!!
I then created a simple smokey eye on the lid, applied mascara to the lashes, and stuck my Eldora H160 lashes in place, these lashes are my favourite used to date, they really are lovely, natural, flirty! AMAZING
I groomed the brows, gelling them into place, and then moved onto the lips, again I took my blue, freshwater MAC eyeshadow, and lined the lip line with the pencil shader, taking my vanilla pigment into the centre of the lips, and again adding gloss to the centre to add extra lustre!!!
Finally I applied more dustings of snow and glitter, into the hair, and I applied some glitter to the tips of the lashes!!
I put the hair up in a sophisticated yet messy updo, put sprayed thistles in her hair, and again placed my model in front of the camera…..
Any unwanted glitter is easily dealt with! Just have sticky tape on hand :) Oh and dry shampoo to help make the hair grey! :)
If you have any questions about anything to do with this look, then do ask, brushes specifically used, techniques etc! Ask Away!!!
Till next time…
Lots of Love
Alex
xxxx
Now I know this isn't something you guys may create often, but if your feeling artistic, or inspired then be sure to try out this look, as it is relatively simple, and easy to carry out and the results are so effective! Fancy dress, themed party, this would be great for :)
So I created two looks for this shoot, one more traditional Snow Queen look, and the other was slightly less 'classic'
The first look I created focused on the White Lashes from Eldora Lashes, they were the centre of the look!
For the Face I used MAC Studio Fix mixed with MAC Lustre drops, although a foundation that I am loving at the moment, which is so similar to the MAC one is one by Fashionista, and its £3!!!! Insane!
Mixing the lustre drops with your foundation will give you a beautiful subtle glow, which looks incredible in editorial/fashion shoots!
I then powdered down the face using MUA's translucent powder, contoured slightly using my Dermacolour pallet and then got on with the eyes!
I used my NYX white milk stick all over the lid, upto the brow to give me a white base to work with!
I then applied a pale shadow - MAC's Jest all over the lid up to the brow, giving the illusion of a larger lid!
I applied White Mascara from Stargazers to the top and bottom lashes, using a flat tipped brush to ensure maximum coverage of the natural darker shades of the lashes!
I then applied my lashes, prior to application I did enhance the lashes slightly using glitter, and small bits of iridescent 'snow' just to add interest to them! I applied the glitter and snow using my Crown Brush Silicon Applicator and eyelash/glitter glue :)
I also took my pink blusher in Nymph from Illamasqua, and applied using a crease brush, into the crease of the eye, and on the apples of the cheeks!
For the Lips, I took my pink blusher mentioned above, and lined the lips with a pencil shader, and filled them in using MAC's Vanilla Pigment, putting some gloss in the centre of the lip to add extra lustre!!!
The final thing I did was to dust off any unwanted glitter, using my ELF Fan Brush, and Sticky tape if it were required, and I then took my vanilla pigment and highlighted the centre of the nose, the bow of the lips, the cheekbones slightly and the brow bones!!!
I could have continued adding and adding but we were on a schedule, so I put the hair up in a classic bun, incorporated some of our lovely sprayed thistles, put my model in front of the camera and got on with look two!
Now the second look originally was going to be the 'unique/different' one but it turned out more classic than the one mentioned above!
I used for this second look, a foundation by maybelline 'touch of fit' which was a shade darker than the models skin, but this was the idea, no line was visible on her neck due to me covering her neck in Glitter (YAY)
I applied the foundation all over the face, down onto the neck, concealed slightly using my MAC Studio Fix concealer, contoured quite heavily using my dermacolour pallete, this was also intentional, as it was going to provide a base for the cheek interest!
The cheeks were contoured and highlighted using pigments, I used the Bronze Copper Sparkle MAC pigment on her cheeks, blending it into the face makeup, no definitive line is desired!
I then took my light blue/dark blue/silver glitter, and covered her in glitter :) My fave!!! Using my Crown Brush Applicator, and the Glitter Fix gel from Stargazers I applied the glitter to the cheek bones, the hair line, I used the glitter to structure the face, the jaw and then down again onto the neck!!
I then created a simple smokey eye on the lid, applied mascara to the lashes, and stuck my Eldora H160 lashes in place, these lashes are my favourite used to date, they really are lovely, natural, flirty! AMAZING
I groomed the brows, gelling them into place, and then moved onto the lips, again I took my blue, freshwater MAC eyeshadow, and lined the lip line with the pencil shader, taking my vanilla pigment into the centre of the lips, and again adding gloss to the centre to add extra lustre!!!
Finally I applied more dustings of snow and glitter, into the hair, and I applied some glitter to the tips of the lashes!!
I put the hair up in a sophisticated yet messy updo, put sprayed thistles in her hair, and again placed my model in front of the camera…..
Any unwanted glitter is easily dealt with! Just have sticky tape on hand :) Oh and dry shampoo to help make the hair grey! :)
If you have any questions about anything to do with this look, then do ask, brushes specifically used, techniques etc! Ask Away!!!
Till next time…
Lots of Love
Alex
xxxx
Bobbi Brown Sample reviews!
Helloooo Lovelys!
I recently made some purchases on Bobbi Browns website and they were doing an amazing offer of spend over £50 and get 3 free samples! With Blogging now being something very much on my agenda daily I saw this as a perfect opportunity for another blog! :)
I'd purchased my items, was heading to the checkout at which point I got the opportunity to pick three samples... It was between mascaras x 2 a cleansing oil and a lip gloss! Now I don't particularly wear gloss solely on it's own, I sometimes team it up with lipstick to add extra lustre, but I went for the mascaras and the cleansing oil!
The mascaras were an Everything Mascara, and Lash Glamour Extreme mascara, now for me and this may only apply to me but I really do not appreciate the plastic wand mascaras, although I did try it out for the purpose/benefit of this blog!
