Comic Book Tutorial - Simple Halloween Makeup #2

With Halloween close by, I am spending this week coming up with a selection of easy makeup looks that you can create using pretty much just standard makeup bag items! 

Today, I am going to show you a super quick comic book transformation! All this look requires is a liquid or kohl eyeliner, red lipstick, foundation and some white cream makeup. At the moment you can pick up white cream makeup in pretty much any shop in the Halloween section but if you are seriously pressed for time, a cream based white eyeshadow will do the trick!

So first, pale yourself up! If you have the white cream makeup to hand, mix that in with a little foundation to make it paler than normal and then apply all over your face, neck and any other areas that will be exposed. If you don't have any cream makeup, after applying your foundation or BB cream of choice, lightly apply a white eyeshadow all over your face. Just for giggles, here is me looking extra pale...lovely.

Next, it's time to transform your features into over exaggerated goodness. If you have a liquid eyeliner in a felt tip pen form, that will be the easiest to use for this step but any kind will work. For your eyebrows, it's basically time to do all of the things you are always told not to do because we are going to over draw them big time. Think straight lines and block colour. 

Once that's done, draw a winged eyeliner, darken up the waterline and layer on some mascara. If you have a reliable (aka non smudgey) eyeliner to hand, also draw a line following the crease of your eye. Draw the line just above the actual crease itself to really make your eyes pop. If you are prone to oily eyelids or you know your eyeliner tends to smudge, it's best to skip this step else you'll end up looking reminiscent of a comic book panda.

Then lightly outline the curve of your nostrils and add a faint line down the center of your nose. Ok I'm not going to lie to you, at this point you will look and probably feel utterly ridiculous. I didn't even attempt to get a half decent picture of this stage because honestly, it's scary stuff...and no I have no idea why my hair decided to resemble a birds nest at this moment...

Now it's time to work on the lips. Make sure your lips are nicely hydrated so you can get a smooth finish and pop on a bright red lipstick. Stay away from matte lipsticks for this look as it's all about the gloss in comic books! Next, carefully outline your lips with your eyeliner, slightly overdrawing to give that plump effect. Use a small amount of cream makeup to make a little half crescent on your lips as if they were reflecting the light.

Again take your eyeliner and draw a black outline around your entire face, following along your jaw line and just under your chin. Bonus of this part is that you can create yourself a killer jawline! Also draw in a few tendons on your neck and your collar bone just to make them stand out a little more.

To finish off, add in your comic book dots! With this it's best to use the cream makeup but again a pale cream eyeshadow will work. To get perfect dots, use the end of a makeup brush! Go as wild as you like with these, there are no rules! I went for a fairly limited amount but if you want to do a whole face full, there is nothing stopping you. I also added in a little crescent shaped line between my eyebrows at this point to make my character look a little bit sad. Feel free to add your own finishing touches such as adding in a few tears under the eyes or even adding some stick on jewels over your dots if you want to glam it up!

That's all there is to it! Would you give this look a go? Let me know if you do!

Mac Rebel Dupe Alert!

Hands up if you love saving pennies? I do. Now, hands up if you love Mac Rebel? I DEFINITELY do. In all honesty I think Mac Rebel is my favourite lipstick of all time. I simply cannot get over it's gorgeous berry tone and do not care whether it is considered only suitable for Autumn and Winter, it is my go to year round. If you aren't familiar with Mac Rebel, shame on you. I joke of course but really, do yourself a favour and check it out, it is glorious.

So from the above you can probably imagine my utter joy when I was sent a new lipstick recently that turned out to be a perfect dupe and is less than half the price! Hells. Yeah. But what is this wonder twin I hear you ask?

