Cheeky Deeky!

Another back-to-basics post! Yay me!

Today’s post would be about blush and bronzer. 

Choosing a blush or bronzer : 

Pale skin – Soft pinks for blush and light beiges for contouring.

Intense colors would look pretty scary on pale skins.

Okay, maybe her skin isn’t that pale, but you get the idea.

NYX Powder Blush in Peach and Natural. (Click here.)

Jordana Powder Blush in Rouge. (Click here.)

LA Colors Mineral Blush in Dewy. (Click here.)

For bronzer.

Physicians Formula Gems in Light Bronzer. (Click here.)

Boots No7 Dual bronzer. (Click here.)

Milani Bronzer XL All Over Glow in Fake Tan. (Click here.)

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Pink skin tones – Warm peaches for blush and pale beige for contouring.

CoverGirl Cheekers Blush in Pretty Peach. (Click here.)

Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso. (Click here.)

LA Girl Illuminating Blush in Radiant. (Click here.)

And for the bronzer, same as the above!

Note – Physicians Formula does amazing bronzers for those who are on the lighter side in terms of skin tones.

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Yellow skin tones – a corally blush and a bronzer that isn’t too dark!

Jordana Powder Blush in Redwood and Coral Radiance. (Click here.)

L’Oreal Visible Lift Color Blush in Coral Lift. (Click here.)

Maybelline Fit Me Blush in New Shade of Deep Coral. (Click here.)

NYX Matte Bronzer in Light or Medium. (Click here.)

NYX Tango with Bronzer in Bronze Ensemble and Tribal Odyssey. (Click here.)

Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze. (Click here.)

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Deeper skin tones – a dark colored blush for contouring and blush.

It’s not quite realistic to use a bright pink blush on deeper skin tones because logic. (Not being racist) But darker skin tones don’t have the tendency to exude a bright pink glow.

Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Light. (Click here.)

Wet n Wild Color icon collection bronzer in Ticket to Brazil. (Click here.)

NYX Powder Blush. (Click here.)

I think copper looks amazing!

101 reasons why I love NYX blushes, they come in so many different shades!

 Tips for applying blush :

>Smile, and apply it to the apples of your cheeks! Please do not apply it all over your cheeks. Ugly.

>If you have applied too much (pretty common when you use the NYX powder blushes because they are so pigmented.), apply some pressed powder to tone it down.

>Remember to blend, blend and blend! Especially around the edges because we don’t want any harsh obvious lines!

She’s so pretty!

Gel blush – you’ll need to blend them quick! They tend to dry quicker and you might be left with blotches of blush.

Same goes with cheek stains such as the Balm’s Instain. So maybe you might want to hold a brush in one hand and once you’ve applied the blush, blend immediately!

Cream blush – they give a more natural finish compared to powder ones. They blend really easily, but if you want to take your time and blend slowly, warm it up between your fingers first!

I really hate how expensive Bourjois is around here.

Powder blush – use a light touch along with a blush brush! This will allow the blush to look less harsh (rhyme!) and be blended more easily. Remember to tap off any excess! Especially if you’re using NYX blushes.

I absolutely love this video by gossmakeupartist. It makes so much sense and I’ve been applying my blush in that manner ever since I watched that video.

Bronzer – This is used to give you a sun-kissed glow! Apply it to places which catches the sun for it to look more natural.

>Choose a bronzer that is about 2 shades darker than your skin tone.

>Suck on your cheeks and apply the bronzer like how you would as blush, to the hollows of your cheeks, below your cheekbones.

>Applying it to your jawline can give a more defined and slim face. (especially if you have a little bit of a chin)

Look at those VS models! They seem to have that healthy and sporty glow, thanks to bronzer!

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Alright, that’s all I have for today’s back-to-basics. Hope you have learnt something new and stay tuned for my next post!

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Disclaimer : All opinions are mine and I’m not affiliated to any of the companies mentioned above. This is not a sponsored post either! The pictures aren’t mine and no copyright intended, credits to the owner of those pictures.

This has been inspired by Total Beauty written by Sarah Stacey and Josephine Fairley.

Lay your foundation.

Today’s back-to-basics post would be your foundation! (If that wasn’t obvious enough already)

Having a flawless canvas is really important for makeup because it allows other parts of the face to be in the “catch point” instead of the pesky pimple on your chin or anywhere else.

Choosing them :

Go foundation shopping during day time! During the night, artificial lights would be used and that’s when the color starts getting off because they do funny things to your eyes!

 

^Something like that? No.

Choose a foundation that matches the color of your neck because sometimes the color of your face is different compared to your neck and it’s a little odd to see you wearing a mask.

 

Try to choose a foundation with a bare face, so that you’ll find the perfect color.

If you feel uncomfortable doing that, testing a foundation out on the inside of your forearm is almost as good because that’s the place where the color is most similar to your face!

The color of your undertone is really important as well, here’s a video that will explain everything to you!

