Illamasqua Speckled Eyeliner

Evening beauty geeks!
I tried my hand at the Illamasqua Speckled eyeliner this morning, if you haven't heard of it yet it's from their most recent collection: I'mperfection!
It was very quick and easy, I managed to get it done before I left for college at 6.30am!
The only technique needed is the ability to line your eyes with a liquid liner and then take it from there. Here's how mine turned out:

For a tutorial on creating the speckled liner visit: https://www.illamasqua.com/explore/tutorials/speckled-eye-liner/ they'll tell you all you need to know!

Anna x

My Counter Crawl: Illamasqua

I fancied having my makeup done on a makeup counter purely for the experience, as all though I'm a makeup student I've never actually has it done on a counter before.
So my friend an I have decided that over the next couple of weeks we're going to try out several different counters and let you know what we think!

The first counter on our list was Illamasqua at the Trafford center, it's £30 for a total make-over which is about 45mins and that money is redeemable against products, the girls on the counter were very friendly and perceptive, the girl doing my make-up asked plenty of questions and new exactly what I wanted, even though the picture wouldn't load on my phone! I went for quite a dark smokey eye as it's a bit different to how I normally wear my makeup and Illamasqua are well known for their more dramatic looks! 

The make-up application itself was good, the girl told me most of what she was doing, some techniques, the tools she was using and of course the products - mustn't forget to sell, sell, sell!
The eye make-up she applied lasted all day, but the foundation and especially the lips didn't last long at all.
I think the reason the lips didn't last long was down to the fact a lip liner didn't come any where near my face, there was no blotting and it felt a little rushed. The foundation however, just didn't suit my oily complexion, and looked greasy and patchy not long after leaving the counter.

I do have to add though, that I'm a huge fan of the majority of Illamasqua products, but the foundations just aren't one of them - which I put down purely to personal preference!

Rachel looking lovely! The peach lips really complement her skin tone!

Over all I was happy with the make-up application, everyone loved the eyes! I've popped a picture up of them, all though it doesn't seem to do them justice (they look a lot 'smokier' in person) and with me not being particularly photogenic, it's not a great pic! I've also added a picture of my lovely friend Rachel's final look, which I think turned out really nicely!

Needless to say I came away with a couple of things: Gleam in Aurora, which everyone's been raving about, so there will be a review on that very soon, I've tried it already and I love it!! And the Precision Ink in Scribe (white) which I can't wait to try some speckled eyeliner with. All in all it was a good experience, and if you're thinking of buying something from them anyway it's well worth having a make-over at the same time, as it's effectively free (as long as what you want is around the £30 mark)!

Next stop: MAC!!

 

Anna x

Soft smokey eye tutorial

I posted this tutorial yesterday but woke up this morning and it was gone! I've somehow managed to completely delete it! so here it is again....

A soft smokey eye is the perfect look for any season! It can be a subtle with simple definition and highlights or more of an evening look with sultry black winged eyeliner.
This is one of my favorite looks, it goes with almost any outfit and with a good eyeshadow base it can last all day!

I'm not brilliant at explaining things, especially when it comes to how to do things. But I've given it a go so here's a quick step by step guide on how to create this look:
 

1. Use a lid primer all over the lid, up to the brow bone and along the lower lash line. I used Smashbox photo finish lid primer.

2. Take a light almost white coloured eyeshadow all over the lid and repeat as above. (If you have pinky undertones in your skin use an eyeshadow base colour which also has pink undertones, if your a more olive skin use an eyeshadow base with peach or yellow undertones).

3. Take a matte medium brown eyeshadow over the entire lid and into the crease, use a 'windscreen wiper' motion to build the colour all the way along your crease, then blend it up and out onto the socket line - but no higher. Take the medium brown along the lower lash line and blend. I used MAC eyeshadow in charcoal brown for this (sounds darker than it is!).

4. Then take a matte dark brown into the outer third of your crease, and blend it onto the outer corner of your eyelid and a long a third of your lower lash line, this will add extra depth and definition to your look.

5. Ensure all harsh edges have been blended away, this is what will create the beautiful smokiness!

6. Take a highlighter in white along the brow bone and blend, you want it to look as natural as possible, I find pearlescent shades better than a shimmer for highlighting, but for this look I used a matte white. Also blend a bit onto the inner corner of your eye!

7. I used Bobbi Brown gel liner in Caviar ink a black-brown colour along the upper lash line and winged it out at the edges to create a more sultry look, start from the middle of the eyelid and draw a poker straight line to the outer corner, then go back and join it to the inner corner of the eye. Next take a small amount on the brush and tuck it under the lashes of the lower lash line and draw a line from there to the top of the point on the upper liner. Fill in any gaps!

8. Always curl your eyelashes before applying mascara, this will really open up your eyes and make all the difference to your look, then apply your favorite mascara! My personal fave at the moment is Smash box full exposure, it doesn't flake and you can apply a few coats without it going clumpy!

