Category Archives: Tutorials

Night Out at the Opera

Makeup, Tutorials, Vacation

So I’ve been in Prague! I’ve been having a lovely vacation and wanted to share something slightly different on my blog because quite frankly, I don’t get to do this often (if ever). My good friend Sara, whom I am vacationing with, suggested we hit up the opera and get all fancy. And really, who can say no to that?

Poser
Poser

We chose to go to the opera on a Wednesday night. Which means we probably got a little overdressed, but that’s fine by me!

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I somehow managed to do this on the cheap. The dress was on a $10 sale rack at H&M that I’d picked up in Toronto. The shoes are ones I intended to wear to my wedding, but never did because they were too uncomfortable to wear for a long periods of time. The necklace was also a wedding castoff that had never been worn (bought from Etsy). So not only was I excited to wear stuff I hadn’t gotten a chance to before, but the dress was so cheap that it was actually exciting!

Face and hair
Face and hair

I had less time than normal to prep, because apparently not everyone requires two hours to do so. (Absolute blasphemy I tell you…)

Eye makeup
Eye makeup

I opted for an eye look that would match my dress, because frankly, I don’t know how to do contrasting colours well at all.

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Eyes
(using the Too Faced A Few of my Favorite Things palette)

  • Bluff all over the lid
  • Blue Satin Sashes in the outer corner
  • Pure Glam to deepen up the outer corner
  • Chocolate Milk through the crease to blend it out
  • Cream Colored Ponies on my browbone to highlight

Urban Decay Perversion mascara is on my lashes and I used Kat Von D‘s Tattoo liner in Trooper to create the wing. Sephora‘s Tempting lashes were then popped on as well.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Stay Perfect in Deeply IIvory
  • Bronzer: Too Faced Chocolate Soleil
  • Blush: essence –Pinky Flow
  • Concealer: essence –match2cover
  • Brows: Anastasia Brow Whiz in Ash Blonde/Taupe
  • Lips: Wet n Wild 903C with NYX Butter Gloss in Tiramisu on top
Best shot I have of the both of us, despite it being a bit blurry
Best shot I have of the both of us, despite it being a bit blurry

The opera house itself was beautiful. I’d never been in such a gorgeous old world venue like that before!

On one of the (many) flights of stairs up to our seats
On one of the (many) flights of stairs up to our seats

We saw Jacobin, which was kind of a “take it or leave it” storyline for me. The sets and the singing were beautiful, and thankfully, although the entire opera was done in Czech, they actually had a scrolling screen high above the actors that translated everything into English. Genius idea for those of us who can’t speak Czech!

Outside the opera house after the show
Outside the opera house after the show

This is right about when my shoes started to kill my feet. Good times.

Beer me
Beer me

After the opera, we sauntered on down to Wenceslas Square and had bratwurst, fried cheese sammiches and beer because we are classy, classy ladies.

Sara with her deepfried cheese sandwich. It was way too delicious and I was seriously envious.
Sara with her deepfried cheese sandwich. It was way too delicious and I was seriously envious.

What’s On My Face – Volume 24

Makeup, Tutorials, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So many vibrant  looks this week! Hooray!

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I don’t wear this look very often, but when I do, I definitely seem to startle people with how vibrant that pink colour is!

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Eyes

  1. NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk all over the lid, with Sleek Floss on top.
  2. Sleek Pout on the outer half of the lid.
  3. A touch of Makeup Geek Creme Brulee through the crease.
  4. MAC Shroom to highlight the brow.

Winged liner with Tarte’s Black gel liner and Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Bronzer: Hard Candy Hula Hula
  • Blush: Hourglass Diffused Heat
  • Lips: Softlips CUBE in Vanilla Bean

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I created this look for my guest blog post on Nicole’s site (Nicole About Town), but wanted to re-post it here to have in my own archives.

