Iggy Azalea inspired; Tuxedo Eyeliner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zR6ROjoOX0

Thought I'd try out 'Tuxedo Eyeliner' after spotting it on the video of one of my favourite songs this year so far- Iggy Azalea Work. It has been non stop in our household, let me tell you that. Though did anyone else hear her interview on Radio 1 last Sunday? Talk about bland.

To create this look, it is quite straight forward but does take a bit of time and does need a steady hand. I chose a soft smokey eye as a base, main colours used were my Urban Decay Naked Basics palette (couldn't be without it) and Daniel Sandler eyeshadow in 'Tornado' (review to come on that one soon.) I first lined and winged my eyes, following the eyeline using MAC 'Blacktrack' gel liner and a thin brush. Secondly I followed the line on top using Illamasqua's liquid eyeliner in 'Scribe'- a pure white. A bit watery at first, this does need two coats to be opaque. After that had dried, I re-lined the black line, to correct any bleeds and to deepen the colour. 
Followed with lashings of mascara and my base makeup as usual, the look was done. Probably not the most wearable, everyday looks but I haven't done anything for just a bit of fun in a while. I've been so bogged down with bridal trials and wedding days (not that I'm complaining, I love what I do) that I was itching to try something a bit creative!!

Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading,

E.

Model makeup #01

Evelyn so kindly included my blog in her '5 Blogs To Follow' feature earlier this week and in it she mentioned that she hopes I do more makeup artist related posts. I'm not sure whether many people are interested in this but I thought it couldn't hurt to do a 'trial post'. I thought a small behind the scenes type post about photoshoots I work on could be of interest to some of you if I tell you about the look I was going for and the products I used to achieve this. It's something a bit different and a lot more personal in one way, than I have included on my blog before. I try and keep work/blog/life as separate things but inevitably they will overlap at times :-) 
Anyway what I am getting at is feedback is appreciated! Let me know if you do or don't enjoy this post.

Instagram: @emilylaurenbeth

On Thursday I organised a beauty shoot with my photographer pal Lewis. One of the models, Naomi, is who I'm showing you today.
The vision of the shoot was just to experiment with vivid, vibrant colour. It was going to be beauty focused, (so mainly head shots with no attention to clothing or body poses) with a mainly editorial approach.

For one of the looks I decided to go all out. A test shoot is a perfect time to experiment with new ideas or techniques as it is a safe environment to learn. I decided to keep Naomi's skin fresh because she had these amazing freckles all over her face, so I made a tinted moisturiser just to even out any redness she had. I used Illamasqua Sealing Gel on powder eyeshadow 'Fame' to turn it into a liquid paste. Using an angled brush I filled her brows in with solid green colour!
Eyebrows have been 'on trend' in various forms (bushy, filled, feral) for a few years now, then there was the time Chanel hit the runways with amazing embellished brows. Many catwalk trends are unlikely to filter down to 'real people' but the element of the brow being a feature in day to day makeup definitely has. I love eyebrows and knew it was something I wanted to include in this shoot, so why not colour them in?

I created a simple contoured eye using NARS eyeshadow 'Abysinnia' and the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette, with eyeliner flicks using MAC gel liner in 'Blacktrack.' In hindsight I would have made them a bit bolder and thicker. 
At first I kept the lips bare and then for a few more shots I put MAC 'Vegas Volt' lipstick on her. You can see both looks in the instagram images above, let me know which one you think looks best.

I put her hair up in a bun and placed some fake flowers that I found in the studio in, I think it really helps make the photo and ties the overall look in together well. 

So there we are, a little behind the scenes summary of a recent test shoot. I think that Naomi did a great job considering she doesn't model very often, and Lewis did a good job of capturing my vision! Here is a final picture:

Lewis Hughes-Evans photography, Naomi Shalom model.

Thanks for reading,

E.

Midweek Post: My favourite eye makeup brushes.

There are a few brushes that I cannot imagine being without now, so I thought I had better share them with you so that you don't miss out too!

Real Techniques eyeshadow brush; This is a great eyeshadow brush for packing on the product. It's not too big which I find so many others to be, it is just the perfect size for my eyelids! This is made of synthetic hair so can be used with creams or powders, but I especially love it with powders because I think it picks up product so well.

