Drugstore Diva

Runway Inspired: Luminosity (Attempt One)

2012-02-23T22:01:00.002-08:00

A trend that I've been seeing a lot over the last year or so is a really dark outer corner and crease, with a flesh toned, but super luminous inner corner and lid.

Via Yara Sofia's official facebook page

I first noticed the look on Yara Sofia last season on Drag Race, and was taken with it. Lately, however, I've been seeing it on a lot more Biological women, including runway Models, several Kardashians, and s few members of the cast of Big, Rich Texas

Screen shot from Episode One, Season Two
of Big, Rich Texas

I've been playing around with some drug store products to re-create this look for myself. Here is my first attempt:

First, I used a little cream eye shadow, which came in that really great kit Moose got me for Christmas, on my brow bone, lid, and inner corner using a concealer brush. The cream eye shadow is a shimmery champagne pink color. It's a little sticky, which I would usually hate, but in his particular case, I knew that it would act as a good base. Then, I took a generic pale, pale gold shadow and swept it on over the cream shadow. Then, using a concealer brush, I took Rimmel Hide the Blemish concealer in Ivory and dabbed on over top of that. The cream shadow and the gold shadow helped create an "Under glow" I took a generic dark brown shadow mixed with a little Jane shimmering bronzer in "copper" and a little NYC Sparkle Eye Dust in "Pink Champagne". I pushed that into my crease with a narrow brush, and then pulled it along my lash line. Finally, I took a wide shadow brush, and dabbed it into my Hard Candy luminous face powder and patted that on top of my lid and inner corner. I finished the look with Maybelline Falsies mascara.

I'm not 100% thrilled with the look, but I intend to keep working on it. I only did one eye because it was an experiement, and so you could see the difference in tone/highlights.

I think part of the reason that it doesn't look the same is because of lighting for TV Shows and Runway shows vs. the fluorescent lighting in my "office", but I also think there is another combination of products I can try. I'll keep you updated. Do you have any tricks, readers? <3

Storm Chasers: I Require Your Opinions!

2012-02-14T06:15:00.000-08:00

I have an event this weekend and I need opinions! I am torn between two outfits. I've never worn either before (well, I've worn some of the pieces separate, but never all together), and I just can't decide. It's a dinner with my future in-laws, so I want to look nice but I still want to have my signature edge. Here are the two outfits I'm pondering:

Outfit One: Red sparkly tank, red off the shoulder sweater, dark blue skinny jeans, read flats with sparkle embellishments.

Pardon my pajama pants, I'm lazy.

Shooooes.

Outfit Two: Black, belted button down, purple skirt, purple heels with black and silver embellishments. I'll probably wear a black or purple camisole under the button down to cover and cleavage.

The flash on my camera makes the skirt look darker than the shoes,
but they are about the same color.

What do you guys think? I'm torn!! I love the purple skirt, but I'll probably be more comfortable in jeans and a sweater, although the sequined top is a little itchy... and what do you think about the skirt with black panty hose or tights? I have great accessories for either look, and I really just can't decide between the two. HELP!

Inspiration: Ocean Waves

2012-01-30T13:09:00.000-08:00

I was scrolling through my itunes library when I came across "Ocean Waves" by Flyleaf and I wanted to translate the song into an eye shadow look.

What I really wound up doing was going very, very literally with it. I actually have waves on my eye lids.

The concept didn't come across exactly the way I wanted it, but it gave me an opportunity to experiment with wet eye shadow.

For years, I've applied eye shadow dry, or with primer. This time I decided to take a tiny bit of water on my shadow brush and work with the shadow wet. The results were pretty cool. The color is deeper, richer, and lacks the "glitter" effect that I always seem to get with primers. However, that last part is moot since I put glitter on my eyes anyway.

Please excuse my disgusting eyebrows.

I will say one thing: When working with wet eye shadow, be mindful, as it will act just like a cream shadow and get EVERYwhere... but the end result was wonderful.

