Sunday 18 December 2011

First time on Green


First time i have tried on green eye shadow. I have always felt it did not suit my skin tone. so what do you think?





















I put light green eyeshadow at the inner corner of my eye and then dark green at the outer corner with some black shadow as well.

























I know that once my eyes are opened you can hardly see the colour. I guess that is the benefits of having a small eye lid area. 

I have intentionally left out the products i used because i think it can be achieved with any brand of eyeshadow (wink).


Feel free to drop comments


Monday 12 December 2011

MY ILLAMASQUA HAUL


Some of you may wonder what this name Illamasqua means. Well it is a British professional makeup brand although produced by Kryolan in Germany. If you are getting more confused, just ask your best friend Google more about this brands LOL.

It is quite a pricey brand so when they rolled out pro discounts for Makeup Artists I quickly registered and got 30 percent off (yipeee). You can guess my double excitement when they rolled their first free international shipping. Unfortunately I could not purchase any item so I waited patiently for another opportunity which I hoped would be before the Christmas season.

My wish was answered and i decided to first invest in their foundations first. I chose the Rich liquid foundation and their sealing gel. It took 8 working days to get to me by Royal mail.

In their packets
















Out of their packets

















I chose 3 foundation colours that would suit the needs in Nigeria. Of course my colour is the darkest one you see there.

on their website they describe it as
Providing full coverage with one application, Rich Liquid Foundation can be used all over the face or just in areas needing more attention. It can be used as a concealer and as a tattoo cover-up. Use a highlighter brush and buff into the skin for a more natural finish or use a foundation brush for a full coverage. When using it as a concealer, apply with a small blending brush. Always set with pressed or loose powder.

The sealing gel (2 in a pack)

















for the sealing gel the website says
For looks with added impact, intensify your artistry with Illamasqua Sealing Gel. Mix with Powder Eye Shadow, Pure Pigment or Eye Liner Cake to create a colour-intense paste that dries quickly and lasts for hours. Be bold, be original and stand out from the crowd. 

Other things that came in the pack were 2 catalogues, 1.5ml sample of the Freak perfume (what a scent!) and vouchers for my friends (15 % off ). The vouchers i have decided to have a giveaway so watch my Facebook page  and blog.


Catalogues

A glimpse of the catalogue inside
























Pack of the Perfume

Opened

































My vouchers for the giveaway














Thursday 8 December 2011

Christmas and Glitter party look for the season

So it is Christmas season and it is the best time to use glitter eye shadows for the parties. I was so lucky to get the NYX glitter eye shadow from Gifty's Daughter during the festive season. To see the NYX glitter palette in a previous post Click here.

My aim was to do a look that would still do justice to Yazi's place motto which is Be natural, Be beautiful, Be you.


Outside in the natural light




















So I took the picture outside and then realised this was a party look and I wanted to see how it would hold under the camera flash so I went back in the house and took some shots.






















The first thing I did was use a light purple (matte) eye shadow on my eyelid and then used a darker purple and some brown at the outer corner of my eyes.

Now I got a stiff brush and then gently dabbed (did not rub) the pink glitter eye shadow. I placed it exactly where I wanted it to stay..




















I also used a shimmery blush from Sleek for my cheeks. I guess the shimmer is very subtle.




















So this is the look with my eyes opened and with the camera flash. Definitely rocking this look for my birthday.....


Feel free to drop comments

Wednesday 7 December 2011

Gifty's Daughter Sale all December (50% percent off)

So Gifty's daughter is holding a sale on their makeup products (up to 50% off). They have a very wide range of products available in Nigeria.

They were recently at the Fusion Lifestyle shopping fair in Abuja. They are based in Port- Harcourt but can deliver anywhere in Nigeria. We have been promised a website which is coming soon so you can make your orders online. To contact them you can follow them on twitter @giftysdaughter or facebook page Gifty's Daughter Beauty.


Find below a little of their products i got from the fusion fair.


Nouba eyeshadow

Swatch of the eyeshadow






























I love this eyeshadow. The red colour just glides easily into your skin. For a very dark skinned lady like me i am always in the search of colours that show on my skin. Great shadow to have for the holidays and it has some glitter in it that I love.



NYX glitter cream eyeshadow

















I don't think the season would be complete without glitter. Perfect way to bling your look for that Christmas or new year party.

NYX jumbo pencil in Milk

Swatch of NYX jumbo pencil






























NYX jumbo pencils are very creamy and glide easily which is great since the eye area is very sensitive. Comes in an array of vibrant colours. My favourite is white and black....



Beauties Factory

Swatch on my hand






























The Beauties Factory eye shadows come in an array of colours and you can have the 3 pan, 6pan and so on and so forth. The great thing about t is that you can choose whatever colours you like and in my true form i went for yellow, orange and white.lol.

