Lovely Layers, how to make a color you might be missing!

March 8, 2013

There are many times that I'm applying make up and I don't have the exact color I need. With lipsticks it's quite easy to blend a few together to make the color I'm missing, but did you know it's just as easy to do that with eye shadow? All it takes is a little layering. For this particular look I wanted an eyeshadow color that mimicked the reflection of the sequins on my shirt.

Follow these steps as I show you how I make the exact color I was needing.

Lid color #1, Silver, was applied to the eye lid and the Brow Highlight was added to the brow bone using the 242 brush.

Lid color #2, Pink, was brushed on top of the silver using the 242 brush.

A warm, red based brown was blended into the crease with the 217 brush.

I lined the top and bottom lid with a gel eyeliner using a 263 brush.

Using a black eyeshadow and the 266 brush, I gently smudged the eyeshadow into the gel liner.

Add mascara.

Using the 263 brush and the gel eyeliner, paint the inner water line of the eye for this finished look.

I'd love to help you create a color that you're missing. Let me know if you have any questions!

Jamie

Gel Eyeliner that lasts all day, to good to be true? (I think not)

February 28, 2013

I'm always on the lookout for products that will last, but will still look fresh when my day is over. When I heard this new company, Inglot Cosmetics, had a gel eyeliner that outlasts any other on the market my interest was peeked. The official product name on their website is Matte Collection AMC Eyeliner Gel. I used number 77.

The test was a 15 hour day (applied at 7AM, removed at 10:30PM) and the application was a 50's style winged eye liner. This application requires exact precision, with this look no mistakes can be made and covered with with a smudged line. I used a synthetic bristled, angled brush to apply this product, similar to the 263 brush referenced in my essential brushes post.

Review

-Budget friendly - There's a large amount of product for the price. (0.19 oz vs 0.1 oz which is about the average size)

-Tons of matte colors (as well as metallic colors not shown on the website)

-Simple, easy packaging.

-Opaque, velvety color.

-Paraben free and no animal testing.

-The texture is great! This is my ultimate test for gel liners. It's has a nice slip to it when painting it on the skin and it's not too thick.

-At the inner corner of my eye, on the bottom near the tear duct, a small amount of product that transferred to the skin midway through the day. This is not an uncommon place for a product to transfer/run because of the amount of moisture near the tear duct. I simply used a q-tip to remove the product.

Final Judgment

-This is a product I will use both personally and professionally. This product wore for 15 hours without budging. All the pictures here were taken at the end of the 15 hour day!

*Because this product is so new it can only be found in select markets. Nigel Beauty Emporium is the only place that I know of in LA that sells this line of cosmetics. This store one of the amazing make up stores that I use when I'm purchasing products for my kit. You can use the Inglot Cosmetics website to research their products. If you're local, head on over to Nigel's or place an order because they literally ship make up supplies all over the world!

If you try this product, let me know. I'd love to hear your reviews on it!

Jamie

Blooming Brushes, what are the essentials?

February 21, 2013

Hands down (pun intended), my brushes are the most important tool in my make up kit. The right brush with right product can achieve beautiful results! This is one item that I will tell you DO NOT scrimp on your brushes. Bite the bullet and spend for QUALITY; the results are well worth it. It's a small investment with a major payoff. There are brushes that I've had for 10+ years and they are in just as good of shape today as they were the day I bought them (now this is also because I'm meticulous in taking very good care of them, but that is for another post coming soon! :) The 5 basic essentials ...

193 Angled Foundation Brush

This brush is a synthetic bristle perfect to be used for a cream or liquid. I like that the over all shape of the bristles are wide enough to be used over the whole face, but because they come to a slight point it can double as a concealer brush for a little spot concealing when needed.

129 Powder/Blush Brush

This is a natural bristle brush perfect for a pressed or loose powder. The bristle shape of this particular brush is large enough to be used as a powder brush or small enough to be used as blush brush. (Either use the brush for blush or powder. Trying to use the same brush for both could have a disastrous ending.)

266 Small Angled Brush

This is one of the most multipurpose brushes I own. This brush is a natural bristle brush. It's perfect for using a powdered product to line your eyes, smudge your eyeliner or even add a little color to fill in your brows. There is a synthetic version of this brush (263 Small Angled Brush) that is ideal when using a cream or liquid liner.

242 Shader Brush

This has been a staple of mine for years. It can be used for any make up product that is powder, liquid or cream. The bristles are stiff enough to give a bold, intense payoff of color, yet soft enough to you could lightly brush product onto the skin to get just a hint of the color showing. I use this to apply color to my eyelids or brow highlight, to smudge eyeliner for a smokey eye or even use it as a concealer or lip brush. (As stated above with the powder/blush brush, you must designate what this brush will be used for. You can't jump between smudging eyeliner one day and then using the same brush for concealer the next.)

217 Blending Brush

I've saved my favorite brush for last! This is a blending brush for the crease of your eyes. It's a natural bristle so it's best used for powder products. The dome shape of the bristles are perfect for flawlessly blending colors together and achieving that airbrushed look.