Ladies and gentleman, I give you Gosh Cosmetics Velvet Touch Matt lipstick in Plum:

This beauty is part of Gosh Cosmetics’ AW15 launch and is one of eight new matte shades in their lipstick collection (£6.99). It was sent to me as part of a #berryorbare challenge that The Mall Cribbs Causeway (Bristol's local shopping centre) is currently running. Beauty Bloggers were sent their choice of either a berry or nude lipstick and we had to create a look and post it on Instagram. Whoever gets the most likes on the Mall's instagram by the 31st August will win some goodies so if you'd like to help me out, please do pop over and like this picture here! Many thanks to the lovely people that do or already have!

Anyway, back to the task at hand, I promised you all a dupe! Now I know the phrase dupe gets thrown around a lot and often what it actually turns out to mean is only “vaguely similar”. You get all excited, go out and purchase your new "dupe" with a super smug feeling. All is right with the world and you relish the jingle of extra monies that remain in your oh so dupe savvy self's purse. But then you get home, try out your new lippie and it is not the coral of laid back summer dreams but a bright orange that brings out every freckle on your face. Note - as an owner and lover of freckles, this is not always a bad thing. But if it is unexpected? No thank you.

But seriously, take a look at the swatches below!

From left to right - Mac Rebel and Velvet Touch Plum

Pretty bang on right? Both have the same stunning pinky purple tone to them which makes them extremely wearable compared to the more brown toned berries. Apply with a light touch and it gives a wash of colour perfect for day time or line and apply heavily for an intense night time look.  There is a slight difference in the finish since Mac Rebel is a satin while Velvet Touch Plum is an all out matte but apart from that, in terms of look they are pretty damn twin like.

After the swatch I tried applying both to see if there would be a difference in the finished look and honestly I could barely tell the difference. Can you?

Trying out Gosh Cosmetics Velvet Touch in Plum

My old faithful Mac Rebel

Suffice to say, in terms of look they are pretty much bang on. But what about formula?

So here they do part ways a little but certainly not enough to become a problem. Plus to be fair, Mac lipsticks are pretty difficult to match anyway, let alone at half the price. Mac Rebel is intensely pigmented and only needs the gentlest of touches to start building up colour. The swatch above was only one stroke...it's that good. 

The Gosh Cosmetics lipstick on the other hand does need a little bit more building up to get a strong colour. In this case though that isn't entirely a bad thing as berry can be a little scary for some! Having a lipstick that lets you build the colour up to where you are comfortable might actually make it even more suitable for some people, all depends on what you are after!

With Autumn just around the corner, well actually given the weather lately it's basically here..it's the perfect time to get those berry lips on! What better timing could there be to find a Mac Rebel dupe?!

 

What do you guys think of my dupe discovery? Do you think it's worthy of the term or do you have another that I should try? Are you a berry lover or hater? Let me know in the comments!

A day in the country for your skin - Dusty Girls Makeup

"Have you ever noticed how after a day in the country your skin always looks great? It might be a bit dusty, but the colour and tone is always better than after a day in the office."

This is the exact reason why Dusty Girls was created. If you haven't yet discovered them, they are a gorgeous Australian brand created by skincare range MooGoo that use clays and minerals to create their products. As they have recently been launched in the UK, they are currently only available online at www.dustygirls.co.uk and in all honesty, they are some of the best products I have ever used.

The lovely Dusty Girls team very kindly sent me their mineral foundation*, multi-tasking Earth Cream* and mineral blusher* to try and I have absolutely fallen in love with them.

First off, due to the fact that they base their makeup on natural minerals with just a few extras to make the products work as well as possible, they are very skin friendly. If you are like me and have always felt a little bit guilty for using makeup to cover up imperfections when you know full well it would be far better to let it breath sometimes, this makeup is the answer to your prayers. While silicone based products can make application a doddle, it does have the tendency to clog up pores which in itself can cause trouble for skin. This can lead to breakouts which then results in higher makeup use to hide it and hey presto, hello vicious cycle...

So, while I'm not saying I'm going to give up all silicone based products because...well that would be a lie...the three products that I'm going to talk about in this post have become part of my daily routine for the last couple of weeks and they are fabulous.