The eye shadow is matte and chalky but like i was told when put over a creamy base it works just fine.


Don't forget the discounts run through out December.


feel free to drop comments

Thursday 1 December 2011

It is December......Dedicated to all busy MOMs!!!

Hi all,

This is the first day of December and in the Nigerian fashion I wish you all a happy month.... This is the festive season and everyone has to look their best including us busy moms. Right now I am growing my brows out so i can get it threaded and looking it best for Christmas.

It really can be tough having a thousand and one things to do and yet still have time for makeup application. I personally feel your pain. .

I don't go around wearing a full face of foundation everyday. This is what i have in my Makeup bag

1. MAC studio finish concealer -- This is to help even out my skin tone, i have gotten some dark spots since after my pregnancy. They have faded out and since i am not a fan of bleaching my skin i will wait till they fade naturally but for now, my concealer will do the work. I use the concealer around my mouth, under my eyes, the corners of my nose.

2. For pressed powder I use either MAC mineralize skinfinish natural (Dark) or Make-up Designory mineral powder - I use my powder brush and apply it all over my face. Also used to set the concealer.

3. Brown brow pencil

4. Mascara

5. Lip pencil and Lipstick - If you looking for lasting colour on your lips then a lipstick is a must-have in your bag. If you want to go the extra mile and look glam at all times then find the perfect red or pink lipstick for your skin tone.

People always see me and think i am fully made up and i am so sure it is my red lipstick that keeps the glam going.



Lipstick, Mascara, Pressed powder and concealer

If you are too worried about red being too bright you can use a red lip pencil all over your lips and then use a brown lipstick on top like the pic above.




plus my eyes lined,  blush and lipstick



Another way to add a little extra glam on your face could be to use a black pencil to line your eyes. Please when lining the lower side of your eyes try and stay in the inner rim and you can use a cotton bud to clean out any pencil smudges.

I have also added some blush and changed the lipstick colour. I used a red lip liner and a very bright pink lipstick .



Lip liner and clear lip gloss


Here i used red lip liner all over my mouth and then clear lip gloss.I feel my lips are already full so i am not really a fan of lip glosses.


Final tips to keep this five mins face fresh.

* Invest on blotting paper. if you are sweating first use facial tissue and dab on your skin to gently soak up the sweat then finish off with your blotting paper to remove the shine. That way you don't have to keep powdering more product on your face.

* if you use lipstick instead of lip gloss you will probably need to reapply your lipstick only after lunch (wink) instead of every 1 hour.

* Red Lipstick = Instant Glam mom ( tried and tested)......

Wishing all busy moms a glamorous month. Enjoy the festive period.

Feel free to drop comments 


Friday 25 November 2011

My Hair styles

Ever since I decided to go natural I am always looking for ways to style my hair differently. I do this especially when i am on braids. I just cannot handle having to stay with one style for 4- 6 weeks.

So here are some styles I whip out with my braids. Let me know what you think.



















I do this style when i just do not have more than 30 seconds to spend on my hair. You will see me on this style when i am going casual and the weather is not too hot.




















A side part with all the hair tucked in neatly behind. I use this when i am dressed up and going for a meeting or when i am busy applying make-up on a client. i would hate my hair flying around.



















I weave my hair into a plait and just go. i sometimes tuck it in or i pack it with a pretty ornament behind. Great for busy days i have to just work.

















My hair in a bun. I guess by now you know i am not really crazy about my hair flying around. I like to keep my hair in one place and be sure that it stays there. lol


















You would see me like this when i am probably going out for leisure. i like the casual look it gives. I use hair pins on one side of the hair.




















I am yet to go out with this style but i have been practicing on perfecting the look. here i start weaving my hair from the bottom instead of the top and neatly pin the hair to the side on the top. Maybe it would work for a red carpet event??? Will keep you all updated.

















Reminder-to-self. If  I have to rock this look for a red carpet i should give a side pose for the cameras (click click).

All this looks take me five minutes maximum to achieve..

Feel free to drop comments and let me know what you think...........

Friday 18 November 2011

Harmattan is in Abuja (brrrrrr)

The Harmattan is officially in Abuja. This is a cool dry wind that comes from the North in the dry season between November and January every year. It is our own version of winter but not as cold but can be very harsh on skin and hair not taken care of properly.

I have dry skin on my face (this is rare in Nigeria). I do not use primers to keep makeup on and i am religious about moisturising my face day and night or else dry patches form all over my face. During the harmattan you can imagine what happens!!.

Now that i have natural hair i have to think now of taking care of my hair and skin.

