Recent Beauty Buys

Morphe Brushes 35N 35 Colour Matte Palette - I've had my eyes on this palette for a while after seeing it used on various YouTube tutorials. I am loving matte eyeshadows and this palette gives me so many options for eye makeup looks. There is a large selection of brown and tan shades, which are great for crease and transition colours, some of the shades can even be used for contouring the face. This palette is great value for money, the eyeshadows are well pigmented and easy to blend, there is slight fall out with the eyeshadows but this isn't a massive problem. I look forward to purchasing more products from Morphe Brushes. 

MAC Studio Fix Foundation - This is a foundation I used years ago but forgot about after trying other brands, I bought it again before my holiday in Ibiza, and have repurchased it since, I also purchased a selection of different shades to use on my clients, and I think it is a fantastic product to have in a makeup artist kit because it works well on so many people. Personally I find this product sits on my skin nicely, as long as I moisturise prior to application, If I don't moisturise it can feel quite drying on my skin, I would also suggest using a hydrating primer. If used correctly it does not look or feel heavy and it is longer lasting than any other foundation I have used. I use shade NC35, this shade usually works for most people with a tanned complexion, but make sure to get colour matched before buying. 

MAC Skin Base Visage - I bought this for my makeup artist kit, because I think it is important to use a primer on my clients to ensure their makeup lasts as long as possible. This is a universal primer so it works for all skin types. I've been using it on myself but I can't say I notice a massive difference in comparison to when I wear foundation only, but I haven't tested the difference so its hard to say how well this product works, however I always feel much better when I prep my skin properly and prime before applying foundation. 

MAC Fluidline in 'Blacktrack' - I bought this eyeliner for my makeup artist kit because it was a more practical product than my holy grail eyeliner (MAC Liquidlast Eyeliner). Personally I prefer Liquidlast eyeliner on my self because I find it is blacker, longer lasting and smudge proof. However the Fluidline eyeliner is easier to work with, any mistakes can be fixed with out the product drying too quick and it is really easy to move around in order to create the perfect winged eyeliner. I will repurchase the Fluidline for my kit, however I will also be repurchasing my old faithful Liquidlast for personal use.  

YSL Touche Eclat - This has to be one of the best selling beauty products of all time, it is a cult classic. My mam has used this for years and swears by it, but this is the first time I've had this product for myself. The dark circles under my eyes are something that really bother me - but that doesn't make me go to sleep any earlier, however I have found this product not only helps to conceal the awful shadows but also brightens and highlights the area, making me look more awake and healthy. I feel this product is quite a luxury to have in my makeup kit, I enjoy using it and will definitely be repurchasing. 

YSL Black Opium Perfume - I had been wanting this perfume for ages, it was the packaging that first caught my eye, I love the black and pink glitter theme, then after sampling it at the counter I loved everything about it, and last month I finally got my hands on it. I wear this perfume on an evening if I am going out or for special occasions because it is a strong perfume and maybe too heavy for daily use. Describing a scent is not my forte, so I found this description online, 'The hedonistic black coffee note of the original Black Opium scent is transformed into an ultra-luminous green coffee accord with a heart of Jasmine Tea on a sensual base of sensual Patchouli, white woods and musk.'

Garnier Marceller Water - I've decided I want to boost my skin care regime so I'm starting with ditching the face wipes and using Marceller water instead. I seen many good reviews about this product before I bought it and I have to say I agree with all the great feedback. The water removes all traces of makeup and excess oils and it leaves my skin feeling smooth, toned and glowing. 

Thank you for reading!

Halloween Looks

Halloween is fast approaching and I have been getting lots of enquiries about makeup bookings, so I have been practising some looks in my spare time which I have enjoyed creating and I'm looking forward to doing more in the lead up to the 31st. Here are some ideas I have came up with so far...

The Devil

The first look I created was based on the devil, I began drawing out the horns on my forehead and I worked from there, using a lot of red for shadow and contouring, I also applied red glitter on my lips. This is quite a 'glam' halloween look, one for the girly girls!

 The Black Swan

This is a popular theme for Halloween, I found lots of different interpretations of this look on Pinterest and Instagram which was a bit over whelming when I was looking for some inspiration, so I just followed the basic eye shape and then designed my own look from there. The shape around the eyes are suppose to be the wings of a swan so I feathered them out with with light brush strokes then added the line detail on the lids and brow bone. I then contoured my cheekbones using a black eyeshadow and created a red and black ombre lip to finish. 

