A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

So a few of you asked for some tips and to see a FOTD with the Illamasqua Halcyon Illuminator that I swatched in this here post so I made sure to dig it out this morning.

I hope you can make it out!  It’s more apparent in the right hand photo… a fairly neutral champagne shimmer.  My only issue with it (that I was reminded of when applying today) is how quickly it dries.  You gotta blend quick!

I usually squeeze a little onto my finger tip, tap 3 dots across my cheekbones and blend, blend, blend!  I tend to struggle a little with liquid highlighters as they settle in and accentuate my pores (I’m looking at you Eyeko cream thing) but this doesn’t.

Anyway, hope that helps!

Just a few of the products so you can see how they look applied (badly as always!)

Face

~ MUA Blusher – Shade 3
~ MUA Pressed Powder (used as contour) – Shade 4

Eyes

~ MUA Eyeshadow Shade 9 (on the lid and under the lower lashline)
~ MUA Eyeshadow Shade 4 (blended into and sligtly above the crease)

Lips

~ MUA Lipstick Shade 5

Do you think you’ll be picking anything up?  Or if you already have, what did you buy?

A mostly cool-toned FOTD bar a hint of peach on the lids.

It’s crazy how much of my eye makeup actually disappears when I open my eyes…. which kinda begs the question, “Should I walk around with my eyes shut?”

Face:

~ Max Factor Second Skin Foundation in Creamy Ivory (thanks Jen!)
~ Stila Sheer Pressed Powder in Light

Eyes:

~ Urban Decay Drink Me, Eat Me on the lid (from the AiW palette)
~ Urban Decay Vorpal in the crease and outer ‘V’ (from the AiW palette)
~ Stargazer Cake Liner in Brown on the lashline
~ YSL Singulier Mascara in Black

Lips:

~ ELF Runway Pink with a slick of…
~ …MAC Please Me ontop.

Like most ladies, I don’t get a huge amount of time to dedicate to my makeup in the mornings.  I get to spend 10-15 minutes max before I need to get fixed on the day ahead.

I thought I’d share with you my 5 minute face for the mornings when I’m even more pressed for time.  These are the products I reach for time and time again to help me get the most polished look in the shortest time possible.

1. MAC 180 Flat Top Buffer Brush, I think this is a discontinued brush now but I saw it in my local CCO not that long ago.  I use this brush for a full coverage application of mineral foundation, it is densely packed and always gives a beautiful even finish.

2. Bare Minerals Mineral Foundation in Fairly Light.  I’m not hugely brand loyal when it comes to mineral foundation.  I like Bare Escentuals, Elemental Beauty and Cory Cosmetics for a full coverage finish in the least amount of time.  I find all 3 brands offer a well milled product that looks natural whilst still covering well.  I reach for minerals when I’m in a rush because it literally takes me less than 30 seconds to apply a full face of foundation using them.

3. Once my foundation is on I’ll add a touch of liquid highlighter.  I rotate what I’m using, some days I’ll use the NARS Orgasm Illuminator or my Illamasqua Halcyon, at the moment I’m using up my Shu Uemura Base Control in Silver.  I just apply with my fingers and blend.

4. Bourjois Lilas D’or is a blush I reach for when I’m in a hurry because it’s impossible to screw up.  It gives a beautiful pink/peach flush with gold shimmer.  I always keep an old toothbrush with my makeup brushes to give the top a quick sweep as it tends to harden unless in continuous use.

5. Aurifere Blush Brush #150.  This is a new acquisition, but I can already tell I’m gonna reach for this above any of my other blush brushes.  I love the taper and it’s pretty darn soft for goat hair.  A beautiful densely packed brush that places a perfect amount of product just where I want it.  A full review of my recent order should be up tomorrow.

6. Benefit Creaseless Cream in R.S.V.P.  This is a peachy shimmery shade that I sweep over the entire eyelid, right up to and just beyond the socket line.  Again, it’s just a foolproof product that negates the need for eye primer.  Lasts all day and just gives a polished look.

7. Sonia Kashuk Large Eyeshadow Brush.  I bought this before Space NK dropped the SK brushes from their inventory.  I reach for it when I want to sweep colour or blend without the need for too much precision.  It’s a great brush for time-pressed gals.

8. The Body Shop Eye Colour #37 Pink Champagne.  This is a beautiful shimmery shade that’s half pink/half taupe and works well blended through the socket line for subtle shading without looking like an obvious ‘crease colour’.  I reach for this shade often.