For my hair i have decided to add extensions and twist my hair for the period. i was not crazy about having to fix weaves. I still plan to clean my scalp regularly and use my water and coconut oil mix to spritz my hair to keep it moisturised. Before i did the twists i did the hot oil treatment on my hair and i intend to do that again immediately i have it loosened.

For this period on my face i will be using Black opal cream foundation in perfect bronze , because i like the sheen it gives my face. Since i have dry skin i am not a fan of matte looks on my face. i like the shine in the right places (forehead, cheeks,)lol.

I will also be religiously using my lip balm and i have noticed when i use it before i sleep i have practically no issues with cracked lips. For those of you in abuja, even if you have oily skin don't forget to moisturise, moisturise, moisturise and don't forget to get a one that has SPF 15.


Afro twist braids i used. texture is just like my hair




















Ready for the harmattan. 



















For those of you with oily skin enjoy the season because i know the tendency to break out is less.

Don't forget this is the best time to whip out that cream foundation when you need full coverage.


Feel free to drop comments

Tuesday 15 November 2011

New Haul: Makeup products acquired for Oct/Nov

Hi everyone. just wanted to share with you my recent acquisitions in my kit.


Sleek pout paint




















This comes in 11 colours and i have 7. By my calculation i am expecting the Peek a bloo and Cloud nine to be the first ones to get exhausted since they are used to darken and lighten colours of the other pout paint as well as lipstick in general. A little drop goes a long way.



Elf brushes




















Starting from the top that is the ELF kabuki face brush, Stipple brush, Angled eye liner brush. A Makeup Artist can never have enough brushes (LOL).



Sephora Lash application kit





















This came with a pair of scissors, tweezers(you can never have too many), a lash applicator (this is what i need to apply lashes on myself and it works!!!), 10 birchwood sticks to help set the lashes.


Threading kit

Threading kit in a bag







































My recently acquired threading kit which contains two packs of threading thread (lol, how does that sound), talcum powder (to avoid sweaty hands), tweezers (never enough), eye brow stencils, one MUA eyeshadow,  a pair of magnifying glasses ( i think i like this, i look cute in them). The magnifying glasses are to be able to see what i am doing properly when threading brows or when i start my lash extension services (watch this space). The glasses will make sure i do not strain my eyes when working.

okay so i have given you a breakdown of my additions for the month. Enjoy and have a great day.

feel free to drop comments

Monday 14 November 2011

MAKEUP - The easy way to a facelift

Makeup when properly applied gives the appearance of a facelift... (true or false?).

My answer would be TRUE and i have the pictures to prove it. I have always heard the great Makeup Artists talk about the easy face lift and after my experiment today i had no choice but to agree.

The pictures you are about to see will show one part of my face made up and the the other part completely bare.  This will show you how from a well defined brow to proper eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara application as well as blush you can have a subtle lift to your whole face.


Girls are not smiling.LOL!!






























For the half that was made up i used black opal stick foundation in perfect bronze and carob, MAC mineralize skinfinish natural in dark to set my foundation.

On my eye i used Sacha 14 colour eye palette (plum on the lid and dark brown on the outer corner) as well as black eyepencil to line the inner rim of my eyes, MUD cream mascara for my lashes. Another great way to open up your eyes are with false lashes (strip or individual).





With camera flash





























I hope you can tell the part of the face that was made up? So anytime you want to apply makeup on your face remember it is the fastest way to a great face lift so apply it properly..


Feel free to drop comments

Friday 28 October 2011

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride Look for Sacred artistry competition for October

Hey everyone. The time has come again for the Sacred Artistry competition and the theme was Halloween. Immediately i saw this i knew i was going to be doing a zombie like look and i was fascinated by Tim Burton's corpse bride. After some trial and error as well as tips from you tube videos i set on my adventure.


Just in case you have not watched this cartoon here is a pic of the original corpse bride.

Th original corpse bride















I really enjoyed this movie.



Well i did change a few things since as you can see the bride has a blueish tinge to her and i could not go blue as i am dark skinned. i hope you like my own version. My version actually scares me more than the original. LOL. i would have loved to show a breakdown of the steps but as i was working on myself i was more intent on getting the finished look.


My Version of corpse bride





















For the base i used Sacha liquid foundation in Perfect caramel (5 shades lighter than my own complexion) ad dusted it with MUD loose powder (white) to get the ashy tone. I also used Sacha concealer to block out my eyebrows and rub all over my lips to get the dull look you see in the picture.

For a tutorial i watched i saw the lady use UHU glue stick to get these patches that look like rotting skin but i was just too lazy to start searching for that. Instead of the glue stick i decided to mash white bar soap and just stick it on my face till it dried.

While waiting for it to dry i used a white eyeliner for the lower rim of my eyes to make them appear larger and black eye shadow all over the eye. After which i used liquid liner to make the spikes around my eyes, eye brow and stitches all over me.