The plastic mascara, Lash Glamour extreme, wand was great, it lengthens lashes and it separated them, no clumps were present it was brilliant! But I personally just don't like working with the plastic wands, call me old fashioned but I find the brush wands with fibres on to be more suited to mascara application, but that may just be me!
The other mascara, the Everything Mascara, the one I prefer to work with did just as good as job as the other, these mascaras both provided me with lengthy black lashes, but still not the curl I am desperate for! Now this will be partly due to the fact my eyelashes are stubborn and won't curl, I really need to get my hands on some heated curlers!
But as mascaras go! They were good! Although I shall be sticking to my scandal eyes mascara! This is my all time fave! I love it!
My favourite item of the three which I will be purchasing in full size is the cleansing oil! This product is a rare find! It's so luxurious, and lovely! Leaving your skin feeling just perfect!
You apply the oil, from the sample i'd say 10 ish drops, from full sized bottle, 2 pumps? Making sure your face and hands are dry, massage the oil into your face, working the oil into your lashes to bring off any eye makeup! Once you feel you have removed all of the makeup, wash it away with warm water and tadaaaaa you will be makeup free!
This stuff is like magic! It's so lovely, smells lovely, and it didn't leave my face feeling oily at all! It just left it feeling smooth, soft, clean and fresh! I then applied my silver serum, mentioned in my previous blog, and then my day/night moisturiser!
I would 100% recommend the cleansing oil! And I will definitely be trying other items from their skin care range... But mascara wise I shall be sticking with my Rimmel Scandal Eyes for now!
Hope you enjoyed! Any questions feel free to ask!
Lots of love
Alex
Xxx
Skin Shops Skin Miracles….
When I was sent these products I was so excited to finally have a skin care regime…
I have to admit before my blogging kicked off I was terrible, makeup wipes used to do me, and I would rarely moisturise, my skin needed minimal maintenance, but I figured I needed to up my game, and actually invest in a skin care routine to hopefully slow down the ageing process, that I think I have now fallen into…
Skin Shop offer a wide range of skin care products, for all ages and all skin types!
I received the Kalme Range, which I have loved using!!!
I received a cream cleanser, a daytime moisturiser, a daytime defence serum, a nightime moisturiser, an eye gel, a lip balm, and my favourite product of all, A Silver Serum!!! Already sounds fantastic doesn't it…I also received some Caviar Face Masks, which I treated myself to last friday night, and they were incredible!!!
So the Cream cleanser, I used after wearing makeup from a night out and face makeup it shifted, eye makeup it shifted but didn't get rid of completely, once I had applied more it did eventually budge the mascara and eyeliner/shadow, but ultimately it wasn't as successful as some of the other makeup removers I have used…I then tried it, with removing general day to day minimal makeup and it did the job just fine! It left my skin feeling clean, fresh and hydrated! For those of you not wearing much makeup, this is a great product that I think you will benefit from, and its aim is to reduce red ness which a lot of us suffer with especially over the winter months, so its a great find for the winter months, and a product that you should definitely look into adding to your skin care regime….
Now that is the only negative thing I have to say about these products, the rest were incredible…
The daytime moisturiser was lovely! It was light, had a fresh scent, and really hydrated the skin, I work outside a lot and these products have really assisted my skin in fighting the cold! If you have oily skin, Id go for something a little less hydrating, as this gives my skin a sheen, and I have normal skin, but once the skin has had chance to absorb, it isn't noticeably 'sheeny' :) This is lovely on its own, but it can also be teamed up with makeup, providing you with a good base!
The serum that I received was also great, I get really dry bits around my nose in the winter, and this has completely stopped that! The serum sits nicely on top of the moisturiser, enhancing the look of your face once the products have completely absorbed! They leave you looking fresh faced, glowing, and healthy!
Now the night repair moisturiser I applied just before going to bed, I applied it generously to ensure maximum hydration of the skin whilst I was sleeping! This smelt so natural, quite earthy, I thought it resembled tea! But it felt so nice on the skin, its quite thick, but you can feel it working its magic! I applied this each night, and this is also aimed at relieving redness that our skin can develop in the colder months, and I have been so happy with the results!
Every night and every morning after moisturising I would apply the dry eye gel! This was light, cooling, and smelt fresh! This would really lift the eyes, making them feel bright, and awake! Use this after taking off your makeup after a night out, and it will really aid the repair of the skin after the mass use of makeup on them! :)
The other product I used which I was a bit apprehensive about was the Liquorice Lip Balm, Solely because I don't like liquorice, if you like liquorice you will love this balm! It makes your lips soooo smooth! It also boasts to prevent you from getting Cold Sores if you are prone to those! :) If you find yourself getting cold sores, especially in the winter, purchase this lip balm, which will assist in the prevention of those annoying sores that you would rather not be sporting throughout the year :)
Now my favourite product out of all of the ones listed, was the Silver Serum, I could write a blog solely on this product! I recommend it to everyone, no matter your skin type, your age, whatever! You need this product…It claims to fight the bad bacteria our skin produces, which produces spots and blemishes, and it promotes the good bacteria on our faces, that keep us looking youthful, healthy and glowing!
I applied this product whenever I could…I had a few blemishes prior to using this two weeks ago and now I am completely blemish free, I started to notice an immediate difference, and after 3 days I was mostly clear! Now I don't have bad skin…but this really aided the overall appearance of my face! My face appears smoother, my makeup is sitting better on my skin, I have a more flawless appearance without makeup! I would 1000% leave the house without makeup now!
I used this product, before applying each of my moisturisers in the morning and at night, after cleansing! Its light, fresh, smells divine, and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth! Its a MUST have in your skin care regime!!
