My Very First Eye Look: Neutral Eyes with Phloof and Satin Taupe

I'm back:) I know it's been only two days since my last post but it seems like I've been away for ages. I'm very overwhelmed by all the positive responses I received especially for my Eye Chart that I discussed in this post that all I want to do nowadays is to keep on blogging:)) Thank you so much for all the encouragement. Your wonderful comments make me so happy and inspired.

I am posting a look based on the eye chart so it'll will be easier for you to visualize and grasp the concept. I apologise if the color of the eyeshadows aren't very accurate because of bad lighting, I had to resort to using flash and the colors came out a bit washed out. I used MAC shades for all the eyeshadows so you can easily replicate the look if you want.

Here's what I used:

Phloof (entire lid & inner lower lashline)
Satin Taupe (crease)
Nehru (Outer V & outer lower lashline)
Wedge (blendout area)
Ricepaper (highlight and inner corner)


Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on eye pencil in Zero (tightline)
Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Black (upper lashline)
Make up Forever Aqua Liner in 23L (waterline)
YSL Faux Cils mascara

I hope you enjoyed it and stay tuned for more looks in the upcoming posts. See ya<3

My Very Own Eye Chart for Eyeshadow Placement

Hello my lovelies! I hope you are all doing good today. In this post, I will be writing about the eye chart, my very own eye chart for eyeshadow placement. This is how I basically apply my eye makeup. It may vary from one person to another because no two people have exactly the same eye shape. This is a guide for all my readers who are just starting to explore the colorful world of cosmetics.

I am warning you that the image you will be seeing below isn't very appealing to the eyes. It might  be even painful to look at by those who are artistically inclined and computer geeks among you:D Although I tried my very best to the maximum level, this is the clearest image I was able to come up with. So please bear with me...

Let's decipher this rather strange looking diagram:D

The black line just above the lower lashes is called WATERLINE. This is where I usually apply kajal/kohl. It's a very sensitive area so be careful when you're lining it. Make sure to use soft and creamy pencil eyeliner and be careful not to poke the insides of your peepers. Do avoid using black eyeliner on the waterline if you have small eyes. Instead, a white eyeliner if you're very fair or a flesh-colored/beige one if you have medium-to-dark complexion can make your eyes appear bigger and is more flattering.

The white line just below the upper lashline is the TIGHTLINE area. Many actually skip this part due to the fear of injuring their eyes. And it does look quite scary at first but it only needs getting used to. What tightlining does is it coats the area between the roots of the eyelashes with kajal/eyeliner  so they look a lot fuller. I love this trick because I have small eyes and too much eyeliner makes them look a lot smaller. It's a great way to make the eyes appear bigger. One easy way of tightlining is to look up without moving your head and just gently push the tip of the eyeliner against your upper waterline.

The yellow area near the tear duct is the inner corner of the eye. I usually apply a shimmery eyeshadow to highlight this area. It opens up the eyes instantly and makes you look more awake.

The blue line just above the tightline area is the upper lashline. This is the most common area in which eyeliner is applied. 

The purplish blue area below the waterline is the lower lashline. I extended it just a bit on the outer side because I usually smudge a dark eyeshadow on the outer two-thirds and a lighter shade towards the inner corner.

The area enclosed in green is as we all know, the lid. This is where I apply the main eyeshadow color. It's divided into three parts: the inner lid (pink), middle lid (orange), and the outer lid (gray). You don't really need to apply three different colors in these areas, unless you're aiming for a rainbow look. It's more like a gradient from a lighter color to a deeper/darker color. The darker color is usually applied on the outer lid. For starters, you can just use one shade on the entire lid until you feel more comfortable with using different colors.

The black area near the outer part of the eye is called the outer V because the shape looks like a sleeping V:) You don't believe me? Try leaning your head to your the right and you'll see the image more clearly:)) This is where I usually apply the darkest eyeshadow to emphasize the depth of the eyes, giving it a more prominent look.

Just above the middle lid and outer V is the crease area which is the brown line in the diagram. This is a very important area and identifying where it is, is sometimes very tricky especially among East and Southeast Asians. One way of determining where the crease is, is to close your eye then place a finger on it. The place where you feel the top of your eyeball is the crease. I generally apply a shade that is just a tad darker than my skintone or a darker counterpart of my chosen lid color on the crease to contour the eyes, giving it a more defined look and shape.

The pink area above the crease is the blend out area. This is where I soften the crease color so there is no harsh line or apparent demarcation of colors. I usually use a color that is closest to my skintone or a lighter shade of the main eyeshadow I used. Or a few strokes of a clean blending brush on this area is more than enough to soften the crease color.