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Eyes

  1. Inglot Matte 334 all over the lid.
  2. Inglot Matte 325 on the outer third of the lid and used as lower lid liner.
  3. Urban Decay Blackout to darken up the outer edge.
  4. MAC Vellum  to highlight the brow, also used as an inner corner highlight.

I used Tarte‘s Black gel liner to create a wing, then used Urban Decay‘s Black Velvet pencil liner  to tightline and rim my inner lower lash line. I applied several coats of CoverGirl‘sClump Crusher mascara and then popped on a pair of J. Cat lashes in EL13 with some duo lash adhesive.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla
  • Bronzer: NYC – Fire Island Tan
  • Blush: Hourglass – Diffused Heat
  • Highlighter: MAC – Silver Dusk
  • Lips: essence – Wear Berries!

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Oh Razzleberry… aren’t you BEAUTIFUL!

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Eyes

  1. Urban Decay Half Baked on the inner two-thirds of the lid.
  2. Makeup Geek Razzleberry on the outer corner and through the crease.
  3. MAC Ricepaper to highlight the brow.

Urban Decay Perversion mascara is on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Bronzer: NYC Fire Island Tan
  • Blush: Hourglass Diffused Heat

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Playing around with Illamasqua‘s Alluvium pigment. Not my best attempt at blending!

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Eyes

  1. Illamasqua Alluvium pigment all over the lid.
  2. MAC Handwritten in the outer corner and through the crease.
  3. MAC Shroom to highlight the brow.

Urban Decay Perversion mascara is on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Illamasqua Skin Base in 6.5
  • Blush: Coastal Scents – some kind of peach blush, no idea name or number
  • Lips: Bite Beauty Fig

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Subdued, but rather pretty.

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  1. MAC Vanilla pigment all over the lid.
  2. The pinky-bronze shade from the Sleek Sunset palette in the outer corner.
  3. MAC Handwritten tapped lightly in the outer corner and used as a liner.
  4. MAC Shroom to highlight the brow.

Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Extravagant is on my lashes.

Challenge Week: Urban Decay Naked 2

Makeup, Tutorials

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I’ll start off by saying I hugely dislike this palette. I bought the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette not long after it was released because I loved the first Naked palette so much and figured a second palette must be just as good… However, the Naked 2 has always been an absolute downer in my makeup collection. I never reach for it, and when I do, I’m forcing myself to use it just so I can say I did.

So that’s what this past week has been like. Forcing myself to use this palette. And it was painful.

My primary problem with this palette is that while some shades are beautiful… the reality is that most of them just blend into each other so much so that you’d think the colours were all completely identical. Nothing feels unique about these shades, and that’s what makes it so frustrating. I tried for a solid week to make interesting eye looks, and in the end I was just disappointed with everything.

Anyway, on with the (all completely similar) looks.

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This is the very first look I did that week, and I think it’s my favourite. The colours remind me of stuff I’ve done with the Naked 3 palette.

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Eyes

  1. Tease blended through the crease.
  2. YDK on the inner two-thirds of the lid.
  3. Busted on the outer third.
  4. Foxy to highlight the brow.

CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara is on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla
  • Bronzer: Hard Candy Hula Hula
  • Blush: Milani Luminoso

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Baaaad lighting. BAD.

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Eyes

  1. Bootycall on lid and to highlight the brow.
  2. Snakebite in the outer corner and through the crease.

essence get BIG! lashes mascara on my lashes and Hard Candy Skinny Dipping blush on my cheeks.

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This one’s a bit better, but it’s just not colours I tend to gravitate towards.

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Eyes

  1. Chopper on the inner two-thirds of the lid.
  2. Snakebite on the outer corner and through the crease.
  3. Foxy to highlight the brow.

MAC Dipdown fluidline to create the wing and CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Bronzer: Hard Candy Hula Hula
  • Blush: essence Autumn Peach

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This is a prime example of my problem with this palette. Can you even tell I have a different colour in the outer corner?!?! ARGH!!!

