How to perfect your lipstick | Pictorial

 Sometimes just chucking on a lipstick isn't going to cut it, especially with some formulas that like to make their way over your face, or does that just happen to me?
I've found that applying my lipstick this way, using different lip liners & doing it in different layers helps it to stay put & last a lot longer, too. This is not something that I do everyday but when I have time & I'm wearing a bolder lip colour I like to spend a bit more on the lips.

1. Line just outside of your natural lip line with a lip liner that is close to your natural colour if you prefer a fuller lip.
Tip: If you're going for a nude lip, use a colour slightly darker than your lipstick.
2. Apply your lipstick of choice. It doesn't matter if you don't cover up the liner completely as we'll be going over that again. Make sure to really press your lips together to work the lipstick in.
Tip: Use a lip brush with the first coat which helps the lipstick to press into the creases of the lips, helping it to last longer.
3.Go over your lip line again with a liner that matches your lipstick colour. I do it after because you can see where else you need to fill in to get your desired lip shape & it kinda locks in the edges of the lipstick.
4. Blot with a tissue and reapply, either from the bullet or with a brush.
Tip: You can also hold one layer of a tissue against your lips and press a loose powder to set the first layer & reapply.
5.With a flat concealer brush, fix any edges if needed. Make sure to keep wiping it off so you don't transfer lipstick everywhere and remember to blend out the concealer.
Tip: Use a slightly lighter concealer which will also help to highlight.
6. Sweep a cotton bud in the inner rim which will take off any excess lipstick that will probably transfer onto your teeth. Alternatively, pucker your lips and pull your index finger from inside to out and it will do the same.

Products Used

 Nyx lip liners in Mauve & Pinky, Maybelline Colour Vivid in Vivid Rose, Real Technique concealer brush

Finished result

 I find this method works best for bolder colours, or different formulas such as Sleek's pout paints as the liquid is harder to stay put.

Thanks for reading! I hope these tips where helpful. You can mix up the order you apply which lip liner but I don't find much of a difference.

xx

How to: Effortless Glowy Skin

If you've been following me for a while, you probably know that I absolutely love a glowy/ dewy foundation finish. As my skin is dry/ dehydrated I love looking like I have a healthy glow and here's how I achieve it!

 Firstly you will want to start with your primer to ensure your makeup lasts all day. Lately I have been using Arbonne's Virtual Illusion makeup primer mixed with Majolica Majorca Skin Lingerie Porecover, although pores are not my main skin concern & this is meant to be for oily skin. If you have oily skin I'd recommend a primer to control that, but if you have dry skin there are many types of primers that help add an extra glow such as Face of Australia's Face Base with Vitamin E & Chamomile, Essence's My Base Illuminating Makeup Base or alternatively you can mix something like Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector or MAC Strobe cream in with a primer.

Primer only, and bad lighting/ angle but bare skin. Yuck haha

 Now you can apply your foundation, or concealer if you prefer to do it beforehand, but for an extra glow you can mix an illuminizer on the back of your hand for an all over glow or only on certain areas. The latter is better for oily skin as usually an all over shine is what you are trying to avoid.

 Rimmel Wake Me Up is illuminating enough as it is so I don't really need to mix it with MAC's Strobe Cream but if you use a foundation with a matte/  satin finish it will add glow only where you want it. I've dabbed it only onto my cheekbones, nose & chin but you can also do center of the forehead & cupids bow. I only occasionally do this step.

I have already applied my concealer on blemishes & under my eyes. I also lightly go over my lips & eyebrows as a base.

 If you have chosen to skip mixing an illuminator with your foundation, I would recommend using a cream colour base (CCB), such as MAC's CCB in Pearl or Hush, depending on your skin tone. My cheap 15 concealer palette from eBay also has a highlighter shade in it too. I use my fingers to dab this on the same places as the Strobe cream. You want to do this after foundation & concealer & before powder.

 You will also want to set your CCB with a powder for longevity. There are soo many different highlighters out here but here are a few of my options; Revlon A Floral Affair in Hushed Blush, the lightest shade obviously, MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Lightscapade, Nyx Dramatic Chromatic Eyeshadow Pigment in Pearl White. I have been using Lightscapade pretty much every day since I bought it in November & it has just started to loose the dome shape. I also use the Sigma F35 brush to apply it.

