Halloween Look #1 Leopard/Cat Inspired

Here is my first post of my new series of blog posts 'Halloween Looks' I will be posting Halloween looks I created from now up until Halloween, so if you need idea's or inspiration on looks here's where you can get some! 

First up is a quick and easy leopard/cat inspired look I created on myself, using all makeup products! 

To achieve this look I began by applying a primer, the primer I used was Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. I then applied MAC Studio Fix Foundation in NW30! I highlighted under my eye area, the tops of my cheekbones, down the center of my nose and the middle of my forehead using MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW15! I then used a cream concealer to contour my face from a concealer palette I bought off Light In The Box. I used the second darkest shade of concealer to contour under my cheekbones, my temples, along my jawline and down each side of my nose. To set all this I then used MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Medium Plus. To make the contouring stand out more I applied a matte brown powder from Sleek Makeup Contouring palette in Medium where I contoured with the cream product.

I filled in my brows using MAC Fluidline in Dipdown. I used MAC Painterly Paint Pot as a base on my eyes, I then applied MAC Kohl Pencil in Smoulder to my eyes and blended it out using a pencil brush. Over the smoulder eye pencil I applied a black eyeshadow and smoked everything out using a brown eyeshadow. I applied Vanilla eyeshadow from MAC on my brow bone and in the inner corners of my eyes. I lined my waterline with the same kohl pencil and smudged this underneath my eye using a pencil brush. I lined my top lash line and created a flick using MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack. I added a coat of mascara and a pair of falsies to finish this eye look off! 

To create the leopard print on each side of my face I drew these on using MAC Blacktrack Fluidline on a angled brush. I filled them in using a gold liquid eyeliner and added some while kohl pencil from Catrice. 

To draw the nose and whiskers I used MAC Blacktrack Fluidline.

& to finish off this look, I applied Rubywoo lipstick and smoulder lip pencil smudged on the outer corners of my lips. 

<3 

Talk That Talk! MAC Haul

Today I dropped into MAC to check out the new RiRi Hearts MAC Fall Collection as it launched today here in BT2 and Brown Thomas in Dublin. I wasn't too impressed as I thought I would be about the packaging and the products, I originally wanted to get the powder duo and a lipstick but the powder duo looked very sheer so I decided to leave it and just got the lipstick I was after, along with some more bits for my makeup kit! 

So the lipstick I picked up from Rihanna's collection is a lipstick called Talk That Talk! Which is a deep plum shade with red undertones. It was the only thing that stood out when I was in store today. This lipstick was €22.00! I then picked up another two lipsticks Chatterbox (left) and Hue (right) I've heard many girls talk about Hue before, I picked it up so I could use it mainly on brides as it's a really nice shade. I seen swatches of Chatterbox lipstick and fell in love, it was on my wish list for awhile now so when I seen it today I said why not! 

Last but not least I picked up Dipdown Fluidline which is a gel eyeliner. Over the last couple of weeks I've seen so many girls fill in their brows using this product and it was a must have for me seeing this so I'm delighted I finally got it and can't wait to define and fill in brows using this! 

<3

Rock The Megawatt A/W Statement Lip!

Blank Canvas L29 Lip Brush 

Whether it's a big meeting or a hot date, popping lips get you noticed and are super-fashionable this Autumn too.  Plum lips, pink lips, and dark berry tones in vampy, megawatt colour defy the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.  Rock the statement lip with the help of Blank Canvas L29 Lip Brush, a firm round brush with straight fibres, giving precise lip colour application. Pro Artist and Founder of Blank Canvas Brushes, Úna Tynan says:

 “To pull off the statement lip, make sure you keep the rest of your makeup look to an absolute minimum.  Balance any spotlight-stealing pout by simply teaming with flawlessly-applied foundation and subtle eye makeup.”

Blank Canvas Tips & Techniques for Creating Megawatt Lips:

1.    Exfoliate with a lip scrub, or using an old, soft toothbrush, gently massage lips in small, circular motions to remove dead skin build-up.

2.    Make sure your lips are well hydrated and prepped before applying any colour.

3.    To achieve intense colour, it’s best to apply colour with a lip brush like Blank Canvas L29, because you’ll get a cleaner, more precise finish around the lip line, than if you apply lipstick straight onto the lips.

4.    Begin by outlining your lips, but don’t over line, just enough to keep the look pretty.

5.    Gradually apply and blend in colour to the entire lip surface, using the precise pointed tip to define.  This will push pigment into the lips and help the colour stay put for longer.

6.    Concentrate on the cupids bow on lower lip.

7.    Dust with some translucent powder over the top. This will set your lip colour and add to that gorgeous matte finish.