Now the final product was the Caviar Face Masks, I asked my friend if she would like to join me in a face mask, friday night session, and who would turn it down….not her!! :) Caviar Face masks were at the ready, we were makeup free and ready to apply our blue (avatar) face masks…They were slimy, in texture, and bright blue! They were easy to apply as they moved around to the shape of your face, moulding to the contours! We then lay there for half an hour, both experiencing different sensations, of cold, tingling etc..but the end results were amazing! We removed the masks, and our skin felt and looked instantly brighter! Fine lines (only 22) were less noticeable, and the overall appearance of our skin had improved!!! I then applied my silver serum…my night time moisturiser, and hopped into bed! I felt facially amazing!!! :)
These products are definitely ones I would recommend adding to your regimes…They have many products on their websites, as mentioned before, for different skin types! So if your looking for a different problem to be tackled be sure to check out the website…another benefit, all ingredients are natural! :)
So for me Skin Shop products should definitely be on your christmas lists!! :)
Thanks for reading,
Lots of Love
Alex
xxxx
I have to admit before my blogging kicked off I was terrible, makeup wipes used to do me, and I would rarely moisturise, my skin needed minimal maintenance, but I figured I needed to up my game, and actually invest in a skin care routine to hopefully slow down the ageing process, that I think I have now fallen into…
Skin Shop offer a wide range of skin care products, for all ages and all skin types!
I received the Kalme Range, which I have loved using!!!
I received a cream cleanser, a daytime moisturiser, a daytime defence serum, a nightime moisturiser, an eye gel, a lip balm, and my favourite product of all, A Silver Serum!!! Already sounds fantastic doesn't it…I also received some Caviar Face Masks, which I treated myself to last friday night, and they were incredible!!!
So the Cream cleanser, I used after wearing makeup from a night out and face makeup it shifted, eye makeup it shifted but didn't get rid of completely, once I had applied more it did eventually budge the mascara and eyeliner/shadow, but ultimately it wasn't as successful as some of the other makeup removers I have used…I then tried it, with removing general day to day minimal makeup and it did the job just fine! It left my skin feeling clean, fresh and hydrated! For those of you not wearing much makeup, this is a great product that I think you will benefit from, and its aim is to reduce red ness which a lot of us suffer with especially over the winter months, so its a great find for the winter months, and a product that you should definitely look into adding to your skin care regime….
Now that is the only negative thing I have to say about these products, the rest were incredible…
The daytime moisturiser was lovely! It was light, had a fresh scent, and really hydrated the skin, I work outside a lot and these products have really assisted my skin in fighting the cold! If you have oily skin, Id go for something a little less hydrating, as this gives my skin a sheen, and I have normal skin, but once the skin has had chance to absorb, it isn't noticeably 'sheeny' :) This is lovely on its own, but it can also be teamed up with makeup, providing you with a good base!
The serum that I received was also great, I get really dry bits around my nose in the winter, and this has completely stopped that! The serum sits nicely on top of the moisturiser, enhancing the look of your face once the products have completely absorbed! They leave you looking fresh faced, glowing, and healthy!
Now the night repair moisturiser I applied just before going to bed, I applied it generously to ensure maximum hydration of the skin whilst I was sleeping! This smelt so natural, quite earthy, I thought it resembled tea! But it felt so nice on the skin, its quite thick, but you can feel it working its magic! I applied this each night, and this is also aimed at relieving redness that our skin can develop in the colder months, and I have been so happy with the results!
Every night and every morning after moisturising I would apply the dry eye gel! This was light, cooling, and smelt fresh! This would really lift the eyes, making them feel bright, and awake! Use this after taking off your makeup after a night out, and it will really aid the repair of the skin after the mass use of makeup on them! :)
The other product I used which I was a bit apprehensive about was the Liquorice Lip Balm, Solely because I don't like liquorice, if you like liquorice you will love this balm! It makes your lips soooo smooth! It also boasts to prevent you from getting Cold Sores if you are prone to those! :) If you find yourself getting cold sores, especially in the winter, purchase this lip balm, which will assist in the prevention of those annoying sores that you would rather not be sporting throughout the year :)
Now my favourite product out of all of the ones listed, was the Silver Serum, I could write a blog solely on this product! I recommend it to everyone, no matter your skin type, your age, whatever! You need this product…It claims to fight the bad bacteria our skin produces, which produces spots and blemishes, and it promotes the good bacteria on our faces, that keep us looking youthful, healthy and glowing!
I applied this product whenever I could…I had a few blemishes prior to using this two weeks ago and now I am completely blemish free, I started to notice an immediate difference, and after 3 days I was mostly clear! Now I don't have bad skin…but this really aided the overall appearance of my face! My face appears smoother, my makeup is sitting better on my skin, I have a more flawless appearance without makeup! I would 1000% leave the house without makeup now!
I used this product, before applying each of my moisturisers in the morning and at night, after cleansing! Its light, fresh, smells divine, and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth! Its a MUST have in your skin care regime!!
Now the final product was the Caviar Face Masks, I asked my friend if she would like to join me in a face mask, friday night session, and who would turn it down….not her!! :) Caviar Face masks were at the ready, we were makeup free and ready to apply our blue (avatar) face masks…They were slimy, in texture, and bright blue! They were easy to apply as they moved around to the shape of your face, moulding to the contours! We then lay there for half an hour, both experiencing different sensations, of cold, tingling etc..but the end results were amazing! We removed the masks, and our skin felt and looked instantly brighter! Fine lines (only 22) were less noticeable, and the overall appearance of our skin had improved!!! I then applied my silver serum…my night time moisturiser, and hopped into bed! I felt facially amazing!!! :)
These products are definitely ones I would recommend adding to your regimes…They have many products on their websites, as mentioned before, for different skin types! So if your looking for a different problem to be tackled be sure to check out the website…another benefit, all ingredients are natural! :)
So for me Skin Shop products should definitely be on your christmas lists!! :)
Thanks for reading,
Lots of Love
Alex
xxxx
Snow Queen Shoot!