The soap patches were now dry and i used a brown face paint to paint all over the soap. Then i used a red face paint to just give the appearance of dried blood and make the rotting face more realistic.

Not yet satisfied with the look i finally decided to use some black face paint on my lips to make the lips appear even more cracked.

This is my entry for the Sacred Artistry competition and i hope you like it.

YAY!!! I won...

Feel free to drop comments.

Thursday 27 October 2011

Bibi Natural Hair and Body butter ( My hair regimen)

Most of you know by now i carry my natural hair which is free of relaxer. I did this because i found out that being on relaxer was not working for my hair at all. Some people have a full head of relaxed hair and it works for them.

This product I am about to review is Bibi Natural Hair and Body butter which is all i use for my hair..... It is a combination of Shea butter, Almond oil and all essential oils that will make your hair flourish. Also available for purchase is pure unadulterated coconut oil (it smells heavenly too).






Hair and Body butter



















This is not your ordinary Shea butter  to those that may scoff at this. This Shea butter has been infused with, coconut, almond and olive oil and finally whipped together to create a fluffy texture that makes application to your hair or skin much easier. If you have ever tried using raw Shea butter then you know just what i am talking about.

If you ever wondered how i could keep my natural hair frizz free and easy-to-comb then wonder no more because i use Bibi Natural.



Bibi Natural pure coconut oil
























This i grabbed from the lady and friend who produces it because coconut oil has so many benefits for the hair and skin and i have searched far and wide for this. There are so many products out there claiming to be coconut oil but THIS is the real deal. Apart from the almost clear colour you can always tell by the fragrance( when you sniff this you go straight to coconut heaven). If you want to purchase this divine product it is measured in millilitres(mls).

This products are definitely a must have for any body who has natural hair out there but did i also mention that it is also a great product if you use relaxers on your hair. For relaxed hair that goes through all that heat this products will help keep your hair strong and healthy.

If you aim to have a healthy head of hair that is truly yours then this products are a must have...

To book for this products you can call Bibi Natural on 08054073992 and yes it can be shipped nationwide in Nigeria.




Disclaimer: I have not been in any way influenced to write this review as i purchased this product with my own funds.....


So feel free to drop any comments and see you at the next post...

Monday 24 October 2011

My beauty blender is HERE!!!!!!

So i have my beauty blender finally!! YAYYYY!!!!! Thanks to Kike fellow makeup artist and friend who traveled to the UK and got it at the Guru Makeup Emporium. I can't get beauty blender in Nigeria yet but hopefully soon that will be a thing of the past..i would love to distribute this sponges here.

excerpts from the website
"Now you can look like a movie star without the pricey services of a major make up artist. Introducing Beautyblender, the ultimate make up sponge applicator. Invented by top Hollywood make up artist Rea Ann Silva, Beautyblender has been created to leave you with a professional finish and a flawless complexion. Silva knows that the key to a perfect face is simple: a perfect blend. So forget your fingers or sharp-edged triangular sponges, these application methods waste make up and can leave visible streaks.
Beautyblender’s patent-pending elliptical shape makes application foolproof by allowing you to access hard-to-reach areas with stunning ease. Its suede texture is sensual to the touch and its unique curves fit the contours of your face, leaving your make up dazzling and undetectable. Beautyblender is latex free, non-allergenic and odor free."

The beauty blender wet


























I decided to use the beauty blender wet because i was using MUD cream foundation which can be too oily for our weather. To apply foundation with the beauty blender you have to use the stipple method. This means to just dab it on your face instead of swiping. That way you place the foundation exactly where you want it. 

So here i am stippling with my beauty blender and i can actually see that it does not have streaks which means that application time is much shorter than normal since i don't have to go back and blend away lines.

I also used less makeup than normal. At the end of the application i really felt like i did not have any foundation on, i just felt like my skin was flawless. All the hard to reach areas like my nose etc were just too easy.....

Let me say i am looking forward to using it on my clients and i will be ordering more....


Before



After



































I was going for the natural look to showcase the beauty blender sponge.

Face
MUD cream foundation GY2
Sacha loose powder (Perfect bronze)
Sleek contour kit (Dark)
Sleek blush (Flushed)

Eyes 
Light brown and dark brown (Sacha eyeshadow)
Lashes

Lips 
LA girl lip palette in LP8 Passion

Brows
Ardell brow powder in mink


eyes lowered

my side view showing my blush




































Beauty blender is a must have for all makeup artists. It cut down my application time and i love the flawless finish. Looking forward to the client i will be using this on. 

For more on beauty blender check www.beautyblender.net

Oops i almost forgot to mention the cleanser which cleans the sponge beautifully and has the best fragrance EVER!!!


Free free to drop comments