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Eyes

  1. Bootycall on the inner two-thirds of the lid.
  2. Suspect on the outer third.
  3. Tease through the crease.
  4. Foxy to highlight the brow.

Tarte gel liner in Black to create the wing and CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Bronzer: Hard Candy Hula Hula
  • Blush: Hourglass Diffused Heat
  • Highlighter: MAC Soft & Gentle
  • Lips: Rimmel Apocalips in Stellar

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Fall time! Time to bust out the dark lips!

201409_naked2_look5-2

Eyes

  1. Verve on the inner two-thirds of the lid.
  2. Busted on the outer corner and lightly through the crease.
  3. Foxy on the brow bone.

CoverGirl Clump Crusher is on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla
  • Bronzer: Hard Candy Hula Hula
  • Blush: MAC Gingerly
  • Highlighter: MAC Silver Dusk
  • Lips: Revlon Black Cherry

So I tried. In the end, I really tried. But this palette just isn’t for me. I like that it completes my Naked palette collection, but man, definitely would not encourage anyone to pick this one up.

What’s On My Face – Volume 23

Makeup, Tutorials, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Let’s dive right in!

I was inspired by this insanity of a dress that I recently picked up:

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To create the following look:

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And I think it came out amazingly well!

20140903_look3-2

Eyes

  1. Illamasqua Alluvium all over the lid.
  2. Laura Mercier Violet Ink in the outer corner and used to line the lower lashline.
  3. MAC Handwritten in the very outer corner to darken the edge up.
  4. Makeup Geek Simply Marlena at the top of the crease.
  5. MAC Shroom on the inner tearduct and to highlight the brow.

Urban Decay Perversion mascara is on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Illamasqua Skin Base in 6.5
  • Bronzer: Hard Candy Hula Hula
  • Blush: Wet n Wild Heather Silk
  • Highlighter: Hard Candy Tiki
  • Lips: NYX Butter Gloss in Strawberry Parfait

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Overly simple for my books, but quite striking in its simplicity.

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Eyes

  1. Makeup Geek Bleached Blonde all over the lid.
  2. Makeup Geek Preppy on the outer half.
  3. Makeup Geek Vanilla Bean to highlight the brow.

For the winged liner I used Tarte‘s black gel liner and used Urban Decay‘s Perversion mascara on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance foundation in Cool Vanilla
  • Bronzer: NYC Fire Island Tan
  • Blush: Wet n Wild Mellow Wine
  • Highlighter: MAC Whisper of Gilt
  • Lips: Wet n Wild 910D with MAC Strawberry Malt lipglass on top

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I was struggling with essence‘s All About Candies eyeshadow palette until I started using a solid thick white based underneath the shadows. Use that and you should be good to go!

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Eyes

  1. Cover the entire lid with NYX‘s Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk and smooth it out with your finger. Then layer the pale green shade in essence‘s All About Candies palette on top.
  2. MAC Club in the outer corner and through the crease and on the lower lash line.
  3. MAC Blanc Type to highlight the brow.

Urban Decay Perversion mascara is on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance foundation in Cool Vanilla
  • Bronzer: NYC Fire Island Tan
  • Concealer: essence Match2Cover (darker shade) underneath my eyes
  • Blush: Hourglass Diffused Heat
  • Highlighter: MAC Soft & Gentle

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Sunset-themed eyes, a favourite of mine throughout August.

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Eyes

I first applied NYX‘s Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk all over the lid, then:

  1. Inglot Matte 370 on the inner half of the lid.
  2. Inglot Matte 383 on the outer half of the lid.
  3. Makeup Geek Creme Brulee to blend out the crease.
  4. MAC Shroom to highlight the brow.

Tarte‘s black gel liner was used to create the wing and Urban Decay Perversion mascara is on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla
  • Bronzer: Hard Candy Hula Hula
  • Blush: essence Autumn Peach
  • Highlighter: MAC Whisper of Gilt
  • Lips: Too Faced Coral Fire

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Another sun-based look!