First up I'm going to talk about their Earth Cream. This beauty is a multi-tasking bottle of gloriousness. It comes in two shades, light and medium and has a neutral base to suit a huge range of skin tones. I am of the rather pale skinned variety so I opted for the light shade. It looked a little dark upon first applying and I wasn't entirely convinced but it blends out and matches my skin perfectly. I'd imagine if you have a particularly dark skin tone then the medium shade would not be dark enough however so hopefully in time they will bring out a larger shade range because frankly everyone should be able to use this! 

Take a look at the difference it made in the pictures below. On the left is my naked skin in all its patchy glory and on the right it looks visibly smoother and far less blotchy. Thank. God.

At only £11, the product is priced incredibly reasonably and is marketed as not only a replacement for your foundation, but also your primer, moisturiser and sunscreen! Considering it doesn't advise what factor of sunscreen is included, I would probably still choose to use a separate product just to be on  the safe side but it certainly reduces if not entirely negates the need for primers and moisturisers. I found it really evened out my skin tone but without any heaviness at all. My skin can still breath while wearing this even on humid days so I think it would be perfect holiday makeup! 

I tried using brushes but found that it works best if you use your fingers to work it in and gives a light to medium coverage. It does build up quite nicely though if you needed a little extra. Not only does this product give great results, it's loaded with ingredients that sooth and repair such as Manuka Tree Leaf Oil for it's antibacterial properties, Magnolia Acuminata Extract for soothing and Chaulmoogra Tree Seed Oil for skin repair. The only tiny downside I found with this product was that it did have a slightly odd smell but that disappears pretty quickly so it's certainly not something that would put me off.

If you fancy a little more coverage, Dusty Girls has a lovely mineral foundation (£17.50) that you can use either in combination with Earth Cream or on it's own. Similar to the Earth Cream, it contains no nasties that can cause irritation so it's great for those with sensitive skin. I used this with and without Earth cream as a base and found it so easy to use. If you aren't a fan of liquid foundations, this would be a perfect option. There is a pretty good range of shades covering cool, warm and neutral undertones so it also might be a little easier to find a shade match with this foundation if you are struggling with the Earth Cream.

Pink Ladies Blusher swatch on the left and blended out on the right

Last but not least is their mineral blush (£15). Dusty Girls have two equally gorgeous shades, Golden Delicious and Pink Ladies. I opted to try Pink Ladies and couldn't be happier. It's a subtle, dusky pink with a light shimmer that's perfect to sweep across the cheeks for a touch of colour. It has great pigmentation without being overpowering so no clown faces here, just a lovely rosy glow.

Since these products seemed like the perfect combination to create a soft, natural look, I gave them all a try and was very happy with the results!

Thanks to the wonders of oily skin, I am usually used to looking in the mirror and being greeted by a shiny mess by about 11am but this combo held strong all day. Not only that, but it actually seemed to look better as the day went on! Suffice to say I am in love with this makeup and it has replaced my previous foundation / powder combo that I was using. Sorry Benefit and Nars, Dusty Girls has stolen my heart. Now, please excuse me while I go and purchase the rest of the Dusty Girls range...

*This post features a PR sample, however the post is entirely my own opinion. For more information, please read my full Disclaimer  here

Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette - It's finally here!

Ok, I will just come out and say it. I was SO excited when Urban Decay announced the Naked Smoky palette...perhaps even unhealthily so! But I certainly don't think I was alone given that #NakedSmoky was trending on Twitter and nearly every blog and vlog I stumbled across in the last couple of weeks was talking about it. Although this palette was released on the 8th July in America, us poor Brits were left waiting till the 30th July to get our hands on it!! Even now, the palette is only currently available at their flagship London stores and online until full release on the 6th of August so it has built up a considerable amount of suspense. 