8.    After applying final coat of colour, place a one-ply tissue to blot lips.

 I use this brush in my kit for lips on clients along with others from Real Techniques and Crown Brush, but the L29 from Blank Canvas Cosmetics is probably my favorite lip brush to use and the one I go for most! You can use this brush to apply lip stick or to blend lip liner. This brush is great for applying with precision which is why I probably like it so much!

The Blank Canvas Cosmetics L29 Lip Brush is available to purchase at www.blankcanvascosmetics.com and only €6.99 which is very affordable! 

Blank Canvas Cosmetics Double Ended Brush Set Review

Today I have a brush review you, Blank Canvas Cosmetics Double Ended Brush Set. 

This set contains 10 full size quality eye brushes in a compact leather case. This brush set has pretty much every brush you need for eyes when doing makeup. 

This set contains E32 & E33 brush - double ended tapered crease blender/smudger, E25 & E26 - blending duo brush, E23 & E24 - double ended pencil/flat shader brush, E27 & E28 - double ended mini detailer/eyeliner brush and E30 - double ended brow/spoolie brush.

 I love how this kit is compact and travel friendly, perfect if your on the go or if your a makeup artist like myself it's perfect for your kit! I can also fit a few more brushes into this case along with the brushes included which is dead handy!

The brushes I get most use out of on the job are - E32 I love this brush for applying eyeshadow into the crease of your eye. E26 is a pefect brush for blending eyeshadows along with E25. I love E23 pencil brush for applying eyeshadows to the outer corner of the eye or underneath the eye and E24 for packing on eyeshadow to the lids!

All these brushes wash well except one! I found that blending duo brush E26 looses it's shape a lot after you wash it so I would be careful when washing this brush in particular other than that they all wash and dry well back into their shape.

I don't store these brushes like I normally would in pots because these are double ended if I were to store them the way I normally do some brushes would become damaged so I like to store these in the case they came in.

Blank Canvas Cosmetics not only have great quality brushes but their also so affordable! It has become my favorite brush brand to use on both myself and clients along with Real Techniques brushes.

This brush set retails at €61.74 which is affordable considering you get 10 brushes and every brush you really need for eyes. Blank Canvas Cosmetics are an Irish company and with my dealings with them their customer service is superb and their orders are quickly dispatched and delivered. They also ship internationally.

www.blankcanvascosmetics.com

Madam Makeup Look #1

This has been a popular look of mine on my facebook recently for the past couple of weeks since creating it. So I thought it would be the perfect look to share for my first 'Madam Makeup Looks' posts that I will be posting weekly here on my blog. Madam Makeup Looks will consist of pictures of the look I did along with 'how to' and product list that most people find handy! when wanting to create a similar look on themselves. This look is of a golden smokey eye, some contouring and a pink lip. 

Product list & how to . . . 

When starting my eye makeup I like to do my brows first as I find your brows frame your eyes. So to begin I used my Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Express Eyebrow Kit. I used two products from this kit on my brows, the wax and the darkest powder for brows to define and fill them in. 

As a highlight on the brow bone I used a white kohl pencil from Rimmel London as a base followed by MAC 'Vanilla' eyeshadow. 

As my transition colour in the crease area of my eye I used the matte beige eyeshadow from my Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Express Eyebrow Kit.

To define my crease I then applied a small amount of MAC 'Swiss Chocolate' eyeshadow.

On the lid I applied 'Half Baked' from my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. This is a gorgeous gold eyeshadow, probably my favourite gold eyeshadow to use! You can mix this eyeshadow with a mixing medium and it really makes the golden colour pop on the lids!

I then lined my upper lash line using my beloved Catrice Liquid Liner! This is my favourite liquid liner to use as the applicator is sharply pointed which makes it easy to get clean lines. Good for beginners and also very affordable! I flicked my eyeliner out a little also.

To define my eyes even more and to add definition, I smoked this look out using 'Blackout' from Urban Decay Naked 2 palette on the outer corner of  my eye blending slighting into that gold eyeshadow.

To finish off this eye look, I applied Catrice Gel Eyeliner in black to my waterline, and 'Blackout' eyeshadow to my lower lash line. I then added 'Sultry Lashes' from Penney's another favourite of mine! and one coat of mascara! 

Moving onto my face I first applied a small amount of Smashbox Photo Finish Primer all over my face ensuring my hands were clean.

I then applied Faces Cosmetics Creme Perfection Mineral Foundation using a buffing brush from Real Techniques.

I used a concealer palette that I bought of Light In The Box to highlight my face. I used the lightest shade in this palette underneath my eye area in a V shape blending outwards over the tops of my cheekbones. I ran a little down the center of my nose and in between my brows. 

To set my foundation and concealer that I had used, I applied some Catrice Translucent Powder mainly to my T Zone area of the face. 