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Eyes

Using essence‘s All About Sunrise palette:

  1. Pale orange shade on the inner corner.
  2. Medium brown on the center of the lid.
  3. Darker brown on the outer corner.
  4. Champagne shade to highlight the brow.
  5. Gold shade all over the lower lash line.

MAC‘s Dipdown fluidline was used to create the winged liner, essence‘s black gel pencil liner to tightline and line the inner water line. essence‘s Get Big! Lashes mascara is on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla
  • Bronzer: NYC Fire Island Tan
  • Blush: essence Autumn Peach
  • Highlighter: Champagne shade from the essence All About Sunrise palette
  • Lips: essence On The Catwalk!

What’s On My Face – Volume 22

Makeup, Tutorials, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Another set of makeup roundups!

20140818_look1-1

Something nude-ish for all your neutral lovers out there!

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Eyes

  1. MAC Ricepaper as the inner corner highlight and to highlight the brow.
  2. MAC Amber Lights all over the lid.
  3. MAC Handwritten on the outer third.

CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara is on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Bronzer: Hard Candy – Hula Hula
  • Blush: MAC – Warm Soul

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The nude lips soooo do not work with this one!

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Eyes

  1. Makeup Geek Mango Tango all over the lid.
  2. Makeup Geek Bitten on the outer half of the lid.
  3. Makeup Geek Creme Brulee through the top of the crease.
  4. MAC Shroom to highlight the brow.

Tarte Black gel liner to create the wing and CoverGirl‘s Clump Crusher mascara is on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Bronzer: NYC – Fire Island Tan
  • Blush: Tarte – Charisma
  • Highlighter: MAC – Whisper of Gilt
  • Lips: essence – Nude Love

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A fun dark one! As I’ve said before, I usually stay away from dark lid colours but when I do try it out I generally quite like the results!

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Eyes

  1. Urban Decay Darkside all over the lid.
  2. Urban Decay Blackheart on the outer third of the lid.
  3. Urban Decay Nooner to blend out the crease.
  4. Urban Decay Strange on the browbone.
  5. Urban Decay Dust to highlight the inner corner.

Rest of the Face

  • Bronzer: NYC – Fire Island Tan
  • Blush: Wet n Wild – Pearlescent Pink
  • Highlighter: MAC – Soft & Gentle
  • Lips: Maybelline – Maple Kiss

 

 

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This one doesn’t come across as well in photos as I had hoped. Isn’t it strange how that can happen? I really love orangey-reds on my lids and this was one of the first few looks I ever did that really pushed me into using more and more fiery colours.

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Eyes

  1. MAC Gleam all over the lid.
  2. MAC Coppering on the outer half of the lid and heavily through the crease.
  3. MAC Handwritten in the very outer corner.
  4. MAC Blanc Type to highlight the brow.

CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara is on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Bronzer: NYC – Fire Island Tan
  • Blush: Tarte – Charisma
  • Lips: NYX Butter Gloss – Cherry Cheesecake

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I had been lamenting how much I seem to fail at makeup looks that involve gold, primarily because I tend to combine them with brown. Kalyn showed me that gold just seems to work way better with black, so I decided to give it a shot the next time I incorporated some gold shadow.

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Eyes

  1. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bold Gold all over the lid with Sleek‘s gold shadow from the Sunset palette layered on top.
  2. I used a strip of tape on my outer lid to create the super sharp edge, then swept on Urban Decay‘s Blackout.
  3. Makeup Geek Creme Brulee lightly through the crease to blend out the black.
  4. MAC Blanc Type to highlight the brow.

I tightlined my upper waterline with the Lord & Berry Black eye pencil and applied Urban Decay‘s Perversion mascara on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla
  • Bronzer: Revlon Photoready in Bronzed & Chic
  • Blush: Hourglass – Diffused Heat
  • Highlighter: MAC – Whisper of Gilt
  • Lips: Revlon Sunset Peach gloss