So needless to say, when Urban Decay sent an early release email on the 29th July, I, along with hundreds, perhaps even thousands of other people went straight to the Urban Decay website to try and bag one of these beauties. After half an hour of repeated refreshing and rather fraught conversations with my fiancé (I'm sorry!!!), I became one of the lucky ones who could expect a rather beautiful delivery in a few days time...and my goodness was it worth it!!

My poor work colleagues must have thought for a moment I was starting to hyperventilate with the ridiculous amount of excitable squeals going on when my parcel arrived. I am an absolute sucker for good packaging and if there is one thing Urban Decay do well, it's exquisite design of the entire package of their product. At £38 it certainly isn't the most budget friendly buy but the sheer craftsmanship and attention to detail that has gone into Naked Smoky is apparent in every aspect and definitely makes the price feel justifiable. The outer box was pretty enough but when I saw the palette itself, I was in love. At this point I was practically shoving it at anyone who would give me 2 minutes of attention and proclaiming it to be the love of my life. Alas, noone in the vicinity was quite as excited as I was but bless them they did such a good job of humouring me while I yabbered on and on about it!

The palette itself is a taupe, translucent masterpiece with a smoke pattern running across it. As is always the case with Urban Decay, the palette feels well made and has a certain sleekness about it. It has a magnetic closure which again just oozes a certain touch of sophistication. There's also a guide included to help you create a number of different looks which I thought was a brilliant addition. All in all, if a palette could be sexy, this one would be seriously hot stuff.

Within the palette itself, you'll find an array of the most perfect eyeshadows that will help to create quite a variety of looks. There's a great selection of grey, bronze and even purple shades which will all lend themselves well to an intense smoky eye. From highlighters, to transition colours to crease colours, it's all there in one handy set. As an added benefit, there is also a great double ended brush. With one end being a pencil brush and the other a blending brush, if you were travelling this palette would probably be all that you'd need.

Apart from just three shades (Radar, Armor and Black Market), all of the colours are brand new and absolutely stunning. There are 4 shimmers (High, Dirtysweet, Radar and Armor), 4 satins (Slanted, Dagger, Black Market and Smolder) and 4 buttery mattes (Password, Whiskey, Combust and Thirteen) which gives a lovely variation for a number of looks.

The shimmers from left to right - High, Dirtysweet, Radar, Armor

The satins from left to right - Slanted, Dagger, Black Market, Smolder

The mattes from left to right - Password, Whiskey, Combust, Thirteen

Every shade has really impressive pigmentation and is incredibly easy to work with. They blend well with barely any fall out (apart from the glitter in Armor) and I truly cannot wait to experiment with them! The only eyeshadow I was just slightly disappointed with was Smolder as I was hoping for just a slightly stronger purple pigment but it is still beautiful nonetheless.

As someone who much preferred palettes from Urban Decay like Vice and Electric over the Naked Palettes (which I am aware is practically blasphemy for some!), I am really glad that this latest palette mixes things up a little. Considering Urban Decay's tagline is "Beauty with an edge", I couldn't think of a more appropriate palette for this brand. The smokey eye is without a doubt one of the edgiest makeup styles, full of mystery and sex appeal, so what could be better? Take it from me, this palette is worth every penny and your makeup collection isn't complete without it!

Over the next couple of weeks I will certainly be trying out some new looks with the help of the Naked Smoky palette and will have a tutorial up soon using these babies!

Have you got your hands on Urban Decay's latest offering yet? What do you think of it? Do you think it's worth the hype or are you a little underwhelmed? Let me know in the comments!

6 Bridal Makeup Looks and When to Wear Them

If you have made your way to my "About Me" page you will know that I'm currently in the process of planning my wedding. I'll try to refrain from babbling on and on about it to you all but suffice to say I am pretty darn excited! Naturally this has resulted in hours and hours of browsing different makeup styles for the big day so I thought it would be a good idea to put all of my new knowledge into a post for you lovelies! 

