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

Sugar Skulls :)

Yesterday at Aqua Rosa, Media MakeUp School we did Sugar Skulls...It was AMAZING

This blog will give you helpful (I hope) information on how to re-create this artistic look! Sugar skulls originate from Mexico, they were created out of sugar to celebrate the deceased on a day titled 'the day of the dead' Now modern day people, artists, MakeUp Artists have got their hands on them and have turned them into a look that can be sported throughout the year (fancy dress mostly) but they are typically done around the halloween period! 

For my sugar skull, I used a variety of mediums...Paints, and shadows mostly!!

Firstly you need to create a white base, leaving space around the eyes, this ensures that the colour you put around the eyes doesn't mix in with the white base, say for example you put red over white, it will most likely turn pink! So where you are thinking of putting other colours over the white, to create interest leave blank :)

Once you have your blank white canvas, which I suggest applying with a sponge (car sponge works well, cut up) and then take a foundation brush and feather the paint, to ensure it is well blended!!

I worked from the top of the face down, forehead to chin, to ensure that I didn't smudge any of the paint I applied (similiar to painting a picture) To create the cobweb on the forehead, I used an eyeliner first and faintly drew on my design, once the design I wanted was achieved, I then took a fine eyeliner brush, with a nice point on it, and applied black facepaint over my initial lines! Make sure you have enough product on your brush to ensure continual movement of medium on the face!

I then focused on the eyes...applying a blue and green paint to the lid of the eye to create a teal colour! You can just use my design and change the colours? or you can just use the techniques I describe to create your own sugar skull :) Once the paint was applied to the eye, I added depth to the colour using a blue eyeshadow, blending with a brush! I then took a black shadow and focused on the lining of the eye smudging it out into the blue colour on the lid, so that there was no definitive edge! Keep applying the black until you are satisified with it!

Define the cheek bones of the skull like I did, joining the eyebrow detail to the mouth, which follows the line of the cheekbone! Blend the colour of choice down to create definition!

Add some interest to the nose using black eyeliner to create your shape again, and then go over with the black paint! I chose a spade for my interest on the nose! But you can choose any shape or design you want! Be creative! :) There really are no boundaries with Sugar Skulls!

For the Teeth/Lips, Using your eyeliner again, make sure your lips are closed, and draw a line from top to bottom, making sure they join in the middle, the outer lines are to be longer getting shorter towards the middle of the lip! Add depth to the lines by going over the liner with the black face paint!

Finally I added sequins around the eyes, to add more interest, and it looked quite pretty :)! It also looks very effective..you can use anything, sequins, glitter, anything! Its an opportunity to let your imagination run away with you! :)

All I will say is...take your time, do not rush this, because if you do take your time then you will really get it right, and it will look fab!! It will be worth the patience :)

Any questions please feel free to ask, for more details etc Get in touch!

Look forward to hearing from you all!

Lots of Love

Alex

xXx