The difference isn't as notable unlike if I used a matte or satin foundation & no illuminizer at the start, but it is more noticeable when the full face is finished.

Bourjois Delice de Soleil bronzer, RT blush brush for bronzer, Milani Baked blush in Luminoso, Furless Blush brush.

 Here is what I applied on the rest of my face (not pictured, Rimmel Stay Matte powder dusted lightly all over). Can you see the film developing over the Bourjois bronzer, has this happened to anyone else? It's barely pigmented enough as it is! This baked blush furthers the glow but you could use a matte blush if it is too much for you.

Aand the absolute finished product complete with eyeliner & lipstick (MAC Hue), oh and eyebrows, but no eyeshadow since I ran out of time before work!! So this is basically what I do every day, give or take a few steps, to keep my skin looking healthy & glowing.

Top tips to remember (TL;DR version)
 -If you have oily skin use a mattifying primer and a matte/ satin finish foundation and spot highlight so you don't look shiny all over
-Use cream/ liquid products where possible if suitable for your skin type & lightly powder with similar colours for longevity
-Use a light reflecting concealer underneath the eyes only if you have dark circles otherwise the dewyness will not be as effective

I hope you find this informative & easy to understand, I'd love to hear all feedback!
Let me know if you prefer a glowy or matte look!

xx

Nyx Eyebrow Cake Powder // Review & How To

 Ever since I ran out of my E.L.F Eyebrow Kit ages ago, I have been just using the dark brown eyeshadow from the Sleek Storm palette, and after I hit pan on that big time I went to the darkest brown in the Wet n Wild Vanity Palette. But I have been wanting to use an eyebrow kit for the longest time now, so I thought I would give NYX's eyebrow cake powder a go, and have been using it for over a month now.

Packaging: Quite bulky but still small & good for traveling, has a see through lid that opens on the left side, which is annoying when you are right handed.

Texture: Wax is thick but not chunky & holds brows in place, although mine don't usually go hay wire. The powders are like regular eyeshadow.

Color Selection: Black/ Gray, Dark Brown/ Brown, Taupe/ Ash, Auburn/Red, Brunette & Blonde. I have it in Dark Brown/ Brown, which I am glad I got because I like my eyebrows quite dark.

There is only a very slight difference in the 2nd colour being slightly warmer & lighter.

Brushes: It includes a mini spoolie brush & slanted brush, but with most brushes that come in kits
like these are pretty useless when they are too small to grab, and these are hard to get out of the compartment, so I have to tip the kit upside down. I do like to use the spoolie to brush through my brows before & after, and the slanted brush is good for the wax because it is quite stiff, and if I use it only for that use the wax won't go murky & gross.

Longevity: These last all day for me, even without the wax but for added security the wax will help it hold for as long as possible.

Application
At first I had no idea what order I should apply the wax, but I learned that applying it after the shadow made it go a bit streaky, so I apply it lightly first before the shadows as it also works as a base to help it last all day.

1. Apply wax using fingers or the angled brush. Also brush hairs into place if you have unruly eyebrows.

2. Using a stiff angled brow brush (I use the Real Techniques Brow Brush) & the first darker shade, outline the top & bottom of the eyebrow to the thickness you desire. If I want to make them a lot thicker than they are I use the lighter shade just on the edge of this line so they kind of fade out better. Fill in the middle- tail of the eyebrow with this colour.

3. Going in with the 2nd colour from the outside in of the start of the eyebrow using feathering motions. At the edge of the eyebrow I change the angle of the brush so it is pointing upwards and fade the eyebrow out.

 4. Brush through the brows to soften them if you need to.

 5. Optional: (I don't do this often) Using a highlighter pencil (I use Prestige Brow Duo in Illuminate) or a slightly lighter concealer, highlight underneath the brow & blend it out. If I go a bit too far underneath or take away from the arch I correct it here.