Mark Wins Palette -- Shimmery Navy Blue
Mark Wins Palette -- Shimmery Royal Blue
Mark Wins Palette -- Beige Sparkle
Mark Wins Palette -- Blue Glitter
Mark Wins Palette -- Light Turqouise
Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner
Cover Girl Brow Liner in Brown (for filling in eyebrows only)
Maybelline Define-A-Lash in Brown/Black

Before I started, I put lotion on my face, Goldbond with SPF 30. Then, using a damp concealer brush, I swept the shimmery navy over my whole lid. I blended Shimmery Royal Blue into the inner corner with the same damp brush. Then, using a dry shadow brush, I swept the beige sparkle on my brow. bone, and blended a little light turqouise in to the outer corner of the crease and brow bone. Using a liner brush, I dotted on a little blue glitter on my lower lash line and in random places on the upper lid to catch light. Finally, I lined my upper lashes with the gel liner and applied mascara to upper and lower lids.

The look is suppose to represent ocean waves crashing against a sandy shore... I dunno how much that has to do with the Flyleaf song, but I like the tone that the blues took on when applied damp.

What's your look today?

Wedding Make Up

2012-01-26T16:20:00.000-08:00

Wedding Season is just around the corner, as many brides opt for spring and summer weddings. Boyfriend's sister is actually getting married June 2nd, and since she's all ready naturally gorgeous, she's going to be one of the most beautiful bride's I've ever seen.

While I've never done make up for a full Bridal Party, I have done make up for a few brides. The best advice I can give any bride when talking to a make up artist or consultant is to have a very clear idea of what you want. Go on the internet, look at pictures, print some out. It's best not to lock on to one specific look until you've spoken to your consultant, because while you may love how it looks on a model, it may not work for your face shape or eye shape.

The best looks are looks that transcend time (this isn't exclusive to weddings) and are simple. When you get your wedding pictures taken, while it may be fun or exciting to experiment (since its probably the only time most women will have a professional make up artist at their beck and call), 50 years from now, do you want metallic eye shadow and androgynous eyebrows? The correct answer is no.

Source

Cate Middleton (her name is Catherine, so it's Cate with a C dammit.) made an impression on me with her simple wedding make up. I was even more impressed to read that she did it herself. It was such an uncomplicated look, and it will continue to be a GOOD look for many years to come.

You want to look beautiful on your wedding day, but you don't want to look artificial or unrecognizable. Keep your foundation light, your blush neutral, and your eye make up low key.

While a red lip is dramatic, your wedding day is probably not the best time to rock it... what with all the kissing and what not.

The brides I've worked with have all been Caucasian, with brown hair. I use a foundation that matches their skin tone (I like Natural Luxe Silk Foundation. It provides coverage without looking artificial, and doesn't reflect light in the wrong way. ), and a peach toned blush (try Estee Lauder Tender Blush in Peach Nuance). I stick with mascara that matches the brides natural eyelashes, but for blondes or redheads, I would probably stick with a brown mascara.

I don't use a lot of eyeliner with brides. Usually I do a light contour with neutral tones around the brow bone and lid.

I try to keep the lip neutral with a clear, or lightly tinted balm. However, what the bride wants is what the bride gets. I've had one Bridezilla in my "career", who demanded a dark dramatic eye and dark lips. While I tried to impress upon her that I thought it was a poor choice, she didn't like any of the trials we worked on.... so I gave her what she wanted. It looked good on her, but it didn't look good at the end of the night. Her lipstick kissed off on her husband, and she started to sweat during the reception, all the champagne and dancing, I suppose... and so that dark dramatic eye smeared. She looked good in the pictures from the beginning of the night, but I had to touch her up four times by the end of the night. I've never had to do that with any other client.

While you might be tempted to go all Bridezilla, keep in mind that although you are paying your make up artist to give you what you want, they are (in most cases, in mine, not so much) professionals with training. Listen to their advice, and allow them to do trials with you before the wedding. It's important to remember that while it's your special day, their whole purpose is to make you look as good as possible.

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to plan on posting some pictures of "wedding make up". It all depends on whether or not I can find a model. I'm hesitant to use pictures from the weddings, because those were taken by professional photographers and blah, blah, blah permissions and all that Jazz. If worse comes to worst, I suppose I could use my own face.