And that's it!

Hope it made some sence! I might do a youtube tutorial for this look, so watch out for that.

Anna x

Dotty nails

For me having tidy nails can make all the difference to your appearance and how you feel, you see your nails every time you do something with your hands, which when you think about it, is all the time!

Nail art is on the up, but it can be time consuming and quite technical so here's a little design which is seriously simple!

Pastels are big for next season and this is quite a nice way to do the trend, I bought some pastel shades from Barry M and Maxfactor ranging from £2.99 to £3.99, they're great value for money as I've had them on for three days without a top coat and not one chip has appeared, and I've even helped my dad mend a fence! So I'll definitely be buying these again! 

All you need is a few different shades a nail varnish a  dotting brush and a steady hand! I couldn't find my nail art brushes so I used a fine paint brush (make sure its one you don't mind ruining) it didn't quite give me the results I was after, but I quite like the  unequal/unevenness of my dots which are more like blobs! I had to do about three coats of shade 308 in Barry M nail paint to get a nice solid colour for the base as it's quite opaque, but even with that many layers it dried quite quickly. Then all I had to do was dot on my other colours haphazardly and leave them to dry!  

All in all I think you can achieve a really simple yet affective look in a short amount of time! Plus they're super cute!

Anna x

Crown Brush HD set

I bought the CrownBrush HD set after hearing countless reviews from other make-up artists - all good! And it really has lived up to my expectations!
It comes with 6 brushes (three face and three eye), a mixing pallete and a fab double ended pallete knife, which I've found to be great for blocking out eyebrows.

The brushes are all synthetic fibre which is great for cream products but they also work well with powders too. I'd recomend giving them a THOROUGH clean (not just with brush cleaner) as soon as possible after using a cream or liquid foundation as it may dis-colour the brush - which never looks good! They're also super soft and feel amazing on the skin!

The set includes:-

*1 x powder and body brush

*1 x Blush brush

*1 x Foundation Brush

*1 x Blending creas

*1 x Oval Shadow

*1 x Pointed eyeliner

*1 x Palette

*1 x Palette Knife

*1 x Case

I bought mine from www.crownbrush.co.uk for £29.99 which is brilliant value for money, as you're getting good quality brushes, a pallete and palette knife as well as a fab little case!

**I'd highly recommend this to anyone who's starting out and looking for a good starter set of brushes, someone who's always adding new brushes to their kit (like me, and probably most MUA's!) Or even someone who just wants a complete set of brushes for their own use!**

A Neon Pout

There are always several trends at a time, it just depends on which one suits you. A huge trend this season is neon brights, and one of the ways to transfer this hot trend to your make-up look is to wear a bright lip, this is exactly how I like to wear the trend...neon bright clothing has never been my cup of tea, I'll ocassionally dabble in a neon accessory for a festival but that's the extent of it!

As seen at Oscar De La Renta - NY Fashion week A/W13

So for me make-up is the perfect way to keep up with the trends! Orange and peach are this seasons favorite tones, so if you're olive skinned, this colour trend is for you... However if you have a paler skin tone, pink would be your best bet, I have a yellow based/olive skin tone and the pinks can make me look washed out.

My favourite lipsticks for this trend at the moment are Topshop LIPS in 'Charmed' - £8.00, it has a really soft velvety finish which doesn't make your lips feel dry and great if your on a budget! Another SUPER bright lippy is Barry M's Lip paint in lp54 (orange) or lp62 (bright pink) - £4.49 = Bargain! They're slightly more matte and don't feel AS nice as the Topshop lippy but the colour pay off is well worth it.

Neon lips featured in Look Magazine

If however crazy brights aren't for you, why not work this seasons colour trend with a burnt orange or peachy lip, try Bobbi Brown lip colour in 'Orange' - £18.00 or for a softer, glossy lip try Bobbi Brown Creamy lip colour in  'Tiger Lilly'.

From top to bottom:- L'oreal Colour Riche in shade 371; Bobbi Brown Lip color in Atomic pink; Barry M Lip paint in shade lp62.

From top to bottom:- Barry M Lip paint in shade 52; Topshop LIPS in Charmed; Bobbi Brown Lip color in Orange; Bobbi Brown creamy lip color in Tigerlilly; Revlon Super lustrous matte lipstick in Smoked Peach (013).

Alternatively, tone the neons down and mix it up with subtle peachy eyeshadow, this is a great spring time look, complete the look with statement black liner and a natural lip for a fresh, spring time glow!

Keep the rest of your make-up neutral for a fresh on trend look!

***Tip: For longer lasting lippy (even drink proof too an extent!) carefully apply a layer of your chosen shade and gently blot with a tissue, apply a second layer and blot again, the result will be a matte finish, so add a gloss or balm for a more sultry look!***

The latest..

