Ol’ Blue Eyes…
A bit sketchy I know. *Boom. Tish.* What? My eyes are old and it is a sketch. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. The other day, I sported an absurdly blue eye that won me tons of complements. I thought I’d share the gorgeous bits and bobs I used to create this crazy blue eye. I felt a million bucks and I’m pretty sure these blue eyes are why.
Shu Uemura Drawing Pencil 03 ME Blue to water and tight lines top and bottom.
Stila Smudge Pot in Cobalt Shimmer as base to top lid.
Stila Powder Eyeshadow in Azur to set Smudge Pot on top lid.
The Body Shop Eye Shimmer 07 in Indigo to crease, outer V and inner V.
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler to top lashes.
Diorshow Unlimited 090 mascara (black) to top and bottom lashes.
BECCA Brow Powder in Medium to eyebrows.
*sings* (badly)
I did it… myyyyyyyyyyy wayyyyyyyyyy!
Cream Blush Anyone?
Fancy a cream blush, but don’t know how to use it? Can’t get it to hang around past a few hours after it’s applied? If you answered yes, yes, and yes then you’d be in the very same situation as many makeup mavens out there. Cream blush can deliver a gorgeous dewy, youthful cheek but can be a tad tricky to apply and to coax into sticking around. Cream blushes are fantastic for skin that is reasonably blemish free and leans more towards normal to dry. Oilier skins can use cream blush, but it takes a little extra work.
As a makeup artist, my preferred way to apply cream blush is to use my thumbs. On others, I just load up one thumb with product (a few swirls on the blush generally suffices) then rub my two thumbs together. Place your wrists together so that your palms are facing each other, then gently touch both thumbs at the same time to the apples of the cheeks. This delivers the exact amount of blush to both cheeks at exactly the same height on the face. I then lightly blend outwards using my fingers along the cheek towards but not right up to the ears. The amount of blush should be most concentrated at the apples and then seamlessly fade off into the faintest amount of colour in the outer direction stopping about 2-3 finger widths from the ears. I use the same technique when I apply blush to myself as well, but instead of putting my wrist together facing palm-ward, I align my pinky fingers with palms facing upwards. Then I blend, blend, blend. If your feeling a little less dextrous, simply use a synthetic foundation brush. It will do the trick nicely too.
To get your cream blush to hang out a bit longer, simply set it with a light dusting of powder. Powder blush of a similar colour (my fave), translucent powder, blotting powder, or powdered foundation will all work well. Just remember to put liquids, gels and cream based products before powdered. Although not a forgone conclusion entirely, generally moist products applied over dry can tend to cake, bead, or peel, so should be avoided when possible. Lightly powdering over will vastly improve your blush’s colourful existence on your cheek. Admittedly, powdered blush, especially, on top of cream blush seems to amp things up nicely, giving you long lasting colour with extra alluring dimension. Hopefully, these tips will tempt you into trying cream blush as it is certainly one of the more gorgeous, yet under utilized makeup items out there. You’ll be pleased if you show cream blush a bit of love. Do be sure to let us know how you go.
LOGIE Bare?
Did absolutely everyone (yes, I acknowledge my seeming penchant to hyperbolize) have to “nude up” for the 2007 TV Week LOGIE Awards? I mean really. Obviously, the makeup directive was nude lip and cheek for one and all, regardless! I was so let down by the overwhelming absence of even the slightest bloom of living, fleshy colour. So many beautiful, beautiful women, beautiful frocks, and beautifully greasy, Corpse Bride looks, if I may be honest. Did everyone have to sport the makeup look as if they had to dash from the chair with only their foundation applied, not an angel’s puff of loose powder to lightly set, and most certainly without a trace of a natural flush to be found…not a pinch.
Yes, I adore a great makeup trend, this we know. But what I love even more is a woman who wears a makeup look that not only suits her, but showcases the abundance of her inner beauty and self worth, and glamorously jets her magnificence into the stratosphere, irrespective of the trend. Simply put, I’m not feeling the “Look of The Undone” on everyone. Don’t think for a moment, that I do not recognize the immense skill in completing such a bare look, because I do. I just would have preferred looks that were skillfully tailored to each gorgeous woman. Looks that allowed each woman’s inner beauty and life-force to radiate outward from her beautiful self. If the makeup look chosen created the most magic, called for her to go so nude, then so be it, and definitely go for it! But I’m not convinced the uniform and very glowy (read: greasy) nude-fest was the best choice for everyone. And you mean to tell me there was not one leaf of blotting paper to be found in the joint. Anywhere?