Application tips :

Never apply concealer / foundation to unmoisturized skin. Those products are made of chemicals that isn’t the best for your skin so you would want to make sure it’s hydrated and kept “safe”.

 

You’ll want youthful, clear skin!

Leave the moisturizer on for about 10 minutes before putting on makeup as this will prevent your makeup from wearing off more easily.

Never apply foundation / concealer while looking into a magnifying mirror. You’ll be able to see all imperfections and be tempted to slap on a whole lot of product, which might settle into fine lines and that won’t make you look good. 

 

Synthetic foundation brushes can make application quicker.

 

Here’s an e.l.f foundation brush, and I’m always amused by them because they remind me of paint brushes that I used for painting. I prefer their studio line though, the quality seems to be better.

Concealer :

Use concealer over your foundation as the concealer might move around to other parts of the face while you’re applying foundation.

Use your ring finger while blending out the concealer as it gives a light touch and leaves a natural finish.

Your concealer for blemishes might not be suitable to be a concealer for your under eye areas. It’s recommended to use a corrector for your under eyes to remove the discoloration.

Benefit’s Erase Paste has been highly raved and Benefit cosmetics is a fabulous brand, so I believe it’s amazing!

 

The Bobbi Brown corrector is another famous product!

 

 

Alright! This marks the end of my “base” episode of the back-to-basics series! I hope you’ve learnt something from this post and here’s to flawless, young, healthy and clear skin!

 

 

 

work those smEYES

Today, we’re going back to basics! It’s for all those who are just starting out with makeup or want to go back to basics again, so sit back and enjoy.

{ SHADOW ACTION }

Neutral shades are amazing for those who want to save time because they’re easy to blend and would seem much more natural. If you’re going out in the evening and you want something that stands out more, opt for a shade that contrasts with the shade of your iris.

Brown eyes : turquoise blues, slate blues and navy blues are great.

Blondies : they look great with brown to taupe colors.

Green eyes : mauves, burgundy and lilacs will make the eyes stand out!

Tip : The skin on the insides of your wrist has a color that’s closest to that of your eyelid, so when you go eyeshadow shopping you know where to test it on!

To make your eyes seem further apart : emphasize the eyeshadow on the outer corner of the eye. This gives the Bambi-like look.

Also apply concealer (a shade lighter than your skin) on the inner corners of  your lids.

Make sure you tap the brush against a hard surface after dipping it into eyeshadow to remove any excess to ensure that there isn’t any fall-outs.

Applying a light colored (white / bone) eyeshadow on the middle of the browbone will open up the eyes. Do make sure that there are no hairs there or else… It won’t be a pretty sight.

{ LINING }

To line your eyes, pencil formulations are the easiest to apply. However you risk getting it smudged, so layer the eyeliner with a shadow of the same shade. Use a damp eyeliner brush and get some eyeshadow on it before drawing on the line.

Get your eyeliner as close to the lash line as possible as this gives the illusion of lash length.

 

 

{ MASCARA }

If your lashes get clumpy are application, it’ll be a good idea to use a lash comb. Or, you can use a mascara brush to separate the lashes. This can be done when you’ve finished one tube of mascara – wash it clean and use it as a lash comb! Do make sure to wash it after each use.

 

To reduce clumping, clean the brush with a tissue paper once you’ve dipped it into the mascara tube. This will remove any excess and cause less clumps. Don’t worry about wasting because it’s sacrifice. And you know what they say about sacrifice – giving up something good for something better!

Remember to curl your lashes because they’ll open your eyes more!

Also, do the wiggling action with the brush at the base of your lashes and it’ll make your lashes seem longer.

{ EYEBROWS }

Now, you’ve heard everyone say how brows complete a look and how important it is to do them before heading out. Well, eyebrows that are taken care of makes the face appear well groomed.

Plucking :
1) Find the starting point of your brows! Place your tweezers parallel to the inner corner of your eyes and that’s the point where your eyebrows should start.

2) Find your end! Place your eyebrow pencil at the outer corner of the eye (where it ends) and the nostril, align them nicely in a diagonal line and the area which the pencil touches your eyebrow is the part where it should end.

 

3) Find your arch! Your arch should be along the same line as the outer part of your iris.

 

Do not overpluck them! A person without eyebrows don’t exactly look the best. If you’re unhappy with how they look, wait for 6-8 weeks before plucking again.

You should pluck your brows after a shower because the skin is supple and will make the brows come off less painful. Make sure you can see both your brows when you pluck, so you know when to stop.

Do not use a magnified mirror as you’ll be tempted to pluck everything off!

When filling the brows, powder gives a more natural finish. MAC makes amazing shades for brows! If your hair color is light, choose a powder that’s a shade darker for your brows and if your hair is dark, go a shade lighter.

 

Alright, that’s all I have for you. Those are some tips for you to make your eye area appear better and I hope you’ve enjoyed this post! Now get out and work those smeyes, stay tuned for more basics!