If you're married, tell me about your wedding look and your experience with a make up artist in the comments!

"It's So Smokey in Here."

2012-01-24T13:29:00.000-08:00

Today, I wasn't really feeling my face. You ever have one of those days? I felt like every single imperfection, or detail that I just didn't like about my face was intensified today. Could be because I'm still getting over a cold, or I'm just having trouble sleeping lately... Could just be typical female insecurity.

I skipped doing my foundation and blush today, feeling blah... and just worked on my eyes. This look is one of my "go to looks" because I can do it quickly, and rarely mess it it up.

I know that I don't demonstrate a huge amount of Diversity here, I'm really trying to branch out, but most looks I just don't want to post until I've gotten them down to a science. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my face (read: vain), and I don't want to post something that I feel isn't as good as other people's work...

I really need to invest in some new (read: better) brushes and some other tools... I dunno if it's just a lack of skill on my part, or lack of proper tools, but I feel like most everything I do winds up looking the same.

That is enough of my pity party, though, you didn't come here to read that. You came to learn.

I didn't use a primer today, just a little moisturizer (Gold Bond with an SPF of 30). I applied "Moon Dust" (1) from my Claire's designer eyes palette to my brow bone, blending "Incognito" (2) into my crease, going a little higher up on my brow bone that I have done in other tutorials. Once I had done that, I blended "Secret Service"(3) into the normal area in my crease, and on to the outer corner of my eye. Then, using the Mark Wins palette, I blended a silver (4) and gray (5) across my lid, creating a gradient. I finished with Maybelline Define-a-Lash on my upper and lower lashes. I used a make up wipe to catch the shadow that dusted on my cheeks and under eye, and to sharpen the edges of the look.

This look pops with green / greenish eyes, but can work with any shade. Any variety of complimentary colors can be blended together to create this look. Over all, it takes about 10-15 minutes to do both eyes.

Green Lantern and False Eye Lashes

2012-01-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

Hello again my lovelies!

Normally, I don't wear false eye lashes, but every once in a while, I really like to play with the biggest, most outrageous lashes I can find. I scooped these babies up at Sally Beauty Supply for abut $5 around Halloween. In fact, I wore them on Halloween. Since then, they've been languishing in my make up box, asking to be worn. I don't really know what the protocol about False lashes is... are you supposed to throw them away after you wear them? I only wore them for a few hours, and they didn't have any make up or glue gunk stuck to them, so I kept them.

Since I only wear false lashes 1 or 2 a year, I had a lot of trouble applying them. I followed the basic rules, uses tweezers, apply glue to the lash, not your face, let it get a little tacky... But I am still not great at false lash application on my own face. It's easier with other people, because I can see their lash line. I think I did all right with my right eye, but my left eye is a total mess... (That's actually why I usually only post a picture of one eye here, I'm right handed, and applying make up to my left eye is never as neat as my right.)

For this particular look, I wanted something with a little shimmer, but I also wanted a dark base. I started by applying Claire's Designer Eyes in "Secret Service" to my crease, creating a small wing. I used a thin, flat brush with stiff bristles to outline the shape I wanted, then I took a smudge brush (small, sponge like tip) and filled in the outline I just made.

For the actual lid, I applied "Envious" from the same palette, blending it with the dark green from my Mark Wins Palette (you'll remember I used that color for the outer corner in my "Green With Envy" post.". on the outer corner, bringing that together with Secret Service. For my lower lid, I blended Secret Service into Envious.

Using a fluffy brush, I dusted Jesse's Girl in Key Lime all over the lid and crease to give it a little shine.

I put a little Maybelline "Define a lash" on my natural lashes to bring them up into the false lashes, and on my lower lashes, and then covered the lash line with Maybelline Stiletto in Black.

I resolved to stop re-touching my photos (even to remove acne or shine) since it's really not fair to people attempting to re-create these looks. However, since I'm no longer doing the sharpening, it will be harder for you to see details. Because of that, I'm in the market for a new (inexpensive) camera. does anyone have any suggestions?

These lashes are REDONKULOUS long.

