Ways to Customize The Common Black V Smokey Eye

Picture courtesy of Frantastic Makeup

Sometimes a pain black and gray smokey eye isn't going to cut it; maybe you want to change it up without completely altering the style. There are many easy ways to do it and it only takes about 1-2 extra minutes to your routine makeup application,


Don't get this style confused with the classic smokey eye. (click link)
Link courtesy of Makeupgeek (Favorite artist by the way!)
.

This is for beginners, so if you are a little more experienced, you'll most likely know these tricks & you probably do them quite often.

Colorful Eyeliner

A great way to make a smokey eye pop with color is to replace the lower lash line color with any color of your choice.
All you do is apply a colored eyeliner (pencil or cream) on the lashline, then set the eyeliner with a similar colored eyeshadow. The eyeshadow will prevent the liner underneath from smudging (also known as raccoon eyes!) and will also help the color to be more vibrant.
Apply black eyeliner on the lower waterline or apply the same color as the lash line. 

Below I am using green for the lash line, and black for the waterline.
Click links if you do not know what waterline/lash lines are!!

I blurred out my horrible skin and stray brow hairs, so you guys wouldn't get distracted hahah!

Color Above The Crease

A little color right above the black crease will also give a subtle color without going to the extreme. This one is great for beginners, because it gives a light shade of color, instead of a drastic change, and this gives the chance for the person to see if they like the color they are working with.
The trick is not blending or adding too much or it will look muddy and messy. Just apply a little at a time, and very lightly blend until you get the pigmentation you want.

Adding this with the colored eyeliner will complete the look if you want to go all the way!

Green above the crease along with the green applied on the lashline,

I have a scar underneath my brow, it's not a makeup flaw. haha.

Lid Color Only

This one is quite obvious and is popular among the other options. Just change the usual gray/silver eye lid shadow for a fun color. You won't have to change the black (crease & outer-V color) if you don't want to, because black is such a versatile color and goes with pretty much any color.

Stole this picture from xteeener to show you that you can work with different lid colors for the black. She's a great YT Gruru by the way!

Monotone Colors
You will be using colors from the same family and creating a smokey eye with them.
Say for instance you are using a light brown shade for the lid, you are going to want to use a darker shade of brown for the crease, and an even darker brown, for the outer V.

Here is mine with monotone colors of the shade purple. I used a pinkish purple for the lid, and used darker shades of purple for my crease and outer V.

Yay for terrible quality ;)

**If you are more advanced, go ahead and mix and match colors and shades, but make sure they compliment each other. Complimentary colors will be the colors that are opposite (or close to the opposite) of each other on the color wheel. I will talk about this in another post, but for now, I want to keep this post as simple as I can, so I won't get too into this part. Here is an example of  someone complimenting colors and shades together: CLICK ME 

Glitter Liner!
Adding any colored glitter liner will always give your smokey eye a pop with that extra sparkle!
There's not much to this one: Just add the glitter liner under the lower lash line and voila! Or if you want the color to stand out more, before applying the glitter, line the lashline with pencil or cream liner of the color that will match the glitter, then apply the glitter on top.

**Try to stay away from lose glitter, as it can get very messy. If you would rather use lose glitter, make sure it is COSMETIC SAFE. Glitter that is not cosmetic safe can scratch your eyes!!
Liquid glitter eyeliner or glitter eyeliner pencils are your best bet.

My eyeball with pink glitter on the lower lash line!

Jewels/Rhinestones
You can get pre-made eye jewels that are ready to stick on that you can get at the beauty store. If you are getting them elsewhere, please make sure they are safe for the eyes and use clear-drying lash glue only to apply, do not use any other type of glue! (this can be harmful to the eyes!) You can dress them up however you want with the rhinestones/jewels, be creative!! You can even use different colors! This will definitely dress up a smokey eye any day and is even great for parties!

Here is a picture of a simple placement of the jewels. You don't have to go all crazy with them if you don't want to; sometimes less is more!