I have chosen 6 key looks that I think work really well as bridal makeup, spanning the classic to the utmost dramatic and have split them up into seasons for when each look is best. You'll also find that for each look I've identified a few key makeup products that will help you achieve that particular style. 

What makeup should I wear for a Spring/Summer wedding?

Nude makeup look - for a truly understated look (Image from the Hot Mess Handbook)

Nude 

Now when I say nude, I’m not expecting you to stroll on out there with a completely bare face. Mind you, I have absolutely nothing against this, so if you want to embrace your natural beauty and don’t want to wear any makeup at all then all the power to you. But I suspect if you are here then you’re probably looking to use at least a couple of products. This look is most definitely “all about that base”. It is defined by flawless, natural looking skin without the smallest hint of obvious makeup so a great primer and foundation combination is number one on the list. Given this, if you have any concerns about your skin at all, in all honesty you may want to steer clear of this look. You certainly don’t want to be panicking on your wedding day about the handful of spots that have maliciously turned up and how you are going to keep them covered throughout the day.

A light wash of sheer colour over the eyelids particularly in the inner corners, tightlining the upper lashes at the outer corners, some fake single lashes and a great mascara is all that’s needed on the eyes. The new makeup trend of strobing is perfect for enhancing your bone structure without the heaviness of contouring.

Key products for this look:

1. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk is a weightless, oil free formula that looks like a second skin.

2. Benefit’s Rollerlash is the perfect option as it’s genius design catches even the smallest of lashes to really enhance what you have, without being overly obvious. 

3. Mac Strobe Cream to luminize the skin and highlight.

Play with bright colours for a fresh look (Image from Around Makeup)

Bright & Colourful

There is nothing like a pop of colour to say Spring/Summer bride. It is such a fresh look and can really brighten your complexion. You can add colour in any number of ways, whether it’s with a bright pink lipstick, an aqua blue eyeshadow or any number of other combinations. The key here though is balance. Using a bright colour is great but too much and you could end up looking like you are off to the circus so bear that in mind if you are considering bright colours on your eyes AND lips. As a general rule, with bright colours I would probably choose either lips or eyes to be bright, with a counterbalance of the other being fairly neutral. Don’t get me wrong, your neutral choice doesn’t need to be completely devoid of colour but a tint is far better than a strong pigment. For the area that you choose to make colourful though, let your imagination run wild! Think gorgeous coral lips and a light brown smokey eye or the latest trend of pink eyeshadow with a neutral lip.

Key products for this look:

1. Tom Ford lipstick in Incorrigible, a bold, fuschia pink lipstick for a splash of colour

2. Cargo Vintage Escape Palette to keep the rest of the look fairly neutral

What makeup can I wear to an Autumn/Winter wedding?

 

Add some drama with a berry lip (Image from daily makeover)

Very Berry

When it comes to Autumn/Winter makeup, I think its pretty fair to say we can up the ante a little. Drop the light, fun colours and go for something more dramatic like a berry or purple lip. It really ties in with the richer, jewel tones that couples often choose for their wedding colours at this time of year, not to mention it looks absolutely fabulous on a variety of skin tones. Since heavier colours are often a little more high maintenance, make sure your lips are in tip top condition leading up to the big day with frequent exfoliation and moisturising. It's also best to go for a moisturising lipstick as they fade more evenly and are easier to top up. Balance this look with a lighter eye and natural but defined brows.

Key products for this look:

1. Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm for lips will have your pout looking perfect.

2. Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy in Insolent Plum works well for a range of skin tones and is moisturising too.

3. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wizz to touch up the brows without making them too heavy.

A smokey eye can work for weddings too! (Make-up by Lora Kelley, Photo by Mireia Cordomi)

Smokey

The smokey eye is a look that many of us have spent some time (read as hours and hours of staring in frustration at my now panda-esque face...just me? oh...) trying to master, it's a pretty big deal. Now more than ever people are clamouring to get on the smokey eye train with the likes of Urban Decay and Too Faced even bringing out full palettes specifically for this glamourous look. But the smokey eye isn't just for a big night out, it can most certainly be used on your wedding day. You just have to work out exactly how to use it. 

