A little more grunge

I couldn't help but continue playing with my grunge look and I reckon this look is a bit more 90's grunge. I spent a bit more time on my contouring, using Illamasqua's Intrigue (white) blusher high on my cheekbones, and Heroin eyeshadow (cool mid brown) below my cheek bones and onto temples. 

I was also dying to try out my Fierce Intense Gloss, which is this gorgeous purple lipgloss by Illamasqua so I tied it in by adding purple (MAC Satellite Dreams) under my eyes and I threw in some orange (Aretha Orange by Sleek) on the brow bone.  'Cause, well why not?

To finish up I added a little Gleam in Aurora to highlight my brow and cheek bones.

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Going going... Grunge

For my look of the day I decided to go grunge, inspired by Versace's SS'13 make up.

Image coutesy of https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVpR7JKOkdi0_QaPi93rnXcIgCpm5WtZoWkHGv4iJYYBqBO8Kncssdk5EWTQthAk4sIYW6eXKywQ9X_vuVUuLkokpjDKgKfaGlZHuf-5HJQfhi8VtWKJkimwe4NwkzPQRZyttXYro5vE/s1600/versace+smokey.jpg

Image coutesy of http://fixmakeup.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/mic0087-450x675.jpg

The idea is to line just the bottom lashes, and to keep the whole look of the eyes quite smokey. That coupled with a heavily contoured face and you have this season's grunge look. I just wish I had the long flowing locks to compliment it!

I'm pretty happy with my attempt but I reckon I could have gone even heavier under my eyes. 

I don't like the lashes I'm wearing though. I find most false lashes are just too long for me (as in lash length not strip length), I have such short stubby lashes, sob sob!

Anyone else have this problem, apart from my mother?! Any ideas for more suitable lashes?

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Miss Dior bridal make up inspiration

For my look today I decided to create a bridal make up look and was inspired by the gorgeous, gorgeous Natalie Portman for Miss Dior.

I'm pretty sure that, to compliment her striking brown eyes, she's wearing a deep purple eyeliner and a little green under her bottom lashes. 

Of course I'm not a patch on Miss Portman but see below for my version using long lasting products that will stay put through a whole wedding day, and night!

The first image of me below was my first attempt but as I looked at the image I thought the hightlights were a bit much and the lips needed to be more pinky so my revised look is at the bottom. The difference is subtle but I think the second version is definitely better.

Image courtesy of http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/33400000/New-Miss-Dior-Campaign-Photoshoot-natalie-portman-33497704-750-971.jpg

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Bright lips. Bold brows.

Today, I decided a bright, statement lip was needed.

Bright, bold lips and bushy brows were all over the SS'13 catwalks with eyes kept very minimal to keep it balanced. I think it's very pretty and wearable.

I adore the top left hand look in the below image and wish I could bleach my brows but I'm not sure it would work on me - what with my dark hair and huge Jewish nose!

Image coutesy of http://looksbylaura.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/ss13-trend-statement-lips.html

For my first look I used my orangey/ red Mandarin lip pencil by Lord & Berry, which I LOVE. 

Orange reds suit me better than blue reds and I love it when I find a good'un. I then applied a Kryolan red lippy over the top which I think is called True Red.  

I used my Benefit Brow Zings again after re-discovering it yesterday. The pigmented wax fills in gaps and keeps your brows in place as you go. The darker powder sets it whilst adding depth which I also love. 

For my skin I wanted a nice, natural glow. I wanted to use my YSL Le Teint Touche Eclait but the shade I have is a too dark for me so I mixed in a drop of my trusty Illamasqua Skin Base. It worked out well actually as the YSL foundation is quite sheer so the Skin Base gave a little extra coverage. I also added a little of my Illamasqua Gleam in Aurora to enhance the glow.

So easy to quickly change lip colours so I thought I'd try out the two-tone trend. 

