5 Quick Easy Steps To Apply Fake Lashes

 Lashes I applied on a client* ^^

Hello Junkies!

We all know that applying fake lashes completes any makeup look, and gives your eyes that extra ' oohh la la' look that we all want.

This post was inspired because many clients will say that the whole process of putting fake eyelashes on is too fiddly and leaves them with clumpy eyes, and they are just a squinting mess at the end of it ( Boo)

By the end of reading this post, you will ( hopefully) feel more confident in applying fake lashes and will venture into this area a bit more.

If anyone would benefit from a video tutorial then please feel free to leave me a message :)

First things first... What do you need?

• Your chosen fake eyelashes...(Always helps)
• Eye Lash Adhesive - I always use the Duo-Lash from MAC. I've never had any problems with this. I suggest you invest ( I say invest but its £10)  in a decent glue, and throw the one you get with the lashes away- this stuff won't do you favours. ( Side Story- I've also got an allergic reaction from one of these glue's- I had swollen eyes for days- who says beauty is pain free eh?!)
• Some tweezers- to get the eyelashes on the lash line- these aren't necessary and can be done without

Now you are all set...lets Glue!

1.Take your lashes out the packet...they usually have a R and L so you know which eye they are for. One at a time...measure the eyelash against your lash line to see if it fits perfectly. If not...Grab some small scissors ( Yes add scissors to ' what do you need' ) and cut the strip from the outer edge. Doing this prevents your eyes from looking droopy and from falling off.

* If you're not that confident and you're worried about taking too much off then do it bit by bit *

2. Grab your glue! To apply the glue, you can apply it straight from the tube, and run it along the strip. This is for those who have a steady hand and are confident they can control the amount of glue that comes out. I prefer putting a line of glue on my hand and run the strip along that. alternatively, you can grab a toothpick and glide it across the lash strip.

* If you've put lashes on before, you may have found that the inner and outer corners do unstick when you blink, which leads to you taking the lashes of in your annoyance- To prevent this, ensure that you are generous with the amounts of glue on the inner and outer strip.*

3. Don't try and be an eager beaver and wait before you place the strip on your own lash-line, as you need to give the glue time to get more tactile and sticky. * speed up the process by waving the lash in the air or blowing on it*  

* Tip: Look down into a mirror when positioning the lashes. You get a better angle of the lash line*

4. Apply the lash to the base of your natural lash line on top of your actual lashes, not on the eyelid at all. The glue dries clear so don't worry if it gets messy. If you're hands aren't that steady- you can use the tweezers to help you position the lashes.

5. I always apply mascara to mesh the lashes together. It's never a good look when you see someone from a side view and their own lashes underneath!

* Fill any gaps you see with a black eyeliner- Saves you starting all over again*

♥

D.I.Y Face Mask

Hey All!

Right...The Winter season is upon us, and it's the perfect time to start investing in a good face mask. Face mask don't have to put a strain on your bank card, and with so many on the market, it can get confusing as to what face mask is actually right for your skin type.

I prefer to the D.I.Y Face Mask, and below are some of my favouite tried and tested face masks you can do (after having a quick raid of your cupboard).

Combination Skin

Blend two bananas's
Two tablespoons of honey and some peeled peaches
Add ground almonds
Small handful of porridge oats
Mix together and apply to your face.

Leave for 20 minutes and wash of with warm face cloth.

Oily Skin

Plain yoghurt
Sweet Almond oil
Handful of Cornflower
4 fresh plums

Leave for 10 minutes and rinse off with face cloth.

Dry Skin

Small carton of yoghurt
Handful of oatmeal flakes.

Leave for 30 minutes- rinse off.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get rid of my dark circles?

Other than drinking the recommeneded intake of water, and getting a good nights sleep, there are other things you can do, such as : Cut round slices from potatoes and leave them on your eyes for 20 minutes. Make the slices thin.

What do I do about my dry scalp?

Massage warm coconut oil through your hair and scalp- blast your hair with the hair dryer to melt the oil. Wrap your head in a towel and leave overnight. Wash your hair as normal the following day.

Hope this helps! Thank you

Sleek Make-Up Palettes

Hello Junkies

Welcome to my ‘ Sleek Palette’ Review. This blog came about, because I’ve had clients during bookings asking me about the Sleek palettes after spotting them in my makeup trolley. Most of you have probably heard/ seen/ read reviews on the Sleek line, which is said to ‘Cater for all skin complexions’.