MAC 217; This is often sold out on the website so you may have already gathered that it is a popular brush. This is a great brush for blending and adding product into the crease of the eye.It's tapered head means that it accesses the crease well without spreading the product over the lid. It also blends powders really well.

Illamasqua Blending Brush 1; This is great for blending eye makeup seamlessly. I always keep it clean and do not use it to apply product with, just swirl it over a smokey eye to blend the colours and fade. Like all the brushes at Illamasqua, it is synthetic hairs which I generally prefer to use.

Laura Mercier Smudge Brush; This is an absolute must have for smudging any under eye colour to create a more smokey or blended finish. It's a great size- it is small enough to be precise but wide enough to remain firm which is an important quality in any smudger brush. Works great with powder and pencil/gel eyeliners.

MAC 210; I have already spoken about this a couple of times before, for me it is a must have for applying gel eyeliner, whether it be for a winged flick or onto the water line. The only downside is that it has frayed slightly and I haven't had it a year yet.

Illamasqua Angled Brush; This is the best angled brush I have ever used for several reasons. Firslty, the brush is made of synthetic hair which makes it both cruelty free and multipurpose in terms of being able to use it with liquids, creams and powders. The length is perfect- it's as if Illamasqua have taken a standard angled brush and cut it in half, making it short and wide, therefore a lot firmer (perfect for creating straight lines or sculpted brows with ease) and alllowing more control as it isn't as flimsy. My brows have improved ten fold since I have been using this brush, the size is just perfect. Worth every penny.

Midweek post: Bobbi Brown Gel Liner

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, £16.50

I'd recently been reaching for my Maybelline Gel Liner more and more but after noticing that it was getting drier and harder to use each day I thought it time I bought a new one. I opted for a premium one as I was hoping the quality would be more satisfactory and as it's an item I use everyday it wasn't a problem paying more for it.

The gel is a soft and creamy formula that glides on so smoothly. The product screams quality and I'm not expecting this to dry out the same way the Maybelline one did (but I'll keep you posted.) It's jet black and it's not often you'll need two layers to achieve this effect, however it can also be applied thinly for a more subtle, off-black flick.

What has really impressed me about this product is it's staying power. I believe it is 'water resistant' (Bobbi Brown website) and so I have been applying it onto my waterline...sure enough it's still intact 6 hours later albeit slightly faded, but still there. For someone who is constantly frustrated by kohl liners slipping off the waterline to product those oh so sexy panda eyes, this product has been a real life saver. On the top lid this liner lasts all day, with no fade and no smudge- divine!

Overall I'd certainly recommend this product, I'm not an expert in gel liners yet, having only used three different ones (previously being a die hard liquid liner user) but the creamy consistency paired with excellent staying power means that I give it a big thumbs up, I'm unsurprised it has won so many beauty awards. 

It can be found on any Bobbi counter or under the 'Best Sellers' section of their website and is available in a whopping 13 shades- next on my hitlist is 'Black Mauve Shimmer' to put a bit of a spin on a classic.

What gel eyeliner do you use?

Eyeliner Review #1 Maybelline, M.A.C, Rimmel

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner £7.99

M.A.C. Superslick Liquid Eye Liner £15 for 1.8ml

Rimmel London £5.29 for 2.5ml

 

As promised in previous posts, I'm going to compare three different eyeliners, all of which you can create the winged flicks with, the makeup trend that I posted about here. Two are liquid liners and one is a gel liner.

1) Maybelline's gel liner caught my eye earlier this year because firstly I hadn't tried it before and secondly, it made a change to liquid liners. I had heard a couple of good things about it so bought it and gave it a try.

• This pot of gel liner has so much product for the money you pay and will last you yonks.
• The container it cute and small, and frosted glass- like! And it comes with a precision brush.
• The gel liner is a good shade of black, but I find that it needs two coats to be jet black. I find this quite difficult, as the line always seems to thicken the second time and I don't always want this to happen!
• I personally find the brush to be too thick and hard to control. It is especially difficult when using it on the inner corners of the eye, where you would want a thinner line (ready to graduate to thicker once gliding it accross the lid). It really depends on how steady my hand is that day and if I have the patience to try this product, as it does take a lot longer to apply than a liquid liner. 
• It has pretty good lasting power.