Looking forward to the Snow Queen collaboration taking place on the Wirral this weekend, two lovely models will be put under my brushes to be turned into Snow Queen inspired visuals!
Photography will be taken care of by the lovely Danni Booth!
And together I'm hoping we get some great shots!!!
Glitter, fake snow, white mascara and my lashes from Eldora Lashes have been purchased! Sooo... Please watch this space for upcoming details, blogs and images! :)
Lots of Love
Alex
Xxx
Avant Garde…Gold Flake Makeup
This look was so much fun to create, Avant Garde is such a broad aspect of Makeup, it allows artists to really express themselves, get creative, and ultimately have fun!
I had seen something similar to this look on Illamasqua, and used this and the look done by Karla Powell as my inspiration! I bought the flakes a month or two ago and have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to be able to use them, and I was finally able to do so on Saturday….
So first of all what equipment will you need?
Face -
Art Deco Foundation - 1 or 2 shades darker than the natural skin tone
MAC Skin Mineralize powder - Soft and Gentle
MAC Lustre Drops
Ben NYE - Gold Shadow (Azlec Gold)
Gold Flakes - Ebay
Glitter Fix Gel - Stargazers (Amazon)
Kryolan Camouflage Palette (D15)
Eyes -
Emite Eyeshadow - DAMS (from my Glossybox)
NYX Mascara
Lashes - any that you love use! Eldora are my FAVES at the moment!
ELF Gel Liner
NYX Pencil Liner
Lips -
Gold Ben NYE Shadow
MAC Gloss
Tools -
Blending Brushes/Contouring Brushes - see my brush blog for essential brushes!
Face Brush
Silicon Applicator from Crown Brushes
So firstly I started with the face, applying Art Deco foundation 1 or 2 shades darker, using my short stipple brush from Crown Brushes, I built the foundation up to get maximum coverage. I then contoured the face using D15 in the kryolan camouflage palette, using my ELF Concealer Brush, be careful with application of this it is very dark so you won't need much. We opt for a grey coloured medium, as people often think using a brown shade of contouring medium works best, but actually grey is your best bet, as we are essentially trying to create a shadow!
Once the face was finished, I then took my ELF concealer brush and applied the Gold Ben NYE shadow to the areas in which I wanted the flakes, or some highlight/interest. I highlighted the edge of the face and all of the areas in which you would usually choose to highlight with a normal highlighter.
I built up the Gold shadow, to add some depth to the look, and also providing a good solid base colour for the flakes to sit on.
I applied the Gold Shadow to the jaw line, the cheek bones, above and below the eyebrow, along the bridge of the nose, on the hairline, and down onto the neck, highlighting the clavicles. I applied until I was satisfied with the colour of the product on the skin.
I then took my Glitter Fix gel from Stargazers, and applied it to the skin in areas that I wanted the Gold flakes to stick.
I also tied the hair back, applying wet look gel to the front, running it through the hair with a comb, to give it a sleek look, and I then applied the gold flakes into the hair line, running back into the hair!
The tool that made this look so simple to do, was the silicon applicator brush, by Crown Brushes, this truly was a god send!!! The applicator, picked up the flakes allowing you to transport them to the face without them dropping all over the floor, and allowed you to place on to the primed area with ease.
I stuck the flakes where I had firstly put the Gold Shadow, focusing on the framing of the face!
I took the flakes down onto the neck, at which point I decided to change my medium, I decided to use glitter, to cover the neck, using rather big glitter particles to cover the neck, again using the Glitter Fix gel.
Once I had applied all of the Gold Flakes I then moved onto the eyes..The look was sultry, dark, smokey, jet black eyes!
I have used a few black shadows in my time, but this has to be the most, deep, black I have come across, it is AMAZING. Its the one I received in my Glossybox this month and it is incredible. The pigment is so strong, it applies beautifully, blends amazingly, and has minimal fall. Although I did apply some translucent powder underneath the eyes to allow any drop to be removed with ease!
I applied a shadow base, NYX White Milk Stick, to the lid, for the shadow to adhere to, and taking a round contoured brush, again from Crown, I applied the black shadow, winging it out slightly, and continually blending until I achieved that dark black sultry, smokey eye. I also applied the Ben NYE Gold Shadow to the inside corner, to give it some interest, and contrast.
Another great brush for this look, is the Mini Contour (Crown Brushes) this really enabled me to get close to the lash line, applying the black eyeshadow precisely, as it is so small, but then being able to blend it out, with it being fluffy! This brush is a gem, and one all MUA's and makeup lovers need in their kits!
Apply your mascara, and Lashes and your eyes are almost done. I decided that I wanted to apply some gold flakes to the inner corners of the eyes this was simple to do, just apply the Glitter fix gel to the amount of the lid in which you want to cover and then apply the flakes using your silicon applicator!
I kept going over my Gold Highlight as I LOVED the colour, it was amazing, and it just got more beautiful the more I applied…I literally could have spent hours on this look, faffing, and perfecting!
I then finished the look with the lips, I again used the Ben NYE shadow and applied it to the lips, and applied gloss over the top in the centre of the lips, to maximise them!!
This looks was one of my favourites done so far, Avant Garde is supposed to inspire and create imagination paths within individuals, and thats what it has done for me, viewing the likes of Illlamasqua and Karla Powells work…I hope this inspires some of my readers, as I have already had several ask where I got the gold flakes from, so I hope to see a few of you re-creating and experimenting!!!
I would love to see some of them when your done…send them my way :)
Anyway, Enjoy, be Creative, Break Boundaries, and don't hold back!!