Picture courtesy of  LetzMakeup

Colored Mascara 

This is a bit for the more "extreme" because sometimes the black eyeshadow from the smokey eye can clash with the lighter-colored mascara making it look "ashy."  You can always use this with a complimentary smokey look to prevent the ashy effect, such as the picture below.

I found this on Google Search and found this picture, here is a link to her page with her look.
The blue compliments the gold and brown very well, but you can also use it with silver & black eyeshadow! 

That's it for this post!

Hope you enjoy it and if you have any comments or questions, or if you even have an idea for dressing up a smokey-eye, leave a comment below! Post your looks under the comment section!

Thanks for reading!

Review: Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector

There's been such hype about BB cream (Beauty/Blemish Balm Cream) YEARS before Garnier came out with this. I'm not going to blab on about the history of BB Cream itself,  because this post would be twice as long as it is now. But Garnier just came out with their own brand, and now I'm able to get my hands on some just by walking in Walgreens, because I've had such a hard time finding it in the small town that I live in.

Well I (excitedly) bought some and tried it out.

It claims that it instantly renews, brightens, evens, & hydrates.

It is supposed to contain SPF 15, so you'll have some protection against sun rays.

It also contains vitamin C & mineral pigments.

On the box it states:

• Dermatologist tested for safety
• Non-comedogenic --- won't clog pores
• Gentle to skin
• Non-greasy

There are only 2 shades (that I saw so far) One for Light-Medium skin, which is what I used & then there is Medium to dark. They blend very well & match to most people's skin tones like those smart shade foundations, hence why they don't have a million different shades.

Well here it goes!

(yes my nails look terrible shh!)

 

It's about the consistency of a tinted moisturizer or a light coverage foundation. It's smooth and looks thick, but when you apply it, it melts into the skin and blends into your skin tone. It's not heavy at all, so you can wear this under your makeup, or alone by itself. It also smells fairly nice to those of you wondering what it might smell like. It's similar to a light floral scent.

 This isn't blended in on my hand, but just to show you the texture and consistency of it.

It does the job fairly well. My skin definitely feels smooth afterwards and it does gives it a dewy finish, so be careful for those with oily-prone skin. It's not greasy at all, it just gives a light shine when applied. Try using a powder to matify if you need to.

• It definitely got rid of  the discoloration by my nose (which almost strangely looks like a mustache LOL.) and the corners of my mouth.
•  It also decreased the redness from the pimples on my cheeks and forehead.
• It diminished my summer freckles, not completely, but I noticed they weren't as prominent.
• It evened out my tone, so my face looks more refreshed.

I'm going to show you a before and after picture, a pair under camera flash & a pair under natural lighting.

With camera flash

Yuck, my skin looks horrible. You can thank mother nature for her monthly gift!

The only makeup I am wearing is liquid eyeliner and mascara. No face makeup what so ever on either picture. No photoshop either.

*May I mind you I only applied one thin layer, so I was pretty impressed with the job it did.*

 Here, you can see the discoloration has disappeared by my nose and mouth and the pimples are less visible. The redness on my nose has disappeared as well. You can see the dewy finish by looking right in between my brows, so like I've said before, be careful if you have oily skin and try powdering it afterwards if wearing it alone.

Because it's not supposed to be a dramatic change, I will point out to you where the discoloration change occurs.

Natural Light

The left picture looks more orangey because my phone was not adjusting to the light properly, but I haven't altered them in any way!

All in all, I think it's pretty good for what it says it does. Since I don't like wearing a whole lot of face makeup, this would be something I would resort to because it's very lightweight & doesn't clog up my pores, but still gives good coverage. I would give it an 8 out of a 10.

Hope you guys like my post & comment if you have any questions!

Love, Ash!

Stila's "In The Garden" Palette

I'm a little late on this blog post because I've been so busy with work and other things, but I finally had some time to post this! I've had this palette since February & I've been loving it ever since.
So here it goes!

First of all. let me say I like the packaging. It's very spring-like. Simple and cute.