Win or Fail at being sexy?

Do you ever wear false lashes? Do you have any tricks to help me? I think mostly my problem is that I just can't see what I'm doing... but I learned how to put eye shadow on with my eyes closed... I should be able to do lashes, right?

Vintage Inspired Look

2012-01-21T09:41:00.000-08:00

I am a HUGE fan of Vintage and Rockabilly style, though I've never been a big fan of how it looks on ME. However, with some tweaking, I've managed to tone it down enough to mix it with my own personal style (frizzy hair and all).

The two main points of the "Vintage look" are polished red lips and clean lines as far as eye liner goes. Light blush, matte foundation, on the pale side.

I lined my lips with a wet n' wild red pencil liner. Really, when it comes to lip liner, I find the "cheap" pencils work just as well as any "high end" liner.

For my foundation, I used NYC Liquid foundation in Pale Ivory. I skipped blush because my skin has a natural pink tint to it, so adding a blush would detract from the vintage feel in my case, but you may find that it enhances yours.

The lipstick is MAC Viva Glam. The gloss is NYC Clear Sticky Gloss. Mascara is Maybelline Define a Lash, and liner is actually just damp powder eyeshadow in black, applied with a brow/liner brush.

For the liner I extended it just passed the corner of my eye, creating a slight cat eye effect. Other make up artists will create a bigger wing, but I stuck small. Here are the results:

Dark Lady

2012-01-17T18:11:00.000-08:00

I'm not really sure what inspired this post... I guess it's one part Cher, one part Lady Slyvanas. Please ignore my eyebrows, I haven't been keeping up with them since both boyfriend and I have been sick. I did this look very quickly, it took about 10-15 minutes.

I primed just my lid, but not my brow bone or crease.

I used my Designer Eyes palette from Claires. In my crease, I applied a black shadow and blended it into a midnight blue on my outer corner, and crease, and brought it down into my lower lash line. Then I took a medium gray and blending that across the center, and a silver in the inner corner. I took a white and dusted it lightly on my brow bone. I finished with Maybelline Define a Lash and Maybelline Stiletto liquid eye liner.

To really pull this look together, you'll need a good brush with a stiff bristle to really create the clean lines.

I lied.

2012-01-15T20:20:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry, I didn't post like a promised. Boyfriend came down with a sudden sore throat, major congestion, and fever, so we stayed in. I'm sure my lovelies all understand, and I hope that you found something to entertain yourselves with in the mean time ;-)

Update

2012-01-13T21:38:00.000-08:00

Hey guys... sorry I haven't really had anything new to show you this week, I've been feeling really under the weather.

However, I'm finally feeling better, so tomorrow (Saturday night), I will have a good look for you! I'm going out with TNR and Boyfriend. :-)

I didn't plan on going out, so I didn't really pack any cute clothes when boyfriend came to pick me up and take me back to his place for the weekend.... I'm sure I'll find something in my bag.

I also don't have my mixing medium or primer... but I'll be able to work something out, I'm sure. Like I said, I wasn't planning on going out...

It'll be a full face look though, easy on the lipstick cause I'm with my boyfriend. Yes, I know I am full of excuses. ;-)

Inspired Look: Red Queen

2012-01-09T22:52:00.000-08:00

This first "Inspired Look" was a little bit by the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, and a little bit of my own desire to FINALLY use the red in my shadow kit.

Even though Helena Bonham Carter's take on The Red Queen had blue eye shadow, and the Disney version didn't boast any eye make up at all, I still felt that red and black shadow and liner really screamed "Red Queen".

I used my "Hawaiian Tropic" by Klean Kolor palette, which boasts a rich red shadow and a pale black. I also used maybelline eye studio pigment pot eye shadow/liner along my lash line, top and bottom. I finished with Maybelline Define-a-lash volume mascara.

I usually use Falsies by Maybelline, but I thought for this look, I'd go for skinnier, longer lashes in a dark black.

First, I applied the eye liner along my lash line, making a fat line. Then I worked the red shadow in, all over my lid, blending it light and lighter up to the brow bone, where I started to blend in the light black shadow from the same kit.