Scarface 

For this look I firstly created an evening makeup look, I then used liquid latex, fake blood and a mixture of foundation, concealers and eyeshadows to create the bleeding open wound.

Here is a close up of another open wound I created on my hand.

Thank you for reading and look out for more Halloween looks coming soon! 

My work at NEMUA

Last month I spent 3 weeks at The North East Makeup Academy training on the Pro Artistry course, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, I learned a lot and now I feel much more confident in myself and my work. The course covered many different aspects of makeup from basic techniques to more intricate and creative work including drag and manga makeup. I have put together a selection of looks I created during my time there...

This first look was created for a photo shoot, I absolutely loved doing editorial work and really want to do more in the future. Before the shoot I was given a blue wig which I had to base the makeup on, I began the makeup with an open mind and a rough idea of how I wanted to create the finished look. I  knew I wanted my model to wear a bright pink lip, so to tie the look together I added a pink eyeshadow into the centre of the eyes and I used blue on the outer corners creating a vibrant smokey eye. I used lots of highlight on the brow bone, inner corners and cheekbones, which showed up beautifully on her tanned complexion. Usually I would use false lashes for a creative look but my model had lovely thick and dark eyelashes so I thought they would be unnecessary. I haven't yet received my final images from the shoot but I was over the moon with the previews, the makeup looked amazing on camera and my model did a great job. 

This has got to be my favourite look I created over the 3 weeks, it reminded me of Zoo Project body paint. On this day our theme was gold and spotlight eyes. I firstly applied the eye makeup, I've practised the spotlight technique before but with the help of my teacher I have finally mastered it. I then applied the base makeup and got creative with glitter, sequins, gold leaf and stencils. 

This is Manga makeup inspired by Barbie, it is so creepy and realistic, this makeup would be perfect for creative shoots and fancy dress. 

On our final day we done something very different, we got messy with fake blood and created nasty bruises and open wounds which gave me some great ideas for halloween.

Thank you for reading!

Autumn Fashion Inspiration

Its been a little while since my last post because last month I was very busy training at the North East Makeup Academy and with work on top of that my blog was at the back of my mind, however I'm back and I'm looking forward to writing lots of new fashion and beauty posts as well as making new video tutorials. 

This post is all about fashion, unfortunately Summer has been and gone and its now Autumn time, which only means one thing... its time for a wardrobe makeover. I've been doing a little research, online and in stores to figure out how I want to style myself and what items will be on my wish list this season. I've also been getting some inspiration from the most fashionable and on trend celebrities and below I have put together a selection of images which are my muse for Autumn. 

Denim.

light, dark, distressed, jeans, shorts, skirts, jackets. You can never have too much denim in your wardrobe, these celebs show us how to style it, wether it be with a simple plain tee or the risky denim on denim trend. 

Kylie and best friend Pia Mia rock ripped denim

Beyonce aces the layered look paired with her jeans 

 

These fashionistas prove that denim-on-denim can be done 

Outerwear. 

bomber jackets, duster coats, leather, suede, denim. There's so many option but what are these fashionistas favouring? 

Kim throws on a distressed denim jacket to make for a more casual outfit 

Every girls needs a classic black leather jacket 

 I'm loving Chrissy Teigens oversized bottle green leather

Give me a bomber in every colour, I am obsessed!

Suede and tassels are a must have as well as the nude and warm tones Kylie and Pia Mia are sporting. 

Duster coats are the perfect cover up for cooler autumn days

 Boots. 

ankle boots, thigh highs, block heels, lace ups, suede, leather.

Its almost that time to go in search of your autumn/winter boots. 

These girls love their boots, from classic black suede heels to grey thigh highs and nude lace ups. 

Kendall styles an oversized jumper dress with over the knee nude boots

Chrissy wears tan boots and matching Celine bag with grey, these colours really compliment each other

J.Lo shows us how to style the popular cage boots

Miscellaneous trends.

Kylie and Kendall show off their different interpretations of 'all black everything' 

Kylie wears all black again while friend, Hayley Baldwin adds a girly feel to her grungy look with a floral top which surprisingly works with her leather trousers and chunky heels. 

Fur stoles are a great alternative for a scarf and can make a very casual outfit like Kim's look glam 

I'm a huge fan of these Rita Ora looks, she's ticking so many boxes 

I'm loving Zendayas and Kylies casual sporty sheer tops 

And to round up this post heres a little extra Kylie Jenner outfit appreciation because this girl never gets it wrong...

 Thank you for reading!