Compared to the unmade eyebrow. This is probably not my best effort & I did go heavier with the powder but you can see the difference this makes. I wouldn't do my eyebrows this harsh if I wasn't planning to wear eyeshadow as I think a softer eyebrow looks better with bare eyes. Don't forget eyebrows are sisters & not twins so as long as they aren't completely different don't be too fussy!

Overall, the Nyx Eyebrow Cake Powder is a pretty good eyebrow kit that has the basics for filling in eyebrows. I probably don't like it as much as the E.L.F Eyebrow kit as it had a coloured wax & eyeshadow compared to 3 different products & the packaging is less bulky. However I would still recommend this kit & give it a 7/10.

What do you like to use on your eyebrows?
xx

La Splash Glitters // Review, Swatches & Comparison

 Recently-ish I I received my La Splash Glitter Splash that I purchased from Cherry Culture as I had shown here. I've only really tried NYX's loose glitters before so I will be doing a little bit of a comparison between these 2 brands and a small review & swatches. Oh, I plan to (and have already ordered some more ;) ) buy more in the near future so I will keep updating the swatches.

Swatches

Lava Dust is a beautiful orange glitter with a tiny amount of red specks.
You can see it in a makeup look here.

 Starlight Red is a stunning bright red, that's all I can really say about it haha. It was used in my Aussie makeup here.

Tropical Lime doesn't exactly live up to it's name as I would call it more turquoise then anything (which I knew it would be when I ordered it) so as long as you know it is not actually lime when you purchase it will be alright. It is so gorgeous, though!

Deep Blue Sea is a dark blue colour also used in this makeup that is mainly a royal blue with some navy blue flecks.

 Miami Beach (sexy pink) is a hot pink glitter with  white reflects which really does make it a sexy pink colour. I used this one here.  When I ordered it I thought it would be a little bit different from my hot pink glitter from NYX, but I will show you in a couple of comparisons below.

 Gold Treasure is a champagne-gold colour.

Newly added 19/3
Purple Passion is a royal purple with no other reflects.

Pineapple Lime is an interesting name no doubt, but is a gorgeous exotic green with lime reflects. I can see this looking gorgeous over a dark emerald smoky eye.

La Splash Glitter Splash Mini Review
As mentioned I purchased these from www.cherryculture.com which has a huge selection of different colours. I really like the colours for the ones that I do have, although some probably wont be very practical... but when are glitters really, anyway!? I would like to try Starlight Red on top of a red lipstick for a glamorous look! They are also for the face & body if you wish.

Packaging: The plastic jar has a twist top lid and a wide opening so you can easily access the glitter with your fingers or a brush, and has 3grams of product in it. You can see how full the jar is in the swatch pictures. The lid is clear so you can easily see what colour you are using without having to look on the sticker at the bottom.

Colours: Click here to see a whole range of colours, there are also ones that come in star or heart shapes that seem to be more confetti-like. But I really like the colours I have so I want to try more. Some have different coloured specks for more dimension.

Texture: These glitters are fairly finely milled so it's not too chunky on the eyes which causes a bit of fall out onto the cheeks which is practically unavoidable.

Pigmentation & longevity: They are not highly pigmented on their own without having a sticky base mainly because the glitter goes everywhere, & if you don't have a coloured base down first you would be able to see skin, so that will help them appear more pigmented. You can see this in the swatches. When using them correctly I find they last all day because of the adherence, otherwise they would wear off during the day.

Cost: $5.99 from Cherry Culture, but prices vary depending on where you buy it from.

they are currently on special for $4.49 and have been for a bit so get in now while you can save a bit!

How to Apply
 After I have finished applying my eyeshadow, I dab Fyrinnae's Pixie Epoxy (the tiniest amount to prevent creasing) on with my finger into the area I want it placed and then using the same finger which is still tacky, I go into the glitter (tapping onto lid to prevent fallout) and then dab on top of the base. You can find different bases with other brands and I'm pretty use La Splash has one, or you could even use false eyelash glue. To deal with fall-out on the cheeks I use a piece of sticky tape to pick it up or you can brush it off but the glitter sometimes likes to stick where it's not wanted.