This look, because it's got red, will bring out natural greens. Using photoshop, I've created an approximation of what this look would be like with several different eye colors:

More Blue

More Green

Light Brown

Medium Brown

Green With Envy

2012-01-06T22:23:00.000-08:00

I felt like going with an outrageous look again today, so I went with a vivid green gradient. The pictures came out a bit blurry, though.

Again, I'm using the Mark Wins Palettes that Moose got me for Christmas.

I prep'ed my eyes with a little vitamin e and concealer before applying the shadow. I used the light green (shade 1) as a base, all over my brow bone, crease, and inner corner, bringing it down into my lower lash line. I blended that with shades 2 and 3. I used 4 and 5 on the outer corner and crease, again pulling down to my lower lash line and blending it with the light green. I used 6 as a high lighter along the top, just beneath my eyebrow. I finished it with black mascara by the color workshop.

This is a heavily blended look, and requires a lot of time to do it right. It also requires clean up afterwords, especially under the eye. Almost always, but especially when you are working with powder eye shadow, I recommend doing the shadow first, and then going back to the rest of the face so its easier to just do a quick wipe under the eye with some make up remover to catch any fall out or dust (or mistakes).

As you can see, my eyes look bluer with this look than they did with the blues. Green eyes will be drowned out with the intensity of this look, and these colors, but blue eyes will be brought out. It looks best, again, with brown eyes, buy any daring diva should feel free to wear whatever colors she wants.

Using Photoshop, I've tweaked the color of my eye to give an approximation of what this look would look like with different eye colors:

True Blue

True Green

Light Brown

Medium Brown

Just a reminder that when you're going for such an intense eye color, you really want to down play the rest of your face: Neutral blushes and a light or nude lip.

Sky Blue

2012-01-05T23:07:00.000-08:00

For my Birthday, La Pinata got me a really pretty blue necklace from Charming Charlie's, so I decided to use it as inspiration for my Friday look. This look is really, really bright, so I don't recommend it for daytime wear. It's best suited for a party or a club, but paired with a nude lip, white blouse and dark skinny jeans, could be a great date look.

If you have true blue eyes, this look will not make them pop, in fact, it may drown them out.

For blue green (like mine) and green eyes, this look is extremely intense. It actually looks the best with medium skin tones and hazel / brown eyes.

If I had more time, I would have gone back and blended that outer corner a bit more. I didn't see it in the mirror, but I see it in the pictures.

I'm almost ashamed of how sloppy this last picture is, but time was a factor this go around.

Here are the products I used:

I'm getting a lot of mileage out of the make up kit Moose got me for Christmas. Today, I choose a blue palette, using just four colors. This is a Mark Wins kit, and the mascara (5) is brown, by the Color Workshop.

Before I put any make up on, I applied a little Vaseline to my lid and brow bone, just to help the powder stick. Then, I swept shade 1 from m crease to my eye brow, into the inner corner, and lined my bottom lid with it. I used a liner brush (the bottom brush) because of it's stiff, angular bristles to apply the shadow to my bottom lid.

Then, I blended shade 2 into it, starting in the crease and working my way up, creating a gradient. Then, I applied shade 3 to my lid, blending it with shade 1 at the inner corner. Finally, on my bottom lid, I blended shade 4 into shade 1, and worked it back up into my crease.

As mentioned, I was really pressed for time, otherwise I would have gone back and blended a little bit more neatly. I really didn't pick up on that outer corner at all in the mirror.

Hopefully, if you try this, you'll take more time with it than I did! :-)

Pink Purple Melee

2012-01-04T22:56:00.000-08:00

Today, I felt like doing my eye make-up to coordinate with my shirt.

It's shades of Pink and Purple, paired with black mascara. No eye liner today. I also filled in my eye brows with a brown Almay pencil, as always.

I know, I know I need some eye drops, my eyes are pretty gross today.