Lots of Love
Alex
xXx
I had seen something similar to this look on Illamasqua, and used this and the look done by Karla Powell as my inspiration! I bought the flakes a month or two ago and have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to be able to use them, and I was finally able to do so on Saturday….
So first of all what equipment will you need?
Face -
Art Deco Foundation - 1 or 2 shades darker than the natural skin tone
MAC Skin Mineralize powder - Soft and Gentle
MAC Lustre Drops
Ben NYE - Gold Shadow (Azlec Gold)
Gold Flakes - Ebay
Glitter Fix Gel - Stargazers (Amazon)
Kryolan Camouflage Palette (D15)
Eyes -
Emite Eyeshadow - DAMS (from my Glossybox)
NYX Mascara
Lashes - any that you love use! Eldora are my FAVES at the moment!
ELF Gel Liner
NYX Pencil Liner
Lips -
Gold Ben NYE Shadow
MAC Gloss
Tools -
Blending Brushes/Contouring Brushes - see my brush blog for essential brushes!
Face Brush
Silicon Applicator from Crown Brushes
So firstly I started with the face, applying Art Deco foundation 1 or 2 shades darker, using my short stipple brush from Crown Brushes, I built the foundation up to get maximum coverage. I then contoured the face using D15 in the kryolan camouflage palette, using my ELF Concealer Brush, be careful with application of this it is very dark so you won't need much. We opt for a grey coloured medium, as people often think using a brown shade of contouring medium works best, but actually grey is your best bet, as we are essentially trying to create a shadow!
Once the face was finished, I then took my ELF concealer brush and applied the Gold Ben NYE shadow to the areas in which I wanted the flakes, or some highlight/interest. I highlighted the edge of the face and all of the areas in which you would usually choose to highlight with a normal highlighter.
I built up the Gold shadow, to add some depth to the look, and also providing a good solid base colour for the flakes to sit on.
I applied the Gold Shadow to the jaw line, the cheek bones, above and below the eyebrow, along the bridge of the nose, on the hairline, and down onto the neck, highlighting the clavicles. I applied until I was satisfied with the colour of the product on the skin.
I then took my Glitter Fix gel from Stargazers, and applied it to the skin in areas that I wanted the Gold flakes to stick.
I also tied the hair back, applying wet look gel to the front, running it through the hair with a comb, to give it a sleek look, and I then applied the gold flakes into the hair line, running back into the hair!
The tool that made this look so simple to do, was the silicon applicator brush, by Crown Brushes, this truly was a god send!!! The applicator, picked up the flakes allowing you to transport them to the face without them dropping all over the floor, and allowed you to place on to the primed area with ease.
I stuck the flakes where I had firstly put the Gold Shadow, focusing on the framing of the face!
I took the flakes down onto the neck, at which point I decided to change my medium, I decided to use glitter, to cover the neck, using rather big glitter particles to cover the neck, again using the Glitter Fix gel.
Once I had applied all of the Gold Flakes I then moved onto the eyes..The look was sultry, dark, smokey, jet black eyes!
I have used a few black shadows in my time, but this has to be the most, deep, black I have come across, it is AMAZING. Its the one I received in my Glossybox this month and it is incredible. The pigment is so strong, it applies beautifully, blends amazingly, and has minimal fall. Although I did apply some translucent powder underneath the eyes to allow any drop to be removed with ease!
Another great brush for this look, is the Mini Contour (Crown Brushes) this really enabled me to get close to the lash line, applying the black eyeshadow precisely, as it is so small, but then being able to blend it out, with it being fluffy! This brush is a gem, and one all MUA's and makeup lovers need in their kits!
Apply your mascara, and Lashes and your eyes are almost done. I decided that I wanted to apply some gold flakes to the inner corners of the eyes this was simple to do, just apply the Glitter fix gel to the amount of the lid in which you want to cover and then apply the flakes using your silicon applicator!
I kept going over my Gold Highlight as I LOVED the colour, it was amazing, and it just got more beautiful the more I applied…I literally could have spent hours on this look, faffing, and perfecting!
I then finished the look with the lips, I again used the Ben NYE shadow and applied it to the lips, and applied gloss over the top in the centre of the lips, to maximise them!!
This looks was one of my favourites done so far, Avant Garde is supposed to inspire and create imagination paths within individuals, and thats what it has done for me, viewing the likes of Illlamasqua and Karla Powells work…I hope this inspires some of my readers, as I have already had several ask where I got the gold flakes from, so I hope to see a few of you re-creating and experimenting!!!
I would love to see some of them when your done…send them my way :)
Anyway, Enjoy, be Creative, Break Boundaries, and don't hold back!!
Lots of Love
Alex
xXx
GlossyBox November!!xx
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This months GlossyBox was full of absolutely great products!!!
The only one I haven't really got on with is the Nail Polish Remover Pads from Elegant Touch and that is simply because I'm a Gel Nails kinda girl!!! Although I did get my sister to try it out...so a review was still possible!!
Enjoy the read...
Yves Rocher France - Hand Cream
So the first product I'm going to look at is theee Yves Rocher hand cream..
Now I don't usually use hand cream as I don't particularly suffer with dry skin, or at least I didn't think I did, I have been using this hand cream everyday for the past 2 weeks sometimes twice a day and hellloooo baby soft skin! Apparently my hands weren't as soft as I thought prior to application of this wonder cream, but now they really are, and can I just touch on the smell...Its divine, I had to pull myself away from licking my hands several times, as with its cocoa and raspberry scent, I smelt very edible! I can 100% recommend this product especially over the coming months. I also made my Dad give it a try, as he is a builder and complains about having dry hands allll the time (YAWN) but he even said had it not been for its ever so feminine smell, he would use it more often, as it definitely improved the texture of his skin!
The full size tube is £1.75 and you can buy it from yves-rocher.co.uk
If you suffer with dry hands, and you love the smell of chocolate go buy yours today! :) Edible and soft, great combination!!