For starters, it's probably best to stay away from the traditional matte black look, but outside of that is a world of opportunity. Use bronzes and browns or silvers and greys, you can even add in a slight touch of colour, the possibilities are endless. It's also best to use a good quality eyeshadow primer to keep that stunning look in place, because lets be honest, smokey eyes are gorgeous but aforementioned panda eyes...are not. Just remember the two cardinal rules: Use a highlighter on the inner corner to open up your eyes and for goodness sake, BLEND. Literally like your life depends on it. You think you are done? No...keep blending!

Key products for this look:

1. Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette gives you a variety of looks in one, any palettes with shade variety will work well though.

2. Urban Decay Primer Potion, yes I know this is the second UD product in a row but this stuff is the holiest of all holy grails.

3. Benefit They're Real Mascara tops off the dramatic look perfectly.

 

Forget the seasons, what makeup can I wear all year round?!

Easy does it for this classic wedding look (Image from valentina d'angela)

Soft and sultry

This is probably the most commonly used look for weddings and is one that can definitely work all year round. Similar to the “Naked” look, it is based around neutral colours but with a little bit more going on. A slightly heavier eyeshadow for the eyes or a more tinted lip can give an edge to your look while still looking fresh faced and elegant. Once again, it is all about looking flawless so make sure you find the right kind of coverage for you. Also focus on finding the perfect highlighters and some soft contouring as this will really help define your features.

Essentially this is the “the best version of you” look, in that when it is done well, there is no part that is overly dramatic in any area of your face, yet your features will be enhanced to perfection. Love your eyes, make them the focus with a touch of extra colour. Extremely proud of your Kylie Jenner lips? Choose a shade that is just that little more colourful than neutral. But the key here is gently does it.

Key products for this look:

1. Mac 31 lashes to make the most of those peepers (no giant spidery lashes allowed here)

2. Laura Mercier Flawless Contouring Palette to define those lovely cheekbones (or slim down my enormous nose!)

3. Nars Orgasm Blush for a natural, healthy glow

Use your favourite red lipstick for a vintage look (Image from vintage makeup guide)

Vintage

This is a look that has really grown in popularity recently with the revival of all things vintage. A glorious red lip and the perfect cat eye definitely hits the spot. Regardless of fashion trends, it is a timeless classic that oozes sophistication and suits any time of year. However, I do think the style of your wedding can influence whether this look is the ideal choice, as I couldn't really imagine a boho beach wedding with this kind of makeup so that's something to consider. 

This look demands attention and as such, it needs to be done right. A wobbly cat eye and feathered lipstick really won't do this look justice so if you are planning on doing it yourself, practice makes perfect...and practicing continously does not make you crazy, it makes you a makeup god, remember that. 

Key products for this look:

1. Benefit They're Real Push-Up Liner for easy application of the perfect cat eye.

2. Mac Ruby Woo Lipstick, possibly the most iconic red lipstick there is.

Rounding up, I think it's important to say that although I have limited certain looks to certain seasons, the thing I truly love about makeup is that at the end of the day, it is art. It's a freedom of expression that we don't always get in other areas of our lives and so sometimes, it's best to just say screw you to the rule book and rock the look you want. The world is your oyster and you have all the colours of the rainbow at your disposal. Plus lets be honest, if there is one day in your life when you should be able to choose exactly what makes you happy, it's your wedding day. So if your choices don't entirely match up to the many, many guides out there but you know that both you and your fiance will love it, that's all that matters.

If you are married, what makeup did you wear on your wedding day? If not, what would be your dream look? My wedding is in February with an Enchanted Forest theme which I think will go perfectly with a berry lip, what do you all think?