10 Techniques I learned in 2014

Hey All, Hope you had a happy new year! Today, I’ll be posting a quick list of new and/or improved techniques I learned in the year 2014. It’s been a huge year of growth in terms of my technique, what brushes I use for different tasks, and what products work best with my skin. With that said, here’s my list:

1. contouring and highlighting: This was the year I learned to sculpt and chisel my face into something less oval and round and a bit more angled.

2. blush application: I improved upon my blush application in terms of more blending and the idea that blush can also be used to shape the face in and of itself.

3.blending eyeshadow: I can now blend eyeshadow into a perfectly cohesive look that is much more polished.

4. defining the crease: I’ve learned to define my crease which creates a lot more depth when using a darker shade, preferably a matte brown.

5. using eyeshadow as eyeliner: I’ve learned to create a smokey eye without emphasizing my under circles.

6. brows: I’ve learned how to fill in my brows with brow powder and an angled brush, and even use a spoolie occasionally. I have naturally intense brows, and I just like to add some extra emphasis for a more bold yet still natural look.

7. beauty blender: I’ve learned to use my beauty blender knockoff from quo ($5) to create a an airbrushed look for concealer and foundation. Though I have foundation I generally just use powder now, it is a good skill to have.

8. packing on eyeshadow: I’ve learned to pack on shadow which means I waste less product and can create a bolder look.

9. lipstick application: I’ve learned to apply lipstick in a near perfect fashion, and have learned less is more, and you don’t need to use it bold over the entire lips.

10. powder application: I’ve learned to apply powder to targeted areas where they are needed and that a light dusting is all I need.

There you have it, my 10 techniques I learned in 2014. Hope you enjoyed this list, and please comment below a new technique you learned in the past year.

 

My June Favourites

This will be the first post of many, in my monthly favourites series.

1. Cathy Van Zeeland Purse: This purse is a white, faux leather, studded purse that I got at the winners in Ottawa a few years back. It can hold quite a few necessities in it. This is the purse I’ve using lately. It can be worn with one strap or doubled up, like the Chanel 2.55 purses. It has two pockets in it, perfect for storing my cell phone and various cards. It has a striped,  mustard yellow and olive green interior. There is a zippered pocket on the inside and outside. It closes with a metal snap button. I’d definitely recommend checking out the Cathy Van Zeeland brand and/or your local winners.

2. Neutrogena All-In-One Make-Up Removing Cleansing Wipes: These are decent on my sensitive skin, and remove my face and eye makeup fairly well, apart from my mascara. They are sold in bulk at Costco. I prefer these to the Kirkland Signature makeup removing wipes, as those sting my eyes and irritate my skin. They are really cheap though.

3. Olay Regenerist micro-sculpting serum: This is a serum I use as a primer. It smells like Tresemme  hair products. It sinks into my skin quickly. It also has some decent anti aging products, which I guess are more preventative in my case. It comes with a pump built in, which I generally prefer for any liquid skincare and makeup. Costco did sell this serum, but I’m not sure if they still do.

3. Revlon Colorburst Lipglosses in fire and sunset peach: These are a rediscovered product for me.These are super highly pigmented, especially for lip glosses. They work well on their own, or over a lipliner or lipstick. I have two, one in sunset peach, a shimmery peach shade, and fire, a bright yellow based red. These look like super glossy lipsticks. The darker shades are more opaque, but all of them have very even coverage. These have a really nice, wide doe foot applicator, and one swipe of gloss is plenty. You don’t even have to dip back into the tube. I got mine at London Drugs on sale.

4. Almay intense i-color powder shadow for blue eyes: This is another rediscovered product of mine. This is one of the highest pigmented drugstore eyeshadow palettes I have tried, and I have tried many. These go on smooth, and take little effort to blend. This particular one comes with a light blue shade, a dark blue shade, and a burgundy shade.  These are a great starter palette for anyone new to makeup. You can find these at most drugstores.

5. Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal 24 hr Eyeshadow By Eyestudio in barely branded: This is a limited edition cream eyeshadow that keeps getting repromoted in new collections. It is a champagne shade with a sheen to it. It works great as an eyeshadow base, for lighting, or all over the lid. They are often compared to the Mac paint pots, which I am yet to try. These range from $2 to $10, depending where you shop. They can be found at most drugstores. These are a great staple for any beauty lover.

6. Nars Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Empire: This shadow pencil, which I use as an eyeliner on my lower lash line, glides on smooth, and leaves a nice pigmented line. The one issue with these, is that they fade within an hour or two. But then, I just have a smokey eye look afterwards. This is my favourite eyeliner just because it is so easy to apply.