Elegant Touch - Nail Polish Remover Pads
The next product inside this months box, was Nail polish remover pads by Elegant touch
These are great for on the go ladies, pop them in your bag, if your on the train or in a Cafe or staying over somewhere for the weekend/night, and your painting your nails, this handy compact tub will prove extremely useful.
Now as mentioned earlier I am a Shellac fanatic, purely because I used to nibble on my nails and I've found this is the only method that stops me! But I did get my sister to use them and she said that 'they do what they are supposed to do' - helpful! But I'm guessing what she meant was, they bring off the unwanted varnish, which is what we are trying to achieve. These pads contain extra vitamins and moisturisers to ensure your nails and cuticles feel super nourished! For those of you painting your nails often I suggest you get yourselves some of these...especially if you are also ladies of leisure and are off gallivanting to different places finding yourself in needs of polish remover.
These can be bought from some of our popular local beauty supplier shops, New Look, SuperDrug and Boots, for just £2
Vichy - Idealia Life Serum
The next product i'm going to review for you is by Vichy and its their Idealia Life Serum, the only negative thing I have to say about this is...there was not enough of it! The texture of my skin after using this serum was like silk! It was lovely! I also gave one to my mum to try and she had no doubts in agreeing with me, when I say that this really is a fab product! It instantly transformed the look of my skin, making it look hydrated, fresh and supple! It also smelt so yummy almost perfumed! The only downside was that the bottles really were too teeny, but if you were wanting to splash out on this product, which I may do every now and then as it is quite expensive... £29.50 for 30ml then you can buy it from Boots :)
Connock London - Kukui Eau de Parfum
Now last month we had Katy Perry's perfume in the box, and that was surprisingly nice, this months perfume was so so so good! I have never heard of the brand, Connock, and I hope not many other people have either, as I definitely feel it may be my new scent! *Don't like smelling the same as everyone else* :) This really was a lovely surprise, it has a 'sultry woody base' with romantic top notes of gardenia, Jasmine and Calla Lily. Calla Lily my favourite flower...No wonder it smelt so good, and I love it as much as I do....Its quite a strong scent, but one that will leave an impression on anyone that smells it!
To get yours visit Connock London and purchase the full size bottle of 100ml for £75, you wont regret it!
Emite Make Up - Micronized Eyeshadow - Dams
The final product in this months Glossybox, was one that I will get endless use from, and it is the favourite of the products so far for me...Its a MATTE Black eyeshadow by a company called Emite Makeup, never had I heard of it, but it has to be the best black eyeshadow I have ever used. I've used MAC, Bobbi Brown, Urban Decay, Benefit etc etc and this is by far the best, the pigment is so deep and rich, its not a wishy washy black, its jet black! Its a dream!!! It truly is a must have shadow, and what makes it even better, its blendable! It also lasts for hoursssss...Get yours here today! for £16.80 Emite Makeup I Can't wait to try more from their range :)
This Glossybox was a treat to rummage through and review for you guys! I am so excited about the next one, I have extremely high hopes!! I recommend GlossyBox to any beauty Lover Get yours today!
I hope you have enjoyed this read...any questions/comments/feedback it is all welcome!
Thank youuu
Alex
xXx
Brushes... Tips, Tricks and Techniques
Brushes…Wow where to start,
there are sooo many things I have to say about brushes, regards material, brand,
use, cleaning, purpose etc., but this blog will focus solely on the types
available and some techniques, for blogs to do with the other aspects visit my
blog page!!!
First of all let me say
that Brushes are key to your makeup application…for those of you out there that
use your fingers, shame on you!! (My mother is one of them) Your fingers are
not for applying makeup! Lip balms…yes great use your fingers, patting
glitter/pigments etc. yes fine…but when applying face, and eye makeups please
invest in some brushes! Hopefully this blog will enlighten you as to why its
beneficial, and I assure you that if you read other blogs from my website, I will
show you that you don’t have to spend silly amounts of money for good quality
brushes!
So what types of brushes
are available? You have different brushes for different aspects of the face. We
have face brushes, which split down into complexion brushes, contouring
brushes, foundation brushes, concealer brushes, and blusher brushes. Each of
the mentioned brushes prior then have different varieties within their category,
for example foundation brushes, you can have flat, or duo fibre brushes. It’s
all about preference and what you are used to. In this blog I am going to talk
to you about the brushes I prefer to use, why I prefer them to some of the
other options, and the techniques to use when applying your makeup with them.
So lets start with the
face…Face brushes that are must haves are;
A foundation brush, now I
prefer the duo fibre brushes over the flat brushes, purely and simply because I
feel you get a more flawless, seamless application with the stipple brushes,
the flat brushes can leave brush strokes on your face, which isn’t desirable. This
brush can be used with all types of foundation, cream, liquid, powder. To avoid
build up on the tip of the brush, apply the foundation to your face, or to your
hand, or even onto a silver palette first and then blend the foundation over
the desired area in circular motions, buffing it onto the skin. This really
will leave your face with a flawless finish; build up to the coverage you
desire and your good to go…
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TIP
– Get yourself a short duo fibre brush aswell for a more controlled buffing
action
Concealer isn’t something I
use a lot myself as my skin usually doesn’t need much covering, but if I’m
doing a shoot, or for those of you with slight blemishes, a concealer brush
will be perfect for covering those imperfections. A firm, but fluffy brush should
be used, now I know that sounds controversial, but finding the right brush for
the job is so important, so for the concealer brush you want something firm
that will allow you control when applying concealer, but you also require it to
be fluffy so that it will blend your product, again using circular motions to
buff in the concealer, the concealer should also be of similar shade to your
foundation to ensure the application isn’t obvious and looks as natural as
possible.