Whilst walking around my local SuperDrug, I was drawn to the Sleek counter (as I am to most makeup counters) and bought some of their eye shadow palettes, due to word of mouth recommendation from a fellow MUA. Whilst I was perusing the Sleek Counter, I gave into temptation and ended up buying quite a few other products, after doing some quick swatching -I will review these at a later date.

Like most makeup brands, there are some products which I love, and some which don’t live up to the hype- I will go through these, but for the purpose of the blog, I will be reviewing just the eye shadow palettes.

I have chosen 4 quite popular eye shadow palettes to review so you get the Jist of the colour payoff and the texture of the product. Each palette is £9 each and I have to say- it’s a bargain for what you get! The palettes all come with a Mirror and those eye sponge sticks ( yes that's what I'm going to call them), but I throw them away as soon as I open the case! If any one does have a Sleek Palette which I haven’t reviewed, just leave me a message if you would like me to do a review- or a tutorial if you are trying to achieve a certain look. J

If anyone does want to peruse the website- you can order online then just follow this link : http://www.sleekmakeup.com/

 **If anyone would like to see me re-create any looks using these palette's then please feel free to contact me :) **

Let's begin

Snapshot Palette

As you can see this Palette is made up of some matte and shimmer shadows.

This has to be one of my favourite palettes from Sleek and that's because of the shimmer shadows.  The eye shadows in this palette are very bendable and have a creamy texture. If you're looking to invest in a sleek palette, I would recommend this palette, but that's based on how pigmented the shimmer eye shadows are. The 4 matte colours ' do the job', but I wasn't drawn to the colours and The matte colours don't give the colour payoff that I was expecting, which left me quite disappointed.

Original sleek palette

This was actually the first sleek palette I purchased, and it's one I go back to time and time when collecting my favourites. Whenever showing my clients the palettes- this has to the one that most people are the most drawn to because of it's 'earthy colours'.

This palette is comprised of metallic pigments which are so pigmented and are really creamy. With the shimmer, you get the age old problem of fallout. I deal with this by using a eye shield or powder.

I honestly cant speak more highly of this palette- the only gripe I have is that this is my second palette because I dropped my first one and it smashed everywhere, but that's my fault and at £9 a palette I cant really complain!.


I have used this palette to create many Smokey eye looks/ Indian bridal because of the gold shimmers.  I love the greens/ blues in this palette, and due to the rich colours you can really use these palettes to create some extreme looks.
Sunset palette


'Sunset shades represent the sun, sea and sand. With a blend of shimmering golds, reds and blues'. I always call this my ' holiday palette' as these are the colours you would reach for when on holiday as they create a warm look. I would pair this look up with a dewy foundation and a nude lip to really bring out the eyes.

 When using these shimmers I have to say - less is more- otherwise you are going to find It difficult to blend, and control the fallout. You can defiantly build the colour with these shimmers, but always tap of your brush first!

 

Ultra Matte V1 Palette

 This palette really lives up to its name and is comprised of all Matte colours. Sleek describe these colours as ' bendable and creamy' which they are! In my opinion, they can appear slightly chalky but are workable.

With the bright colours, you can create some quite shocking looks. I have used this palette to create a rainbow eye- with a slick of eyeliner, which really made the eye POP. I do like this palette due to the range of colours, but I wouldn't class it as essential to my kit. If you haven't already got any matte colours then its a good purchase, but you will still need the matte neutrals which this palette doesn't offer.

I have swatched each palette so you can get an idea of the colour pay off and also the texture of each eye shadow.

1st- From the  Ultra Matte V1 Palette. (2nd row. No2)
2nd- From the Sunset Palette- ( 1st Row. No6)
3rd From the Original Sleek Palette (1st Row. No5)
4th- From the Snapshot-( 1st Row No4)

Thank you!

♥

How I clean my makeup brushes..and Why!

How to clean Make Up Brushes...And Why!

Well I think I speak for most of us when I say that cleaning our makeup brushes is a DULL task...BUT a very necessary one!

I cannot stress to you how important it is to clean our brushes on a daily basis. I usually have a deep clean once a week with my everyday brushes.

Why?

Every time you use your makeup brushes bits of makeup, oil, dirt and bacteria can get trapped in the bristles. So its so important to clean your brushes to prevent breakouts, clogged pores. Also...think about how much our makeup brushes actually cost. They are really an investment, so they need to be cleaned in order to be kept as quality makeup brushes.