Comparison with Nyx Glitter Mania
For the colours I have that were the closest to my Nyx glitters, they matched very well. Both were applied on top of the sticky base but you can see La Splash are more pigmented. I bought Miami Beach because I thought it was slightly different to Nyx in having white reflects but they are both almost the same, and I thought Gold Treasure was going to be more champagne but it isn't.
Nyx glitters come in a jar with 5grams although it doesn't seem like it has more than La Splash which has 3grams, but at least their jars have a wider opening so you are actually able to get it out with ease. To use the Nyx glitters I have to cover my finger over the top & tip it upside down to get any product out which is messier because I can't tap it back into the lid without it going everywhere.
Also Nyx only has I think 10 glitters to choose from but La Splash has many more.

Top: La Splash [Miami Beach, Gold Treasure], Bottom: Nyx [Hot Pink, Gold]

Overall I definitely really like La Splash's Glitter Splash with their huge colour range and everything else about them, I would recommend them if you like to experiment with glitter! I hope this review is helpful to someone, thank you for reading. xx

Smokey Glitter; Subtle or Dramatic?

These are from 2 different weekends but I wanted to do a glittery cut crease & a subtle glitter clubbing look. I used the same Sleek Palette- my go to, dramatic-smokey-eye look Bad Girl in both looks with Glitter by Nyx. These are definitely way too OTT for during the day but perfect for an eye-catching night look.

 

Silver Glitter & Blue Dramatic Cut-Crease

Bad lighting in this look, my skin looks terrible :/. I think having the flu that week would have something to do with it, too. But I just remembered, the Fiancee has a horrible bluish tinged light, yuck!

Products

Face : (In both) Australis Paparazzi Perfect Foundation

MAC Peachykeen

Lips: Covergirl lip perfection l/s in Kiss

Eyes: Firstly I applied The Face Shop Dual Eye Colour in 'Silver' to the eyelid, and cut into the crease with Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil in 'Black Bean' and also on the lower lash line & waterline. On the lid I applied the lightest grey 'Blade' from my Sleek Bad Girl. Over Black Bean I placed 'Abyss' from Bad Girl & blended with 'Obnoxious' (both blues, the darkest first) coming as far into the inner corner as I liked. I also applied some 'Noir' right into the crease for further definition. I applied these in the same order on the lower lash line. Also highlight with 'Innocence' (shimmery white)
Now again on the lid I applied Nyx Candy Glitter Liner in Disco Ball all over, setting with the Nyx glitter in silver (loose glitter pigment).
I applied my eyeliner - Maybelline Master Precise & slightly winged it up, mascara & falsies & I'm done.

Click Love on Makeupgeek if you'd like :)

Smokey Purple, Subtle Glitter

'Goofy Smile Alert!!!'

Face: Foundation as above, Blush: MAC Dollymix
Contouring: Coastal scents 15 concealer (dark shades) ,Nude by Nature Eye Definition loose powder.
Lips: (new fave combo!) Nyx Harmonica & Australis Boogie Woogie. (Harmonica is too frosty on it's own so these L/S are a perfect pair!)

Eyes: After primer apply Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil in 'Slate' to the eyelid. Blend up slightly into crease. Apply 'Gun Metal' from Sleek Bad Girl (medium shimmery gray) on top, blending out. Apply 'Twilight' to the crease & blend out with 'Rebel' (both purples again from Bad Girl), do the same on the lower lash line & blend with a skin-toned coloured eyeshadow. Take Nyx Candy Glitter Liner in 'Disco Queen' on top of Gun Metal and then to set apply Fyrinnae loose eyeshadow in Immortal. {{As the shades on the lid are verry similar you will only catch a glimpse of the glitter which can make your eyes look more sparkly when they hit the lights at a flattering angle.}}
Apply your fave black eyeliner to the waterline & lash line, add mascara & falsies to complete the look.

Love this look on Makeupgeek if you would like :)

"Iz smiling coz you got this far :D"

I hope this was useful & that you enjoyed reading this post. Let me know if you like the way I explained how I did it or if it's too complicated w/o step-by-step's. That way I can just list the products on their own.

Thanks for looking <3 <3
How do you like to wear glitter?