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TIP
– Apply concealer under and over your foundation for that extra coverage
A powder/complexion brush
again needs to be firm to ensure even application but also fluffy to ensure
blending. Large powder brushes are easy to come by, and usually not all that
expensive, you want one that doesn’t hold too much product in one place on the
brush, you want a brush that picks up the product evenly allowing even
application over the face, ensure that your powder brush is dome shaped, and
again move in circular motions, which acts as a buffing technique.
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TIP – Clean after every use to ensure that it doesn’t get clogged up with
powder/cream-based products
For contouring, you can use
an angled brush, which will also team up as a blusher brush, just ensure that
you clean your brushes in between uses. The angle of the contouring/blushes
brush, allows you to apply product, following the natural shape of the cheekbone,
in an upwards-diagonal motion towards the centre of the forehead. This brush
will be workable, meaning that the brush hairs will be quite firm but again
soft in texture, allowing you to move the powder, or cream based product
around, you want it to be comfortable on your face, and if the brush is too
hard you will just drag the powder/cream around the area, instead of buffing it
into the region in which you want the colour, which will look all together more
natural.
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TIP – Use a dome shaped brush on the apple of your cheeks for a flush
of colour
We then have eye brushes…now
this facial aspect has sooo many different brushes available its quite insane!
I am going to talk about the few you would need to create any look your wanting
to J
A base is essential to make
your shadows applied last for a long period of time, use a flat, firm brush to
apply a creamy base that you intend for your shadow product to adhere to.
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Once you have applied your
base, you will need a fluffier flat brush to apply your base shadow, this brush
can be different sizes depending on the shape and size of your lid. They are
often round in shape to blend and move with the natural contours of your eye. The
fluffy brush will allow a seamless application of a light base shadow over your
creamy base applied prior.
TIP – Pat on the shadow to ensure it adheres to the creamy base you
applied earlier
Now for eye makeup
application I think you need 5 brushes…
A small shader, for
applying the shadow, the small shader should be quite firm allowing definitive
application of the shadow, the technique to use with this brush is a placing
motion, you place and pat the eyeshadow onto the lid rather than buffing it on.
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TIP – Keep building up the shadow until you achieve the desired
colour/depth of shadow
You then need a blending
brush, which will enable you to blend the harsh edges of the shadow, and if
your applying more than one colour, then it will blend the edges of the colours
together, meaning a seamless application. One thing to remember is not to over blend,
although blending is key to flawless makeup application, over blending on the
eye makeup can make it look silly, and like one big mass of colour. You just
want to blend the edges, so that it is all smooth, seamless and sultry!
Beautiful!!
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TIP – Get yourself more than one blending brush, you can never have too
many, especially if more than one colour is in use!
A crease brush is also
essential, with this dome shaped, shorted bristled brush you can apply a darker
shadow into the natural crease of your eye, the socket. This will emphasise the
shape of your eye, acting as a contour. The brush needs to be fluffy, but the
compact bristle arrangement will mean you have control over the product you are
applying! This brush can also double up as a general blending brush!
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TIP – Use this brush to blend, it allows precision blending
A smudger is also an
essential brush to have when you are doing a Smokey eye, or any look in which
you don’t want any harsh, definite edges. This brush needs to have short brush
hairs, and be quite firm, this will allow you to move any product that you wish
to smudge, for example under the eye, if you line the eye with liner, take your
smudger and buff over the liner, this will smoke it up! Giving you an instant
sultry look!
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TIP – This brush can also be used to apply highlighter to the inner
corner of your eye!
Finally for the eyes an
eyeliner brush is key!! There are different variety’s again, Angled, flat, fine
tipped! I have tried using each of them, and for me the fine tip is the key to
that definitive, neat, precise eyeliner application! Starting in the middle of
the eye, ensuring you have enough product on the brush, and sweep your brush
out to the point in which you want your eyeliner to finish, ensuring that it
tapers off, rather than just stopping! Then get your client/yourself to look
down into the opposite corner and fill in the inside corner, matching it up to
your starting point in the middle! Patience and a steady hand is key when
applying the gel liner! Take your time, have cotton buds handy to eradicate any
mistake, and keep practising…do not give up! J
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TIP – Make a dot on the outside of your eye for you to follow, when
drawing your flick, this dot will be the point at which your liner will stop,
this will give you your symmetry!
Other brushes that I
believe to be essentials are…a lip brush these brushes have a rounded tip with
a slight point, they allow a precise lip line to be created, which can then be
filled in using the wider flatter base part of the brush.
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TIP – Use a lip liner first to prevent any feathering of the lipstick
you apply, and then use the brush!
A brow spoolie is also essential;
I am obsessed with eyebrows being groomed. I never used to be bothered about my
brows, but now I cannot stand having them un-groomed! It offends me, as it is
so easy to do…Get yourself a brow spoolie, one end will have a spoolie on it
which you can also use for your lashes, and the other end will have a firm
angled, short haired brush on it! This is the end you use to apply your brow
medium, whether that is a cream, a gel or a powder!
Firstly you will take your
spoolie end and comb your eyebrows upwards creating maximum lift, neatening up
the edges, ready for colour application. Then take your brow brush, and
starting at the inside corner, draw a line, following the natural line of the
underside of the brow till you come to the outer point, and then do the same on
the top, filling in the gaps in the middle of the brow, ensuring they look as
natural as possible J
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TIP – Make sure that once you have finished your brows, apply a brow
gel or wax to keep them in your desired position
Now the coolest brush I
have come across recently is one for you glitter, sequin, and pigment lovers!
It’s a silicon applicator that ensure precise application of your loose medium,
onto either lips, eyes or the face in general, it is made from a soft plastic
that the products stick to, allowing you control and achieve precise
application! This is a new brush to my kit and I can’t wait to use it, and
review it for you guys! But anybody that loves playing around with makeup I
would definitely advise purchasing!