7. Nars blush in Orgasm: This is a cult favourite in the beauty world. It looks good on so many people. It is a peachy pink shade with micro glitter in it, though on the face it just shimmers. It doesn’t emphasize pores, and lasts for hours. It is subtle, but very buildable. I absolutely adore the  Nars signature rubberized, matte packaging. It comes with a built in mirror, which is handy for touch-ups on the go. I wear this blush almost every day. I got it at Sephora, and you can also find Nars products at The Bay.

8. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire and Ice: This is a classic,, bright,  yellow based, red lipstick. This lipstick came out in 1952. It is iconic, and classic in style. It is highly pigmented, as are most of the revlon creme lipsticks in the super lustrous formula. Revlon makes amazing red lipsticks. I highly recommend their matte lipstick in really red, which is a decent dupe for Mac’s ruby woo, but a bit less matte and less drying. This is a staple for those who love red lipsticks.

9. Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette: This is my first Urban Decay palette, and it has become my hg (holy grail). It is so versatile, full of rose golds and bronzey shades. Some of the shades have some fallout. I highly recommend it for those looking for a versatile palette. It works amazing for night and day looks, with a range of dark and light, shimmer, glitter, metallic, and matte shades. The palette is a rose gold looking tin, with a built in mirror. it even comes with an incredible double ended brush. I usually don’t like dual ended brushes, but this is the exception. It is a fluffy, blending brush on one end, and a small, shader brush on the other. These shadows ar buttery smooth, and super pigmented. I bought this at Sephora during a beauty insider sale.

10. Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light: This is my current favourite standalone powder, and finishing powder. It is lightweight, and feels soft to the touch. It definitely has some fallout. I wear it over my olay serum, or on top of my foundation. It feels nice on my skin, and doesn’t emphasize my pores. It is lasting me so long, and I can’t wait to buy another with the new packaging as it now includes a mirror, and mine is just a mirrorless compact.

11. Ardene’s flower patterned headbands: I have been really getting into headbands lately. Most exacerbate my chronic migraines, but these I can wear for a fair bit of the day before I have to take them off. They have cute bows attached to the. I bought them at Ardene’s on sale. They are very cheap on sale, under $1 each. I love how cute they are, and the femme in me loves flowers.

12. Ardell Brow Defining Kit Palette: I got this brow kit at Marshall’s on sale, but London Drugs also sells them. The kit comes with a wax pencil and a dual ended, angled and spoolie brush, but I’ve mostly been using the palette. It’s packaging is very similar to revlon palettes, with where the mirror is place and styled inside of it. It comes with a mini angled brow brush. It contains a light, cocoa coloured matte brown shade, a sparkly black shade, a matte chocolate brown shade, and a highlighting, sparkly shade. I mostly use the cocoa shade. It works perfectly with my brows, emphasizing them just the right amount.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my June favourites. Tell me your favourites in the comments.

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Finding Your Comfort In Bold Lips

This post will be about finding ways to feel comfortable wearing bold lips in one’s everyday life. This post was inspired by Amanda of amandarobots.

So, I am a huge fan of bold lipsticks. I think they can really complete a look. Whether I’m wearing a full face, or just a little blush, bold lips give every look that little something extra. I don’t wear them every day, but most days that I wear lipstick, chances are it will be bold.

Bold lipsticks can be really intimidating to wear for many. I know it’s taken me a while to get used to them. They are worn on one of the most prominent features of the face, pretty much in the centre. Even with a subtle lipstick, it will be more noticeable than many other kinds of makeup.

Bold lipsticks can be really intimidating to wear for many. I know it’s taken me a while to get used to them. When you’re first getting into bold, or just more bright lips, it’s important to start slow. One thing that can work really well is just wearing an opaque lip gloss. The idea of lipgloss just feels more simple. I wore lipgloss before lipstick when I was younger. It is a stepping stone to lipstick for many. One has more control in application of a lipgloss. The Revlon Super Lustrous lip glosses are a great option, as they are highly pigmented, opaque, and not too sticky. They do not fade either.

Another thing to consider is wearing a lip liner all over your lips. It makes a great matte option, and is easy to apply as long as you follow the lines of your lips.

Wearing a neutral toned outfit and minimal makeup can make your bold lipstick the centre of your look. This can make it so you don’t feel you’re putting yourself in the spotlight too much. Another tip is to find a formula that works for you. One that you love. Choose one that you have neutral or softer shades in, so that you can get used to the formula, and feel more comfortable in it. Then, when you are ready to bolden it up, choose a a bright version of that shade, and in that formula. It’s a way to ease yourself into that gorgeous, bold lipstick, without feeling the lipstick on your lips too much.