Here are the products I used:

1 - Rimmel Beige concealer (shade 201)
2- Hard Candy "Moon Glow" Luminizing powder (shade 288)
3- NYC Color Wheel Mosaic Face Powder (shade 723a)
4-9- Mark Wins Eye Shadow Palette
10- The Color Workshop Mascara in Black
11- Mark Wins Lip Gloss Palette

Not Pictured: Almay Eye Pencil in Brown Taupe 200

First, I applied concealer, powder and blush. Then, I swept shade four all over my brown bone, from my crease to eyebrow, then I blended it with shade 5. I put a little shade 6 in the corner corners beneath my brow. I blended shade 7 into my crease, and out around the outer corner of my eye, dusting a little 8 on top of it for some shimmer. Then, I swept shade 9 on my lid, and blended it with 7. I topped the look off with the black mascara. I used the purple shimmer lip gloss on my lips to finish the look.

If you have blue green or green eyes, the purples and pinks will bring out the green in them.

If you guys have any questions, or looks you'd like me to break down for you, let me know. I'm always happy to research looks and try them out for you.

Bronze Age

2012-01-04T04:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I tried to bring out the green in my eyes, so today, I thought I'd play up the blue.

Brown, orange, and other earthy tones can bring out the blue in eyes.

I've said before, my camera can distort colors, and the flash will also make them pop a bit more than they do in real life, but the basic look will be about the same:

Again, since my eyes are not a "true" blue or green, it doesn't have the same effect as it would if I did. This particular look will really make someone with blue eyes POP.

Here are the products I used:

Click to Englarge

1: Claire's Designer Eyes in Moon Dust
2-4, 6: Mark Wins palettes. 2 is a tan, 3 a reddish brown, 4 a golden brown, and 6 is a brown with a slight gold shimmer to it.
5: Claire's Designer Eyes in Make Up Addict
7: Claire's Designer Eyes in Chestnut
8: Color Workshop Eyebrow Cake in Brown
9: Almay Eye Pencil in Brown Topaz
10: Maybelline Falsies in Brown

I'm still out of primer, so I used a vitamin E stick to help the shadow stay in place. I apply it anywhere I'm going to put powder eye shadow.

Using a large shadow brush, I swept the moon dust shadow all over my eye, from lashes to brown, to use as a base.

Then I took a slightly smaller brush and applied the tan shadow from my brow bone to my crease.

I worked the reddish brown into my crease, pulling it up and out, towards the outer corner.

I applied the golden brown to my entire lid, then took Make Up Addict and applied it to the center of my lid. I then blended the brown with the gold shimmer and the Chesnut shadow together in the inner and outer corners of my eyes. I finished by filling in my eye brows with the eyebrow cake and the Almay pencil and then applying mascara.

I skipped using a liner on my eye because I'm almost out, but I would normally use a thin layer of Maybelline Stilletto in brown with this look.

Purple & Silver... and bangs!

2012-01-02T21:28:00.000-08:00

Today, I cut my hair and I'm rockin some bangs again. I feel like bangs are a good look for winter time, more so than in the summer, because I need to blow dry them to sit right, and it's just too hot for that in the summer.

I trimmed my bangs myself using a pair of hair shears I got at wal-mart. I wet my hair with a spray bottle, and then parted it on the side, perpendicular with the outer corner of my eye brow. I did the same thing on the other side, then I gathered the hair, and cut straight across. This is the end result: (my hair is still wet in the picture)

Today, as far as make up goes, I'm wearing a pretty fun look, though I'm told that it's a bit intense for some people. (My boyfriend probably hates it, and is just too nice to say so)

I used a silver (even though it looks blue here) shadow on my brow bone, working in to the inner corner, then I used a dark purple on my crease, and I tried blending a dark, smokey gray in between the two of them, but I'm out of eye primer, so it didn't stick like I would have liked it to. For the lid, I used a bright purple, and blended it into the darker purple from the crease.

I was trying to bring out the green in my eyes, but the flash from my camera brings out the blue.

These colors came in a sample kit from Markwins International, so I don't have any names or shade numbers for you.

The eye brow pencil I used is by Almay in 002 Brown Topaz, and the eye liner is Maybelline Stiletto in blackest black. Mascara is, of course, FALSIES by Maybelline in blackest black as well.