I like the fact that it's simple on the outside, and when you open it, you get all these fun different colors. It's like a nice surprise when you open it.

Click here for a larger image

I love all the earthy tones & pop of colors you get. The name of the palette goes great with these shades. They are all very pigmented and can be easily blended out.

With Flash

 

Click here for a larger image



Without flash

 

Click here for a larger image




It also comes with a lookbook that gives you ideas on how to use the shades.

I'm going to swatch and name off each color and give it a brief description.

I am light-medium skin tone
All shades are worn with a primer underneath.



First one is "Chinois" It's a beautiful off-white shade that's great for blending and highlighting the brow bone and inner corners. Very creamy looking when swatched. (however it IS a pressed powder!)

Next is "Breeze"

A pretty shimmering beige color that is suitable for all skin tones. It is one of my favorite shades in here because it is so versatile with any other eyeshadow color.

"Bark"

A beautiful shimmery taupe color. I love this color for contouring the crease and lower lash line.It's a nice touch of softness but still has a bit of edge to it. It's basically a a few shades darker than "breeze."

"Freesia"

It is a dark blue shadow with violet tones. Probably not one of my favorites, because I have so many of these shades of blue. Also, it seems a little dull & sheer when I apply it. It would be good for a smokey eye, but I don't see myself reaching for it so much as a spring look.

"Rosette"

Really beautiful magenta-violet color. I love this pop of color that was added in the palette. I'm sure it represents the beautiful pink flowers in gardens. I think this shade is great when paired with the green shades in this palette for a nice contrast.

"Nectar"

Nice matte beige color. Just as pigmented as "Chinois". I think this is a great one for blending as well as a highlight for darker skin tones.
(This one is harder to notice because it matches my skin tone.)
 

"Honey"

Warm deep gold shade. Another great pop of color that goes with every shade in the palette. This one is really pigmented and stays on the lids pretty well. It looks beautiful across the inner lower lashline.

"Sage"

What a perfect name for a perfect shade. I couldn't describe it more as well a "sage" color. haha. It's a pretty shimmery soft green shade. Pigmented, but soft on the color...if that makes any sense. This is definitely a spring time shade.

"Moss"

Dark olive shade with gold shimmer. This one is a nice earthy tone for a good smokey eye or you can keep it soft for a day time look. Very versatile. This one is very pigmented, so if you want it soft, just go light on the pressure of applying your brush in the shadow.

"Juniper"

Dark shimmer forest green. Another not-so one of my favorites in this palette. This one seems a little dull. Pretty color in the palette, but it looks almost like a dark teal color on my lids. This one, as well as "Freesia" can be used for a edgy smokey eye.

 

 Stila's Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in "Starfish."

Then you have the eyeliner that comes with the palette. I see that lots of people complain that it is not a black shade (like it states on the Sephora site) but it's more of a dark olive green with golden shimmer. It's similar to the "Moss" shade in the palette. What I like about it, is that there's no chunky glitter in it, it's flecks and shimmers of gold making it not look as harsh and easy on the eyes.
It glides on very nicely too.

Click here for a larger image



Here are the swatches


Without flash 

I think it's a very suitable shade for light skin colors as well as the olive & gold compliments the medium & darker skin tones making this eyeliner suitable for any skin color!


With Flash

Look at the beautiful gold flecks in it!



I also have a video on this palette if you want to go watch it, please click here! Comment, rate & subscribe to my channel if you'd like! Thanks so much for reading my review post!

Love, Ash

How Often do You Wash Your Makeup Brushes?

Believe it or not, some people don't wash their brushes; either not enough or not at all... (Yeah I know.)

How often do I need to wash my brushes?

Well I decided to make a post (even though there are thousands of posts on this subject.) just to stress it even more. It's ideal that you wash them after every use, hands down.

Why do I need to wash my makeup brushes so often?