Look out for my new blog post on the current and up and coming make-up trends tomorrow!

Colour is huge this season...

Anna x

I'm sat sat home on my day off, trying to decide what to do...the problem is if make-ups not involved it feels like a wasted day!

Theres always some planning or research that can be done, which is vital when completing a succesful shoot/project...so why not plan super in advance?! It'll iron out all the creases and HOPEFULLY mean you avoid any unwanted surprises on the day. And the same goes for learning, youtube is only a few short clicks away where you have access to your favourite make-up artists latest tutorials....so as you can imagine it's impossible to stop thinking about the stuff.

Practice makes perfect, so whatever it is your aiming to achieve, practice, practice, practice and eventually you'll get the result you want! So it looks as if I'll be doing some face designs and general organising!

This may be a slightly pointless post, but here it is any anyway!

Perfect Primer

If you want to create a smooth, long lasting foundation base, using a primer is key.
A primer will give your base more staying power, reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores and give you an even base ready for your fave foundation! Primers range from face primer, to eyelid primers and lip primers all of which play a part in completing a perfect make-up!

Here are a few of my favourites:

• Smashbox photo finish primer - £25.00: This is oil free, and contains vitamins A, E and green tea.  Primers are Smashbox's specialty, and it shows! I love this one, I have very oily skin and this primer really increases the longevity of my foundation with out giving me too much of a matte finish.
• MAC Prep + Prime Lip- £12.50: This is a clear product which adds moisture to the lips, and creates a more smooth surface for your lip colour. I find it also helps with the application of lip liner, which is also an important part of making your lipstick last longer and stops the colour bleeding into the fine lines around the lips! This is my go to primer for the lips.
• NYX Eyeshadow base - £5.00: It comes in three shades, 'White' (translucent, 'White pearl' and 'Skin tone'. It's important that you prep your lids properly, this will intensify the colour of your eyeshadow, and again give it more stying power. I like to use the skin tone primer, but if your looking for a natural dewy finish, then white pearl would be perfect!
• Smashbox Photo finish hydrating under eye primer - £21.00:  Perfect for hydration, blitzing dark circles and puffiness, giving radiance, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, improving skin tone and clarity.
• Benefit Porefessional- £23.50: It has a slight tint to it, which is translucent once applied to the skin, this one really is good at kicking those pores into line and contains vitamin E! It's perfect for oily/combination skin as it's oil free and also works well if you have normal skin, I've also used this one and loved how smooth it made my skin feel before applying foundation.

When creating the perfect base if you have very dry skin make sure you moisturize thoroughly using an oil enriched moisturizer, this will greatly improve the look of your foundation and stop it from sticking to any particularly dry areas!
On the other hand if you have normal/oily skin remember to always set your foundation with translucent powder, focus on the particularly oily areas (but don't use too much it may go cakey!) this will really help with improving the longevity of your foundation.

I got my Smashbox primer samples (including a lid primer) in their 'Try it kit' from www.smashbox.co.uk it's £19 for the kit which includes five minis - the mascara's also amazing!

Anna x

Lime Crime Velvet Love

A post on the only red lipstick you'll ever need! 

For a super long lasting, mega vibrant and crazily lushous pout you MUST try Lime Crime's Velvetines (I wish I'd tried it sooner)... It comes in two shades of gorgeous red, is smudge proof (apart from when eating oily food...bad move on my part!), water proof and most definitely party proof...I wore it out for dinner with the boyf where I'd normally avoid red lipstick and then drinks with the girls and it lasted all night!

 It goes on wet and dries to a matte finish, which literally won't budge, you could probably sleep in it and it would still be there in the morning (although I wouldn't recommend it!), if however your not a fan of the matte lip you could wear a gloss or balm on top for a different look.

 

Amazing. Love, love, love.

Cringy pic, but hey...wear with black liner and flicks!

I got mine from Cocktailcosmetics.co.uk, but it's that's popular their out of stock again! An alternative is www.limecrimemakeup.com or www.cutecosmetics.co.uk.

Anna :)

From article to art..

My friend saw this little gem of a nail art idea online and sent it to me, so here's my first attempt, it's such a fab idea, and so much easier than it looks!

All you need is nail varnish for your base colour (a light colour is probably best); some alcohol, vodka or surgical spirit is fine; An old newspaper and top coat/clear nail varnish.

1. Paint your nails with your chosen colour, I used Illamasqua nail varnish in 'load'.

2. Once your nails are dry dip them in the alcohol.

3. Then take the section of news paper you're going to use to make the print (it needs to be big enough to cover the entire area) and press it onto the nail.

4. Slowly peel off the paper.

5. Gently paint over a generous amount of top coat, (I got mine from Sparkly Nails) being careful not to smudge the design. This will help it last longer and stop the design from being rubbed off!

And finally...go and show off your new nails!