9. This is a Paula’s Choice Precision Shadow Brush that I picked up from eBay US a couple of years ago.  It’s a densely packed small crease brush that I use to place shadows precisely but quickly into the socket line before using a fluffier brush to blend the colour out.

10. PURE Kajal Eyeliner in Unforgetable Black.  When PURE started to desert the shelves of Boots, I rushed down to my local to buy a backup.  Whilst I’ll always reach for my GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliners when I need unwavering longevity, I grab these super-soft kajals for a quick sweep across the upper waterline when I’m in a hurry.  I then press my eyes closed for a couple of seconds to transfer the line to my lower lashline.

11. YSL Singulier Mascara in Black.  It gives me beautiful dark lashes with one coat, and that’s all I’ve got time for!

12. INGLOT Slim Gel Lipstick in #61.  A well pigmented pink/mauve that goes on smoothly and needs no lip liner faffery. (I hereby declare “faffery” a real word).

13. Lanolips Lip Ointment in Rose.  A small amount of this slicked over the centre of my bottom lip and ‘smooshed’  up to the top lip is all I use in the way of gloss at the moment.  It’s non-sticky and beautifully moisturising.  Goes lovely with my INGLOT Slim Gel too!

Have just realised that my number idiocy has struck again…. I’ve labelled #5 twice in the first photo *eye roll*.  Can’t be bothered to change it – so let me quickly mention #5 (the other one).

5. Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist.  I never wear mineral foundation without a quick spritz of this on top.  It eliminates any hint of powdery dryness that minerals can sometimes leave behind.

This was taken at the end of the day with a quick re-application of my lip products for the photo.  Please excuse the frizz and weary look!

What are some of your foolproof 5 minute face products?

I never generally use more than 2 or 3 eyeshadows at once, I know lots of ladies manage to create spectacular looks with 5 or 6 shadows all expertly blended across the eye lid.  But I’m pretty cack-handed and can barely stop 2 from muddying together.  That and I just don’t have the time anymore to play, so here’s a very quick smoky eye…

Please excuse the stupid expression, even though I have no excuse.

Face:

~ No7 Essential Moisture Foundation in New Ivory mixed with NARS Orgasm Illuminator

Eyes:

~ eBay Generic Gel Eyeliner used as a cream shadow (Shimmer Skyline) – hard to blend but worth it.
~ Laura Geller Fire/Water Eye Shadow pressed onto lid (water half of the duo)
~ MAC Naval Blue pigment blended (badly) into the crease and above
~ L’oreal Super Liner Carbon Gloss Liquid Liner in Black
~ L’oreal Voluminous Mascara in Black

Lips:

~ NARS Cruising Lipstick

I can’t get enough of blue eye shadow at the moment, anyone else going through any shadow phases?

Just a quickie to show-off my lovely new Sugarpill loose eyeshadows (proper review and swatches coming VERY soon!)

Eyes:
Sugarpill Cosmetics in Starling on the lid and lower lashline (dry)
Sugarpill Cosmetics in Goldilux in the crease and inner corner (dry)

Cheeks:
NARS blush in Angelika

Lips:
Lanolips 101 Ointment
OCC Lip Tar in Pageant

My camera is a Canon 30D DSLR.  It’s a bit old now… I’d love to look into upgrading, but can’t really use ‘taking photos of my makeup’ as a justification for purchase *blush*.  I own 3 wonderful lenses, but mostly use my Tamron 17-50mm 2.8 for blog photos.

I shoot in manual mode because it gives me the greatest flexibility.

Photography was my first love and I’ve spent 4 years learning and trying to get a good grasp of the technical side of the hobby.  My ultimate goal was to be confident and never need to rely on P mode again, shooting in manual gives you control of the image, not just the camera.

I’m frequently asked how to take better FOTD photos, and my answer has nothing to do with the camera and everything to do with the lighting.

If you’re outdoors, open shade is lovely.  Beware of trees, dappled sunlight is no good.  One of my absolute favourite places to shoot portraits are in open doorways. Try it.

Stand at the entrance to your garage or open your front door.  You get a lovely amount of soft, directional light.  Flat lighting is fine but light that moulds around your features casting soft shadows and highlights is better!  Try turning slightly and see how the light falls.  I always hold my hand out and just watch how the light falls on it, tilting, angling and moving until I see a sweet spot.  Then I go and stand in it.

If you have to take photos in the evening under artificial light, your biggest obstacle will be avoiding that “rabbit caught in headlights” look caused by the flash on your camera.  Camera flashes are not kind to us ladies, they make shiny patches practically glow and accentuate any flaws whilst simultaneously washing out the great EOTD you’ve just spent the best part of twenty minutes creating.