Well for one, it's sanitary and hygienic. When you use your makeup brushes on your face, you're picking up bacteria as well as dirt and oil on your face (no matter how "clean" you face is) from that brush.  Then the bacteria accumulates over the time period of not being washed. Then when you re-apply that brush to your face the next day, that increased bacteria gets right back on your face. Disgusting right? If you don't wash your brushes regularly, your skin can break out from the bacteria and cause itchiness & irritation and even pimples. Make sure that NEVER happens.

Brushes that you use near the tear ducts and waterline of the eye should be washed after every use as well. There is more bacteria on your waterline and near your actual eye & this will prevent eye infection/styes and even conjunctivitis, otherwise known as "pink eye."

What should I use to clean my brushes?

There are plenty of methods as to cleaning brushes. For instance, you can buy pre-made brush cleaner solutions, but they can get expensive. If you are on a budget, you can create your own makeup brush cleaner.

You can use EXTRA VIRGIN (NOT light or regular) olive oil and anti-bacterial soap, Michelle Phan has a pretty decent video on generally showing you how to clean with it.

I don't own any extra virgin olive oil, so I made my own little concoction. Since the Extra virgin olive oil is supposed to condition the brushes (because the soap will dry them out), I decided to replace the oil with hair conditioner. It works just as great and my bristles are as soft as ever.
Also the olive oil helps break down the makeup in your brushes a lot faster and easier. It's all in the science ;)

 The soap (make sure you use anti-bacterial!!) help will kill the nasty bacteria and the conditioner will keep the bristles from drying out and ruining the brushes. So always make sure you have something that will keep the bristles from drying out when washing as well as bacteria-killing.

Some people use baby shampoo. Yes it is gentle, but I feel that the shampoo doesn't kill off all the bacteria on the brush, but to each their own.

How to wash my brushes?

When washing brushes, use lukewarm water. Not hot. Hot will dry out the bristles and cause the glue in the brushes to melt and the ferrule (metal part) can become loose. This can also cause bristle-loss. Try not to get water in or near the ferrule as well, so always point the brush with the bristles facing downward. Be gentle when washing brushes. 

Drying them is pretty simple. Gently squeeze the excess water with a paper towel. I use my Brush Guards but if you don't own those, then you can set them on their side on a paper towel and let air dry. NEVER dry them with the bristles pointing upward. Water will seep down into the ferrule and loosen the glue. Make sure you shape the brushes back into their normal shape so when they dry, they will look just as you bought them.





If you are interested in what Brush Guards are & how they work I'll provide a video to show you.

Well that's it for my post!

Hope you  guys are keeping your brushes clean!

Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enahancing Shadow and Liner: Nude

I'm going to do a short review with a few pictures on this post

Love this little palette. The packaging is absolutely adorable! I love the lace detailing on the palette & the color combinations. It's stays closed by a magnet at the end of the palette.

Click for bigger picture

I think someone got inspired by Urban Decay's Naked Palette :)

Well the shades are all shimmer. No matte whatsoever. All the colors are nice and subtle, making this look wearable for any occasion. The shimmer gives the eyes a soft "glow" to them making them stand out more. I think this would be a good palette for a romantic look! 

Color pay off is very nice, but I recommend to use with a primer/base underneath, or you won't get the greatest results. You can also apply it wet for a more dramatic effect.

Also comes with a pointed sponge tip applicator. I'm not a big sponge applicator fan, but this one is nice, especially if you don't have any brushes with you. The tip is very firm, making it easier to line your eyes with shadow, as well as using the angled side for contouring and using the flat side for lid shading.

Here are the swatches that I created. All are in order & I numbered them prior to the previous picture. All are swatched with primer underneath. I have a light-medium skin tone.

Click for bigger picture

I'm going to briefly give the best name that suits the numbered shadows in the palette.

1. Shimmery pearl

 

2. Champagne

3. Peachy-copper

4. Pastel peach

 

5. Light taupe

6. Dark taupe

7. Light warm taupe

8. Dark brown

9. Black

All in all, I really love the product for traveling and having a good range of neutral shades. Packaging is a plus, and the color pay-off is well worth it.