TIP – If your using glitter/pigments etc. keep sticky tape handy to
remove any fall that drops down onto the face!
Finally do look after your
brushes, if you are using them regularly do clean them often, a baby shampoo is
great, keeping the bristles clean, soft and hydrated, means that they remain
supple for a long time if you keep looking after them J
My final point to make
is…Brushes shouldn’t be deemed to have one use. I have so many brushes within
my kit that I use for different jobs…for example I use my concealer brush to
buff foundation, or blend shadows, I also use blending shadow brushes to conceal,
brushes are versatile items, and you should use them for whatever you see fit! As
long as you get the desired look and finish then this is all that matters!
For brand specifics, please
visit my blog for more details!
Hope this has been useful!
Thanks for reading!
Your feedback and comments
are welcome!
Lots of Love
Alexandra Louise
xXx
Name: Alex Singleton MUA
Twitter Name:
@AlexLouiseMUA
Website & Blog: www.alexandralouisemua.co.uk
Facebook Page: MakeUp Artistry by Alexandra
Louise
My recommended Item for each facial aspect...
When deciding on what to do for my most recent guest blog... I chose to pick my favourite makeup product for each facial aspect!
The amount of products available now is unbelievable! Company after company are releasing products, all claiming to be better than there competition!
I've had sooo many different products, that I've buyed and tried! Some I've fallen in love with some I've really not... I always ask my clients aswell when I'm doing their makeup, how the products feel/smell etc to ensure that they are involved through every stage!
This also enables me to decipher which are the best products and which I should avoid in the future!
After doing makeup for a good while now, I've come to love certain products! I'm alwaysssss open to trying new ones, so if I read about or see something new being used I will often purchase it and make the decision for myself to see if it's worth re-buying or not, and if it is, I will blog about it and be sure you inform all my followers :)
So I've split the face up into different aspects, I will focus on my favourite and most recommended products for the:
Face
Eyes
Lips
Brows
And my favourite Brush!!
So let's begin with the Face! I could sit and recommend products all day but for the face my favourite item has to be MAC's mineralize Face Powder, I have the matte one (light) and the shimmery one (soft and gentle)!
This product is so lovely, it really sits on the skin nicely, it is suitable for all ages and skin types as it isn't heavy! It doesn't look cakey and it doesn't clog pores, or sit in fine lines! When applied over your foundation it just gives that flawless look, that we are all dreaming about!! The Matte one is a great finishing powder, whereas the shimmery one is a great highlighter! This soft and gentle (shimmer) one also looks great when applied to the entire face, if working on shoots/within the fashion industry! It gives the skin a beautiful, youthful, radiant glow!
For the eyes... I wouldn't hesitate in recommending the white (milk) NYX stick! For me a versatile item of MakeUp is one that will be replaced in an artist’s kit over and over!
The NYX Stick comes in a variety of colours, being used by the leading professionals worldwide! I personally use this product prior to application of shadow, creating a white base on the lid, or the area in which you are working, really makes the applied shadows stand out! The contrast between your chosen colours for your look and the NYX stick will really make your eyes pop!
The white base can also be used to create yourself a guide to follow when creating interest outside the boundaries of the lid, for example a dramatic flick. White can easily be erased, whereas black eyeliner applied with no guide, especially for those of you just starting out can be tricky!! This will also help with your symmetry, as you can make sure it’s evenbefore applying the eyeliner.
This NYX stick can also be used on the lip line, eradicating the existing, enabling the artist to enhance the natural lip line creating whatever look they are aiming to achieve!
There are so many products I could of mentioned for my favourite eye product, but a good base is essential for any eye makeup, and for £5 this is a steal!!!!
For the lips I'd recommend a lip balm you just can't live without, and that for me is the tinted lib balm from Blistex!! It's called 'Blushing' and it truly is stunning!
This is a product that you need more than one of, I have one in my handbag, my going out bag and my car... Just in case :)
It's creamy texture leaves your lips hydrated, and the colour is lovely it gives your lips a flush of colour that is so natural, it's just effortless! And for £2.50 you can't really complain!! Especially with the cold winter months approaching this is a must have on your Christmas/shopping list!
Brows are something that I love, they frame the face and are so easy to maintain, so when I see people with un-groomed brows it offends me!!! I will be posting a blog shortly on how to achieve the desired brow... Keep checking my website/Facebook page for continual updates on blogs etc!
So all you need for excellent, perfect brows is the Pro Brow Kit from MUA, this brow kit is a must have for anyone! It's used by leading proffesionals, and I have recently found it to be something I can't live without! It contains a light/dark/darker powder a setting wax/brow gel, a small cute pair of tweezers, and a teeny brow brush! It's so compact and adorable that for £3.50 why would you not buy this product, that promises to assist you in shaping, shading and highlighting one of the main features on your face!!!
And finally for my favourite brush!!! Now this brush is one of the main reasons I love Makeup! This brush makes the application of everything so much easier, neater, quicker and it is the ultimate tool to have if your trying to achieve that flawless, seamless application!
The brush is one from ELF's studio range, it's their flawless concealer brush! Now do not be put off when brushes are given a name or a specific function, like concealer brush, eyeliner brush etc! A brush if it gives you the right finish can be used for ANYTHING! Remember no boundaries!
This brush is quite firm but also fluffy! I use it for buffing foundation, applying concealer, finishing powder, and for the blending of shadows! It really is a must have, and I can guarantee you will buy more than one, the best thing about it is it's only £3.75! What are you waiting for....
I hope these five items make there way into your makeup kits at some point! They really are true gems in the makeup product world, ones that I keep replacing over and over!!!
Thanks for reading! Check out my website/Facebook page for more blogs and information!
Lots of Love
Alexandra Louise
xXx
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