The problem stems from the fact that the light in your image is coming from a very small physical source.  Your objective is to take that small source (the flash bulb) and make it larger.  This will diffuse the light and decrease the specular highlights and harsh shadows in your photographs.  The easiest way to do this (if your camera allows it) is to angle your flash so that the light first hits a bigger surface (like the ceiling or a white wall/cupboard door) before reflecting back on your face.

See the diagram below:

Can you see the harsh shadows behind the object on the direct flash diagram?

If you don’t have the flexibility of a flash head you can angle, you could try one of the many pop up flash diffuser options available on eBay.  I haven’t personally tried any of them so I can’t recommend anything specific I’m afraid.

Anyway, that’s a very basic lighting 101 for taking self-portraits, I hope it helps all those who have asked in the past.

So, you know I kinda fell in love with this slightly ‘dirty’ look from NYFW, I had a go at re-creating it last night.  It’s simple, but too easy to go overboard.  Half the reason the original looks so fab is probably because of Freja Beha’s amazing bone structure anyway.

It’s not BAD bad… but it’s far too heavy (as I knew it would be).

Do you ever attempt to recreate looks from face charts and the like?

… I realised I hadn’t shown you the lovely Underland from the Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Palette.  It’s a beautiful shade although I do wish it were a bit more pigmented… it’s not that it’s NOT pigmented… ‘cos it is.  It’s just not as heavily pigmented as say Alice or Oraculum.  It’s more along the lines of Absolem/Homegrown, that pretty green that was in the BOSII, remember?  Alice swatches are here if you want reminding.

Face:
~ Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid – so quick to apply and blend with a lovely finish, but staying power is kinda sucky if you’re at all oily.
~ Illamasqua Blush in Rumour
~ NARS Orgasm Illuminator on the cheekbones

Eyes:
~ Urban Decay Primer Potion
~ Drink Me. Eat Me across the entire lid
~ Underland applied lightly from the inner 1/3  gaining strength towards the outer corner.  Also swept under the lower lashline.
~ Jabberwocky lightly applied along the lashes to line.
~ Rimmel Glam’Eyes Lash Flirt Mascara

Lips:
~ MAC Speed Dial Cremesheen Lipstick
~ NYX Round Lip Gloss in Whipped to tone down the lippie a touch.

Hope you can’t see my rotten nose crusties *blows nose*… I moisturised and picked at ’em like a demon before attempting a FOTD…. TMI?

Earlier in the week, I posted a Day Look with the new Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Palette.

Here’s my “Evening Look” to complete the set.

Apologies for the graininess in the shadows of the image, it looks like I have the beginning of a green-tinged beard.  My flash kept crapping out on me ‘cos I was too lazy to find a new set of rechargeables, so it was pretty underexposed and then lightened when I edited it.  And that’s never a good combo.

Anyway – crap photography excused…

All shades blended like a dream.

Can you see spot any great evening combos in the palette?

I’ve never claimed to be particularly artful in my makeup application… my ‘skillz’ leave a lot to be desired, but I won’t feel like I’ve “done Alice to death” until I’ve posted a day and an evening look using the palette.

It’s also a little more intimidating now I appear to have picked up a fresh swathe of followers along the way – Hello! *waves*…  I promise it looked slightly more blended in real life than it does in the picture.

This was…

It’s a bit Autumnal but I liked it!

Have you spotted any great daytime combinations you’re itching to try out?

Help, get me a Nanny!

My beautiful little girl was up at 5am this morning, team lark all the way.  I am exhausted, I have 5 million Christmas Cards to write and post, 7000 presents to purchase, approx 3000 posts to write and instead I’m playing with my Dior Holiday 2009 Collection.  At least I have my priorities straight right?

Thanks to the fact that it’s now DARK in England all the freakin’ time (who shifted Europe 500 miles closer to the North Pole without telling anyone) I have to rely on my flash gun more than I’d like.  Which makes for crappier, starker pictures and washes out the makeup a bit.

Also, thanks to my hooded eyelids… you can only actually see the eyeliner… *whistles and wonders why she bothered*

~ Lips are BarryM Lip Paint in Lavender
~ Cheeks are The Body Shop Trio in Cool Dusk
~ Eyelashes are Rimmel Sexy Curves & Mavala Double Lash I reckon

Gonna attempt a better photo of the eyeshadow quint/liner… this is rubbish for seeing what they actually look like!