I used a combination of bright orange on the bottom lip and pink on the top, blending some of each colour into the other lip. Both lip colours from my Kryolan lip palettes from Charles Fox London.

Look for the day...

Another day another make up look. 

Since my daughter Molly still sleeps for an hour in the middle of the day, I try to make the most of this wonderful time by experimenting with my make up - using products that I haven't used before or for a long time.  

Today I flicked through Grazia and was inspired by this gorgeous image of Jennifer Lopez for L'Oreal Elvive.  In particular, I love the eyes, brows and glowing skin.  Below is my interpretation - obviously I'm not a patch on JLo but it was a fun look to recreate...

Image courtesy of http://img.trendenciasbelleza.com/2012/01/elvive.jpg

To achieve JLo's glowing skin, I added Mac Strobe Cream to my foundation. I wanted the eyes to look polished like the reference rather too grungey and I think I'd like another stab to get this perfect as mine are a bit messier than the original.

I really like my skin though and this is so easy to create so I'll try it again another time soon. It reminds me of Kim Kardashian/ Cheryl Cole's make up don't you think?

What to try tomorrow...

Heading out tonight...?

I just created this bronzed eye look and I think it would be perfect for a night out. What do you reckon?

Starting off I applied the bronze end of the Max Factor Purple Dust as the eye shadow base. 

I then layered L'Oreal Paris Bronze shadow over the top and ran the dark brown from my Estee Lauder Bronze Dunes palette into the crease.

I lined my top lashes with Bobbi Brown's brown gel liner and blended with Illamasqua's Forgiveness from the Complement palette into the liner and the bottom outer third of my lashes.  

I LOVE the Champagne colour from this palette too (Slink) so I added that as a highlight to the centre of my lid, the inner corners and along the bottom lash line.

To finish up I added a wash of Mac Nocturnelle to my brow bone and a couple of coats of Maybeline Mascara.

For my lips, I kept it simple. I applied a thin coat of Illamasqua's Magnetism lipstick, smudged it with my fingers to sheer it out and create more of a stained look then dabbed a little of my Illume lip gloss by Smashbox.

Other product used are listed below...

Also used were:

Illamasqua Skin Base
Illamasqua Gleam in Aurora
Kryolan Derma Colour
Kryolan eye brow palette
Illamasqua Sealing Gel
Illamasqua Heroin eye shadow
Benefit Coralista
Benefit Hula
Sleek Blush in Pumpkin (Orange shade)

Blue eyeliner fun!

I brought a gorgeous, deep blue, loose Satin Powder shadow by Kryolan a few weeks ago and have been dying to try it out ever since. It's a slightly pearlescent, highly pigmented fine powder in a very pretty blue colour that I just knew would look amazing with brown eyes and it didn't disappoint.

As Molly, my daughter, was sleeping I decided to have a play and create a colourful look with orange blush and orangey/ red lips but when we decided to head out to the shops I thought I'd better tone it down so I removed the white under-eye liner and my little tear drop!

'Scuse the bad hair - I'm growing out my crop (I think, I can't decide) and I'm that horrible in-between any kind of hairstyle stage.  Got a few months before I'm even close to a bob. Oiy! x

Other products used, in addition to Kryolan's blue Satin Powder - 

Laura Mercier foundation primer

Illamasqua Skin Base and Rich Liquid Foundations mixed

Illamasqua Sealing gel

Make Up Forever Orange corrector

Clinique All About Eyes concealer

Bobbi Brown 'Bone' eyeshador

MAC 'Soba' eyeshadow

Kryolan Brow palette

Illamasqua 'Intrigue' blusher

Barry M 'Matte Turquoise' eye pencil

Max Factor 'False Lash effect' Mascara

Sleek blush palette

Benefit 'Hula' bronzer

Illamasqua 'Heroin' eyeshadow

Illamasqua 'Gleam. highlighter

Lord and Berry 'Mandarin' lip pencil

Illamasqua 'Absorb' lipgloss