You want something that is non drying, possibly hydrating, and either a matte and cream finish. Those are the best for emphasizing the shade the most, and also are the longest lasting formulas. You don’t want to mess up your lipstick, as it will look messy, and possibly stain below your lips, particularly with a bold shade.

You can see some of the ways I wear bold lips, in the photos above. I take a lot of selfies, and that in itself, is a form of self care. It makes me feel better, or just even able to function, when I take a selfie. it validates my look, and myself, and how I want to express myself. Never feel ashamed for taking selfies. If people are criticizing them, that’s pretty disrespectful, especially when you’re putting yourself out there. Do it for you.

Some great bold lipstick options are matte. NYX soft matte lip creams apply wet, and dry to a matte finish. They smell like vanilla frosting, and don’t feel overly drying for at least 4 hours. They last 5-6 hours, before fading. They come with a doe foot applicator, so you can apply them like you would a lipgloss. A more pricey option are the Mac matte and retro matte lipsticks. The matte ones are creamy as far as matte lipsticks go, and slide on quite well. They last very well throughout the day. I recommend wearing a lipliner underneath them, to add staying power. The retro mattes last for hours, as they are the most matte lipsticks I have ever tried. These I also recommend wearing a lipliner with. The Revlon matte lipsticks are similar to the Mac matte ones, and they are cheaper. They are fairly creamy, though I recommend wearing a decent lip balm under them to create a more even application.

Some cream lipstick options are the Rimmel London Kate lipsticks. These are highly pigmented, opaque, and last very well through eating and drinking. They are non drying, and perfect for a starter bold lipstick. UI highly recommend them. Both NYC and Wet “N” Wild lipsticks are very pigmented, emollient type formulas, and last fairly well through eating and drinking, These do not stay within the lip lines as well, so it is advised to wear a lipliner under them. The Mac amplified cremes are my favourite lipstick formula. You simply cannot go wrong with these opaque, highly pigmented, creamy, and long lasting beauties. They leave a beautiful even stain behind.

Making sure you are feeling the lipstick on any given day is important. Go with the environment you’re in, and the mood you’re feeling. If it’s a school day, you can never go wrong with a classic, blue based, red lipstick. If you’re going to a party, try something fun, like a bright lavender, or a fuchsia pink. If you’re going out, a vampy, burgundy or purple is a great option.

Don’t push yourself to go bold, if you’re not feeling it. Try it on a day where you’re feeling good, so you feel a bit better.

Bold lipsticks can also be a form of self care. Whether I’m sitting on my bed, or going to school, I love to wear a bold lipstick. It makes me look more intense, even if I’m feeling low. There’s something very relaxing about applying lipstick carefully, and with as much precision as you can manage. If you don’t apply it perfectly. Don’t worry. You can always wipe away the excess, or draw a lip liner around your lips. Find your you in a lipstick, and use it.

Doing a bold lipstick is for you, and nobody else (unless you want it to be). It is a big thing, especially as a femme to embrace my over the top, excessive lipsticks. I used to be really nervous wearing lipstick at all, feeling “too feminine”. There is no such thing. Also, wearing makeup isn’t inherently feminine, masculine, or anything inbetween. It’s what you want it to be. I love being too much, and embracing what others look down upon. It’s for me, and that is a good thing.

I think the thing you can take away from this is find a formula you like, build up to a bold shade slowly, and do it for you.

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Review of NYC lipstick in mahogany320

NYC lipsticks are great in that they are quite cheap, as well as being highly pigmented. Mahogany is no exception. It was 1.99 C before taxes. It is a gorgeous, deep burgundy, vampy coloured lipstick. It is extremely pigmented, which means one must be very careful with application. A lip liner might be suitable for this tube. It is most definitely a great choice, when I have my playful, soft goth aesthetic days. The lipstick has a clear lid so one can see the lipstick before buying, and it is true to colour. It is not the easiest to apply, but the end result is so worth it.It smudges a fair bit, but leaves behind a nice stain. I highly recommend this lipstick for anyone who likes intense, vampy statement lipsticks.

Mac please me matte lipstick review

Hey All!
For my first review, I thought I’d delve into my lipstick collection, and pull out a classic that’s been getting quite a bit of use lately. The Mac please me matte lipstick is a rather creamy formula, as far as matte lipsticks go. I find particularly with mac, that they tend to be quite drying. Please me is definitely an exception to the rule. It is a baby pink nude colour. One coat is enough for this versatile lipstick. It works perfectly for the spring and summer as that little something extra that brightens up the face without overpowering the rest of the look. It is extremely wearable, and is definitely a staple in my collection. It is vanilla scented as are all Mac lip products.