Sunday, April 27, 2008

Real make up


First off I would like to stress that quality makeup IS important, but not always neccessary. I use a lot of MAC makeup, but if you would like me to suggest a cheaper substitution for any product or brush I use, please ask. :)


STEP 1: Start out looking like hell, with your hair clipped out of the way and a relatively clean face. Make sure to use a gentle astringent on your eyelids to remove any oils. I didn't do that for this tutorial, because I was rushing, and my eyeshadow STILL had a bit of crease/fade, and I used a ton of bases. FAIL.


STEP 2: For a base under everything, I always use Bare Canvas paint by MAC. I highly recommend it, but there are other bases you can use.



STEP 3: I smear it on both eyelids and then blend it out to cover my entire eyelids all the way to my brows.




STEP 4: I use a crappy angled eyeshadow brush from Walmart and dip it into my Blacktrack fluidline by MAC, and then apply it to my eyelids where I need a black base for black eyeshadow to stick to. I HIGHLY recommend using colour-oriented bases to make your eyeshadow more vivid.




STEP 5: I use a black eyeliner pencil to line both my upper and lower waterlines, making sure to get between my lashes on the top. This is optional, and if you don't feel comfortable doing this, you don't have to. I use Graphblack ((I think?)) by MAC for this, but any decent quality black liner that will stay on your waterlines and not water off is fine.



STEP 6: I use Royal Hue shadestick by MAC as a base for my purple. I line over the top of the black base where my crease is, around the outer corner, and along my bottom lashline with it. Then I take my finger and blend it a bit so the line isn't so harsh.





STEP 7: Load on your highlighter. I like Ploof! by MAC. It's a natural champagne with lots of shimmer. I recommend putting on highlighter before the rest of your shadow because it makes it easier to blend up into then. I put the highlighter all the way down to where my base starts. I'm using a fluffy domed "Round Contour" brush by Anika International.




STEP 8: Pack on your matte black eyeshadow. I use Carbon by MAC. You really need to pick up a lot of the eyeshadow and press it onto your base. I'm using a "Medium Shadow" brush I got from target. It works well for packing on black/blackish colours, and it's the only thing I use this brush for.




STEP 9: Next I go over the top of the black with a shimmery black that's easier to blend. I'm using the same brush with MAC's Black Tied eyeshadow. There's not a ton of difference, but it really makes a difference in the blending and outcome.



STEP 10: Wipe all that black off your brush. It doesn't have to be perfect, cuz the next colour is almost black still.





STEP 11: Pick up some blackened purple eyeshadow. I'm using Fertile by MAC. It's an almost-black purple with a nice sheen, but I was having a hard time getting pictures of it. But it on top of the purple base on the crease and outer corner's edge. It doesn't have to be perfect, we'll blend later.




STEP 12: I'm using my "Smudge" brush from Target for this, it's a great short stiff flat brush. I picked up some more Fertile eyeshadow and lined under my eyes with it.


STEP 13: TADAA!!! Meet your new best friend. BLENDING BRUSH :D:D:D! I use MAC's 217 brush, it's soft and fluffy with well distributed fibers that make for excellent blending. If you can't get your hands on one of these, find something as similar as possible.


STEP 14: Blend your brains out, as shown below. For this look I blended back and forth like a windshield wiper, and with little tiny cirles in areas that needed more blending. When it doubt, BLEND MOAR :O.






Is it blended enough? NO! The inner corner needs MOAR BLENDING PRZ.




YAY :D



STEP 15: Next, wipe off your blending brush on a paper towel a bit and pick up a bright purple. I'm using Make Up Forever's Purple/92 ((I think?)). Put it right over your current blend line, so half is on the darker stuff, and half isn't. Blend back and forth again.


STEP 16: Pick up a lighter purple with less colour payoff with your blending brush. I used MAC's Parfait Amour. I put it a little higher than last time, and again blended it back and forth. This requires a small amount ((use less at first, you can always add more)) and a light touch.




STEP 17: I picked up some of the MUFE Purple/92 with my stiff Smudge brush and lined the inner half of my lower lashline with it.


STEP 18: Line your eyes. In this case I used Boot Black liquid liner by MAC. I also often use Blacktrack fluidline for this. Any good quality liquid/gel liner that won't chip/flake/get leathery works for this :D





STEPS 19 & 20: Curl your lashes and apply mascara. I use a Revlon "Beauty" curler or something like that, it works quite well. I usually use Covergirl Lashexact mascara in Black ((which I highly highly recommend!)) but I couldn't find it and used some awful old stuff instead. D:


STEP 21: Use a cotton pad and some astringent to clean up all the fallout under your eyes, and all over your face. I literally swab my entire face down, you'd be surprised where eyeshadow bits can get to when you're not looking. @___@;



STEP 22: Prep your face for face makeup. I use Olay Regenerist Serum or something like that, as a primer for my face. It makes my skin really smooth and a good canvas to work with, as my skin is very awful is tone and texture. I highly recommend everyone use a base for their faces if they wear foundation. It really helps.



STEP 23: I use a concealer brush and dab Bare Minerals foundation ((I use Fair)) in spots where I need extra coverage, and then blend them with the concealer brush. If you use liquid concealer, do the same, except with a LOT less product. And pat out any brush streaks with your fingers after blending.




STEP 24: Buff on Bare Minerals/Mineral Veil. If you use liquid foundation, use a tiny bit and put it on with a foundation brush. If you need more coverge, build up to it. Then dust on a finishing powder such as MAC's Studio Fix, Ben Nye's, or Bare Mineral's Mineral Veil. Use a large/jumbo domed powder brush, and again, start with less.



STEP 25: Contour your cheeks. I use a brush from CVS to do this, it's an angled face contour brush with another brush on the other end. Works well. For this I used MAC's Strada blush, a tan peachy colour.



STEP 25: Put on your blush. I used my "Angled Blush" brush from Anika International, with MAC's Dame blush, a cool-toned light pink. Apply from the apples of your cheeks and blend back to your hairline, and into your contour. Again, start out VERY lightly, and build up if you're not used to blending blushes.


STEP 26: Using the other end of the contour brush, I put some of MAC's Shimpagne MSF on to highlight my cheekbones. You can use any small round powder or blush brush for this. You can't see the difference much in this picture but you can in the next. It's important to highlight and contour.





STEP 27: Fill in your eyebrows! I think everyone should do this, even if they have complete eyebrows. It really brings out a lot of your face. I use my tiny angled 208 brush from MAC with Concrete eyeshadow from MAC. Match with your hair and skintone to make it work for you, and make sure it's a matte eyeshadow with no shimmer or sheen.


STEP 28: CHAPSTICK!!! I use Burt's Bees original. It's AWESOME.


STEP 29: Lipgloss. I use MAC's Instant Gold. I know for this tutorial the girl wanted berry lips but I didn't feel it went well with the eyes. Heavy eyes usually means very light lips, otherwise you start looking overdone/dragqueen/UBERGAWTH/whatever.



STEP 30: Unclip your hair and take pictures.