To contour my face I used Sleek Makeup Contour Kit in 'Light'. I used the dark matte bronze powder in this compact to add warmth to my face using a large powder brush. I applied this where the sun would naturally hit - across the forehead, across the center of the nose, and tops of my cheekbones. I then went in with a smaller contouring brush and began to contour, under my cheekbones, my temples, down the sides of my nose and along my jawline.

I then took the pink highlighting powder in this kit and applied some to the tops of my cheekbones to give a little glow to my face.

To add a little colour to my cheeks on a blush brush I applied a small amount of this product to the apples of my cheeks blending this slightly into the area I highlighted.

Brushes used: Real Techniques Buffing Brush for foundation. Sigma F70 Concealer Brush for concealer. Sigma F20 Large Powder Brush for applying translucent powder. Blank Canvas Cosmetics F16 Large Contour/Powder Brush to apply matte shader when adding warmth to my face. Real Techniques Contour Brush to contour and highlight. Sigma F40 Large Angled Brush to apply blusher.

Irish Brand Human+Kind - 100% Free From Chemicals

 Irish skincare brand Human+Kind is delighted to distinguish itself from the vast range of skin care alternatives with their unique 100% natural, restorative ingredients that provide a simple and organic solution for everyday skin care needs. Enriched with pure oils and extracts, Human+Kind’s skin care formula's eliminate all of the unnecessary chemicals and artificial additives while retaining remarkable quality and effectiveness! Recent scientific advances have proven that the use of natural components, such as Jojoba, Achmella and Onopordum found in all Human+Kind products, decrease the likelihood of experiencing allergic reactions, clogging pores and irritating the skin.

 

Methylisothiazolinone (MI)- a chemical used to preserve the shelf life of many beauty products is being blamed for a massive rise in dangerous allergic reactions. Skin experts say manufacturers should urgently remove the chemical from skin products as contact allergy to the preservative is reportedly at epidemic proportions.  In some cases the ingredient has caused rashes, lumps, blisters, itchy eyes and facial swelling.

I tried the Body Oil from Human+Kind and absolutely loved everything about it from the product itself to the beautiful packaging. These products are for you if you have sensitive skin!

New Inglot PRO Store Opens This Weekend In Dublin

The long-awaited INGLOT flagship store in Dublin city centre opens this Saturday, September 28^th, at 11.00am.  An exciting launch week for this sixth store in the INGLOT Ireland group will see professional make-up demonstrations, customer make-overs, exclusive new product launches, and master-classes from Jon Hennessey, the international make-up artist to the stars.

There are free goodie bags for the first 50 customers at the new INGLOT store on 1 South Anne Street (corner of Grafton Street), which will stock the full INGLOT cosmetics collection and make-up accessories, as well as products that are exclusive to the new flagship store.  A make-over studio, brow bar, and a spacious private studio, which will host parties, make-up courses, and professional master classes, is also part of the latest new Dublin INGLOT store.

Exclusive products at the new INGLOT ‘Pro Store’ include INGLOT's new Mattifying Powder 3S range of pressed and loose powders, the professional Zuca make-up case, a beautiful portable professional make-up station which are all top sellers in INGLOT stores worldwide.

Top make-up artists around the world use INGLOT to create the latest celebrity look, and INGLOT’s extensive colour range and quality product formulation has drawn a loyal Irish following of professional make-up artists, and students.  The INGLOT Pro Store now allows everyone with a passion for make-up to use the highest quality, professional cosmetics and applicators, to perfect their look. 

INGLOT Ireland stores are staffed by fully qualified make-up artists who help customers experiment with colour, and guide them through the extensive range.   Stores offer make-overs, bridal packages, and personalised tutorials, as well as treatments including eyelashes, manicures, and brow shaping.

The brand’s face and body collection includes a priming base, foundations, concealers and blushers, complemented with a selection of body illuminators and bronzers.  For beautiful eyes there’s eye-shadows, protective base, eyeliner, brow-liner and mascara; and a range of nourishing lipsticks, liners, lip-paint and gloss to deliver truly luscious lips. 

Accessories, from brushes and applicators, to make-up bags, tweezers, false eyelashes and nail art are all stocked, and there’s also a range of facial toners and gentle make-up removers, to complete this unique one-stop-make-up-shop!

The Irish INGLOT business is owned and operated by Geraldine and Jane Swarbrigg, who first brought the exciting global brand to the Irish marketplace in 2009.  The first INGLOT store opened in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in Dublin, and, with a rapidly growing fan base for the innovative make-up range, new stores quickly followed in Dundrum Town Centre, Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, and in the Jervis Shopping Centre in the city, as well as the Crescent Shopping Centre in Limerick city.

There are over 400 INGLOT retail outlets across the world in cities including New York, Dubai, London and Sydney, and the range is still produced in Europe by the INGLOT family, as it has been for over 25 years, in the company’s own state-of-the-art production facilities.

Here is a sneak peek of the new Pro store spotted by Kirsty MacDonald MUA.