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

www.alexandralouisemua.co.uk

www.facebook.com/AlexandraLouiseMUA

@AlexLouiseMUA

Get the Capitol Look - The Girl on Fire, Hunger Games Tribute!!!

I LOVE The Hunger Games film, and I am so excited about the release of the newest one on the 21st November! The books are also brilliant, but I do love the film for its visual qualities, and you can finally put faces to the characters! :)

This MakeUp Look was created with Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in mind...The Girl on Fire is an image that represents, strong, powerful, influential, independant women! She is effortlessly beautiful, and this look reflects the image she takes on when she is presenting herself in the 'celebrations' during the run up to The Hunger Games!

This look would be perfect for you die hard fans going to premieres of the film, even those of you who wish to be extravagant when viewing the film in your local cinemas :)

It also could be re-created if attending a fancy dress party! This blog will take you through the steps in creating this look, listing the tools and products used!! 

Firstly let me just say the main product I used during this look was the bronze pigment, from MAC, now this will create fall, there will be pigment everywhere!! So put a towel down and have sticky tape handy so that the fall can eaily be removed!! 

All you need to do for this look is apply your regular face makeup! Paying particular attention to contouring!!! I contoured quite alot for this look, using my Kryolan Pallette, contour your cheekbones, jawline, eyesockets, nose and temples!!!

Fix your foundation with powder, and then we will begin applying the pigment!!

The areas in which I applied the pigment to was the lips, the eyebrows, the cheekbones, collar bones and eyes/lashes!

I worked from the top of the head down to ensure I didn't smudge any of the pigment already applied!!

Eyebrows...Bronze eyebrows should always be allowed!!! I painted the eyebrows first using a bronze gel liner from MAC using any flat, small brush! My lip brush from Crown Brushes came in handy here. I then placed the pigment over the eyebrows, pressing the pigment into the gel to make it stick!! 

I lined the eyes using the tiny eyeliner brushes from Crown, with the same gel liner, and repeated the process, the gel liner provided me with adhesion for the pigment to stick on to, it didn't budge once applied! 

I took a set of eyelashes and applied DUO eyelash glue on to the actual lashes, I then sprinkled pigment onto the lashes, this looked extremely effective! Adding to the look!

For the cheekbones/collar bones, they were already contoured to a high degree using my ELF concealer brush, and D15 Kroylan camouflage creme! I took my fan brush from ELF, and dusted the pigment over the apple of the cheeks and sweeped it out in a C shape movement to the centre of the forehead!!!

For the lips I again applied using my Lip brush from Crown Brushes, the Gel Liner from MAC, applying plenty of product ensured that it didnt dry out quickly, meaning the pigment stuck to it with ease!!

You need to work relatively quickly when creating this look, as you are relying on the pigment sticking to the gel liner, you can build the pigment up, just keep applying it over itself, in layers until you achieve the desired pigment coverage! Placing and pressing these products will give you the best results! Blending is not key in this situation as you will just move the pigment around, and this will not allow you to achieve what we have set out to! 

This look can be adapted, different pigment colours can be used, have fun with these pigments, they are so versatile!!! As I said this look is easy, it just requires a bit of quick precision when your working with these mediums! But once done it will look truly effective!

Remember to put mascara on aswell as your false lashes, to make them look more natural, buff and blend your face makeup so that it is flawless, and keep the sticky tape handy to enable you to remove any of the unwanted pigment drop!!!

Any questions please comment, and ask!! 

Blogs coming soon include one on eyebrows, and one on older skin (requested by someone who doesnt even have old skin :S )

Enjoy!!!

Lots of Love 

Alex 

October's Glossybox!x

I have recently subscribed to Glossybox, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to add more items to my kit (obsession) and to explore the beauty world in greater depths. It also gives me the opportunity to be a 'beauty blogger' bringing my wisdom of makeup, hair and beauty products to my readers :)

Every box I recieve I will be doing a montlhy blog on, which will include my personal review on each item within the box, recommending where I feel appt! I hope you enjoy the read and maybe find yourselves purchasing some of the items I recommend :)

Items within this months GlossyBox...

Harmony moisturiser 

This product wasn't suited to my skin, I have normal skin, and this specifies that it is for combination skin, at the time of use aswell I had quite dry skin as I had just got back from holiday!...holiday blues :( Having said this, once I applied quite alot my skin did feel extremely smooth, and it was great under my makeup! Although it is quite expensive to be using excessive amounts to achieve what you can with a normal moisturiser. It smelt lovely, very fresh, it smelt good for your skin! I think if I had oily combination skin it would be a good purchase, but i think for the time being I will be sticking with my Garnier Rose Essentials <3 

Monu Illuminating Primer 

This product was a lot more suited to my skin, it was a creamy product that went onto the skin nicely, and sat very naturally under my makeup! It was light but did the job, although with it containing SPF I wouldn't recommend especially if you were intending on having photographs taken, as the SPF contains light reflective minerals that will make you look paler than you are! Not ideal...But for during the day its a perfect product! It gives a nice, dewy glow and youthful appearance. I wouldn't hesitate recommending! 

MeMeMe Cheek/Lip Tint

I have never been a fan of the cheek/lip tint. You instantly loose that ability to blend the products, which ultimately gives you that flawless look! Once applied to the skin you dont have much working time, to move the product around if any at all, as it stains the skin you put it on! I know this is given away in the name of it 'tint' but Im not sure its a beneficial trait for a makeup product to have, when the idea of makeup is to look seamless on a persons face. I wouldnt completely rule it out, as you could attempt mixing the tint with one of your cream based products, either a lipstick, or a blusher to intensify the colour, as the pigmentation of this product is second to none. Mixing with your lipstick or cream blusher will add depth to your chosen medium, but for now I feel this product won't be making its way into my kit :( Sorryyyy MeMeMe

Vita Liberata Skin Finish (latte)

For me, now that my tan has faded and I have regained my 'English rose' complexion, this just didn't suit my skin type! For those of you with the desired olive complexion I'm sure this would make a fine addition to your makeup kit! It felt extremely smooth when testing it on my hand, providing a light/medium coverage, I think it would be perfect applied over your daily/night time foundation! 

Killer Queen, Katy Perry, Perfume

This was a pleasant surprise, as I expected it to be another one of these scents released by popstars to rob small children blind of their pocket money! But this is actually quite a nice scent, I wouldnt choose to wear it myself, but I think for teenagers making that transition from the lower end of the teens, say 13 ish to the mid teen stage of about 16 then this is a definite one to try and maybe pop on your christmas list :) I hope this has been insightful, and let me tell you I cannot wait for my next glossy box arrival, in the mean time keep if you have a blog topic you would like me to cover, feel free to get in touch or leave your comment below!! 

Lots of Love

Alex

xXx