Hope you guys like my mini review!! Well not sure if it's mini now haha :)

Subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven't yet!

Click for my YouTube channel

Love, Ash!

Rainbow Giraffe Look

I was feeling pretty creative at the time. I wanted a look that I cold incorporate all the colors into one look, just for fun! You can always take away the giraffe print and lips and keep the eye lid color for a fun look out.

The looks I will create:

Rainbow Giraffe Print

Rainbow Lips

Rainbow Eyes

(Not sure why I didn't do it in order lol)

:)

Now before we start, apply a lip balm for when we are ready to do the lips. By the time we are ready to work on them, they will be smooth, making it an easier canvas to apply to.

First thing is to apply the eye area with primer. Then start making giraffe shapes with any white eyeliner of your choice. Use any picture of giraffe patterns for reference. Then fill the spots in.

We're going to create a rainbow gradient. Now start filling in the spots with the yellow shade at the top. Stop at about to the point in the picture. I'm using NYX's Single Eyeshadow in "Mellow Yellow."

Now apply a lime green eyeshadow. I'm using a lime green shade from my Coastal Scents 88 regular palette.

Now go ahead with the rest of the colors. After the lime green, I used turquoise, blue, purple, and then pink in that exact order. Make sure all the shades are blended evenly and not over blended. All the colors (except yellow) are from the Coastal Scents 88 Original Palette.

Now you see how fuzzy the edges look? We will take care of that. 

Grab a small clean brush with a round tip for hard to reach spots, makeup remover, and concealer that matches your skin tone.

Take that clean brush and and dab it in some makeup remover. Make sure you blot the excess makeup remover from the brush, so it doesn't get messy; we just want the brush to be damp. Then lightly go over the fuzzy parts of the side to make the outline more crisp.

I had an "after" picture, but it somehow got lost in my email :(

Now this is optional: if you still have some fuzzy sides that you can't get rid of, just take a little bit of liquid concealer and dab it on that brush and apply in the crevices to clean up the lines.

Rainbow Lips

 

Now that the lipbalm has set (if you have extra residue, just wipe it off to prevent uneven application) Apply a creamy white base to your lips. I'm using NYX's Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in "Milk." You can also use the white shade from Makeup Forever's Flash Color Palette.

I'm going to apply the same NYX "Mellow Yellow" eyeshadow to the center of the lips.

We are going to work from the inside to the out with yellow, lime, turquoise, blue, purple & pink.

Blend the colors out evenly.

Line the outer center with the lime green to make the lips look "fuller."

Apply a clear gloss over the lips carefully.

Now for the eyes!

 BEWARE: my brows look terrible! haha. Flash really can bring out the ones that you can't see in normal light. :/

Apply a white base. I'm using NYX's Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in "Milk." (I abuse this pencil ha ha :])

Once again, I'm applying that same NYX yellow shade to the inner thirds of my lids.

Now, I will apply lime to the center, turquoise to the crease, and blue to the outer V. Make sure everything is blended well. We want to give it a gradient-like effect.

Apply a purple shade to the crease, do not go under the lid. Blend UPWARDS towards the brow bone.

Now apply a light pink shade to above the purple to create a pink "halo." Then apply a white shadow to the brow bone and inner corners. Make sure everything is blended! I can't stress that enough hehe :)

Line your eyes with either a liquid black or metallic blue eyeliner. I'm using Too-Faced Metal-Eyed Liquid Eyeliner in "Twilight" which is a metallic navy blue.

• Line your lower lashline with blue to the outer corners fading into yellow. 
• Line the waterline with black pencil eyeliner.
• Apply mascara & false lashes if you wish. I skipped the lashes and used Maybelline's The Falsies Mascara.

My wannabe "sexy" face haha. FAIL :)

Now we are finished!! 

I hope you like this! 

I just got an HD camcorder for Christmas, so once I figure out how to use it, I will create this look through a video!

 So subscribe to my Youtube Channel if you'd like to stay tuned for new videos!

Click here for my YouTube channel

Thanks guys

Love, Ash!