The gel liner does give a nice effect, it is more soft focus than a hard line. It does seem to fade throughout the day, not too drastically though and I'm sure this might be prevented through wearing an eye lid primer.

I think this product's success is down to personal preference for how you like to apply your eyeliner and how thick you like your lines and flicks to be. I think I'll be trying this out more; I used it for a couple of weeks and put it aside, some mornings I find the brush and the pot too fiddly and time consuming. Practice makes perfick though, I suppose!

2) One of my most disappointing purchases from M.A.C. I even repurchased when the first one ran out thinking maybe the one I'd had previously had been a dodgy one. No such luck, the finish and colour pigmentation is terrible for the price, the lasting power even worse, shame!

• Superslick eye liner is supposed to leave a wet look finish. It does leave a slight glossy finish. 
• The colour is more of a charcoal- grey than a black, which is fine if you want a more subtle or natural look.
• The brush is my favourite part, it is thin and precise which means excellent control over how thick you want the line to be, also means a perfect flick, there's less room for mistakes to be made with this brush.
• Only hours after application the eye liner fades dramatically, it smudges and rubs off a bit too easily, a definate disadvantage.

These photos were taken about an hour after application, as you can see there is clear fading already happening [ :-( ]. I'd recommend this product if you're looking for a precise brush and therefore a precise/thin/subtle line, but be prepared to reapply throughout your day.

3) I bought this Rimmel eyeliner partly because I was broke, needed a liquid eyeliner and it was cheap, and partly because I had read pretty impressive reviews. I must say, I think this is my favourite of the three, I pick this one up before the other two when I'm applying my makeup in the mornings.

• The brush is slightly fatter than the M.A.C. one so it is a bit harder to apply such a precise or thinner line, but the pigmentation is fab. 
• The formula is slightly watery and can take a couple of minutes to dry, but this is common amongst wet cosmetics such as liquid eyeliner. It can rub off quite easily, but in comparison the previous M.A.C. one this one has excellent staying power. I can complete a 9hr shift at work and still have a clear line and flick by the end of it.
• It can take two coats, but this is easily achievable with liquid eyeliner. I only struggle to go over lines with the gel liner.

Eyeliner really is one of those personal choices every girl makes because every girl wants something different from an eyeliner, from price, to finish, to overall look. I hope these mini reviews help at least one of you out there to make a decision though! :-)

Top; Maybelline. Middle; M.A.C. Bottom; Rimmel

What eyeliner do you use? Do you have any products where you pick the 'drugstore' brands over the more high end brands?

Back to Black (Eyeliner)

Makeup Trend; Black Eyeliner Flicks.

It came to my attention recently (though it's taken me ages to blog about it) of the thick, fluid black lines that were used on the models' upper lids on the catwalks over the various fashion weeks in September.

This trend has been pretty popular for a good few years. (I have been doing it for years, and I'm sure lot's of you have too) However I can now appreciate it more as it has been used in such a modern way, also giving us the chance to embrace it even more!

M.A.C. for Kanye West, Paris Fashion Week.

M.A.C. Tumblr

M.A.C. Tumblr

Again, M.A.C for The Blonds, NY FW:

M.A.C. Tumblr

Heavy eyeliner was also seen at Richard Nicholl, Jonathon Saunders, Dolce and Gabbana, and more.

If we're talkin' eyeliner flicks, we can't forget Amy Winehouse, who changed the way so many girls dressed (nude ballet pumps, vintage denim high rise shorts, Fred Perry, hair accessories), let alone how they applied their makeup. The thick, black liner with the winged flicks became her signature look;

Google Images

Of course, the look is inspired by the pin- ups of the past, but it doesn't mean that this is the context in which we now have to understand it or use it. It can be so modern, sleek, and sexy.
It is often seen with a bold red lip for a vintage look (think Dita Von Teese), or with smokey eyes and pale lips for a modern spin on the classic look (like on the catwalks). Either way, I think it is a trend that can be easily applicable in daily makeup, it isn't too 'out there' or different, and the extent to how bold you want to be is your decision.

I've got a post coming up that will compare three different eyeliners (all at different price ranges) that you can use to create this look on the upper lid, so keep a look out for that in the next few days :-)

Will you be flicking your eyeliner? Do you already create this look?

Hello to all my new followers! X