You will need or use a similar alternative...
• A shallow bowl- doesn't matter which
• Gentle shampoo or baby shampoo (I find baby shampoo works the best and it's inexpensive)
• Sink
• A cloth or towel.

What to do...

1. Start by running your brushes under lukewarm water, rinsing out all of the residual makeup.
2. Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and a squirt of shampoo, and gently swirl your brush tip in the water.  As this is a ' Deep Clean', Work the brush on your palm (gentle gentle) to get the shampoo into the bristles. This will work up a lather.
3. Rinse the brush of under running lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Be careful not to get the handle too wet as this will weaken the glue over time.
4. If the water is running clear, and you've washed all the shampoo out, then wipe the brushes with a cloth- and reshape them (you will definately need to do this with your eye brushes and also your contour brushes)
5. Lay your brushes, with the bristles hanging off a counter or a window ledge, as it ensures any excess water will drip off.
6. Enjoy your clean brushes!

Remember...It does take a few hours for brushes to dry, so it's best to try and do this over night.

Thanks!

♥

Welcome...What's In My Makeup Bag?- Everyday Make-Up

Welcome!

I thought I'd start my first blog (eeek) on the classic: 'What's in my make up bag?'. I will no doubt change this in a couple of months because my make up is ever changing depending on my mood, the weather and how much time I have in the morning!.

As you can imagine, I have much much (too much) makeup, but this is a post on my ' Everyday Make-Up Look'.

I do have my makeup staples which I will just continue to buy whenever they are running low, without looking for any other dupes because they never fail to help me reach my desired look! The majority of what I will show will be sticking with me for a while because most of them are tried and tested. However, I'm a makeup junkie and I cant help finding similar products which I will probably show you guys in the next couple of months.

I do have to warn you that the pictures may not be brilliant and in hindsight the lighting could be better and looking at my makeup bag now, I think some of the products could do with a swipe of the good old makeup wipe but bahh I'm sure you will forgive me!

Thanks and enjoy :)


Let's get started - I haven't included the brushes as I will be showing them in another blog.



Right so firstly I have my Tinted moisturiser.  I use this mainly in the summer months because I hate that ' foundation feel' , and in the summer I'm a big believer in a light base teamed up with bright lips (usually coral). It gives me that dewy summery look without looking greasy. I've tried many tints and I find this to be one of the holy grails because you get that balance of coverage and that light- non greasy feeling. For the winter, when I need some warm colour, I usually mix this with a foundation.

The next item would be A MUST for anyone with dark circles under their eyes and that's the Bobbi Brown Corrector. My shade is Bisque.

This product is my saviour. I know many people who say this product has done nothing for their dark circles, but in my opinion if you're applying it right then you will see the immediate changes.

The shades vary and from my experience, I would also ask for a sample if you're new to this product. This product won't work if you use it as a concealer, but instead looking face forward into a mirror, tilt your head down and apply the corrector on the outer border of the dark circle.. (if that makes sense)- If I doesn't fear not, for I will be uploading a tutorial soon!

I team the corrector with my Bobbi Brown concealer and I'm good to go!

Powder. I alternate between using my Bobbi Brown powder and my MAC mineralise powder. Both do the job- I use the shade medium in my MAC powder, and this is great to use in the middle of the day to ensure my T-zone is behaving!

Right ..Bronzer!  There are so many inexpensive bronzers on the market, which do the job! I have been loving the sleek bronzer and the Rimmel bronzers for quite some time. Both give you that contoured look without giving you that ' dirty' look ( I'm sure you know what I'm talking about!!). Don't forget when applying your bronzer you are aiming for a contoured look so remember the 3 movement.

Blusher

On the days when I need a pop of colour I use my Estee Lauder shimmer blusher. This compact is great and gives a subtle shine without making me look like a glitter ball!.  It goes on really easy, but its important to remember that your blusher is not a bronzer, so keep it minimal -Light sweeping motions...Light being the operative word!.

I keep my eyes simple for my everyday - going to work look- and just use a slick of Rimmel eyeliner, and do a small flick to elongate my eyes.

My new love mascara is the L'Oreal one, I have to say that most of the L'Oreal mascaras I do love, but this one has a double ended brush, which allows you to lengthen your lashes...Fabulous stuff

And last but not least...I finish this off with a quick spritz of MAC spray and I am good to go.