And finally, the yellow area is the highlight. It's that area of the brow which is a bit protruding. We highlight this area with a shimmery shade or something that is close to the skintone if you're doing  a very bright look just to balance it out.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post:) See ya <3

P.S.

I need help:( If anyone among you knows a software, a website or a program that I can use to improve the appearance of my eye chart, please do let me know in the comment section. It badly needs a makeover:D Thank you so much! xoxo

My Favorite MAC Lipsticks

I am listing my must-have MAC lipsticks. You may notice that the ones I chose are neither very opaque nor too bright. These are the shades that I usually reach for all the time. These lipsticks last around 3-4 hours on me, but I notoriously lick and bite my lips frequently so they might actually last longer if you can restrain yourself:) MAC lipstick retails at 92SR/pc.

Ravishing lipstick is a beautiful peachy coral shade with a slight orange tint to it. It's very creamy and is quite opaque. It looks a bit matte with just a slight sheen. Because of its creaminess, it can sometimes accentuate dryness on the lips, so make sure that your puckers are well exfoliated and moisturized before you apply it.

 

 Ravishing


See Sheer is a sheer, lightly coraled-pink lipstick. It’s not overly sheer and does give a noticeable tint and sheen to the lips. It's a gorgeous MLBB(my lips but better) shade because it's not a boring nude, it gives your lips a bit of an oomph without being overly "done".

See Sheer

Plumful is a pinky plum/mauve with berry undertone lipstick. It's very pigmented and has a slight sheen, more like a lipstick gloss. It's my perfect "on the-go" lipstick.



Plumful

  Note: Please excuse my dry, chapped lips:D

Do tell us about your favorite lipstick/s in the comment section:)
Til the next post! See ya<3

How to deep clean and dry brushes Tutorial

Brushes are an investment every makeup lover and every aspiring make-up artist has to make. No matter which brand of brushes you use, it is a must that you keep them clean at all times. Not only will it prolong the life of your tools, but washing them properly will decrease the chances of infection that may cause blemishes and irritations on the skin. There is a plethora of make-up brush cleansers in the market and most stores that sell brushes have them in stock as well. But why pay for more when you can clean them just as well using stuff that are easily available in our own homes?

I have prepared a short tutorial about how to wash and dry brushes using Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the trusty Fairy (yes, you got it right, the dishwashing liquid). You can use any brand of EVOO and substitute any dishwashing liquid you have at home. I usually wash my brushes after every use, because I don't wear make-up on an everyday basis and I hate keeping dirty brushes. But if you can't afford the downtime of waiting the brushes to dry, make sure to wash them at least once a week to prevent bacteria from multiplying. It's also healthy to do it this way because you'll have a routine and cleaning them often ensures that you don't contaminate your eyeshadows or make-up items with dirt and different shades. We don't want any browns on our beautiful green shades, do we?

Next, let's discuss the components of our "miracle" solution. Let's start with the dishwashing liquid. If it can clean even the grimiest of plates, then for sure it can give our brushes a squeaky bath. But the soap particles in it might cause damage to the bristles, so that's where the EVOO comes in. It conditions the bristles and keeps them "healthy".

So here are the steps:
1) Put an equal amount(more or less:P) of EVOO and Fairy on a plate.

2) Wet the dirty brush and tap off excess water. Start mixing the two ingredients with the bristles and rub them off against the plate or on your palm. Keep on doing it for a minute or until it's completely free of dirt.

3) Rinse the brush doing the same motion, rubbing it against your palm. And then hold it under running water with the bristles pointing downwards, making sure that it's free of any soap residue.

4) Tap off excess water and shape the bristles according to their "original shape".

5) Fold a towel and lay the brush, put the bristles on the edge so that its shape isn't disturbed.

Note: You can use a mild baby shampoo in lieu of the EVOO-Fairy solution.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope I was able to help you with this post:) See ya<3

Urban Decay Naked Palette: Are you bold enough to handle it?

 

Probably one of the most popular palettes released by Urban Decay and a much coveted one by make-up lovers all over the world, the Naked Palette is one interesting item that a make-up junkie like me surely couldn't resist. It's been on the top-seller's list ever since its release and was always out of stock during its first few months in the market. This palette features 12 full size eyeshadows including neutral, shimmery and metallic colors. A full-size vegan shader brush and a travel size of the famous UDPP(Primer Potion) are also included in the palette.

Let's look at this beauty closely. The box is covered in a gorgeous brown velvety material and NAKED is embossed in golden letters. It definitely looks very elegant. The material of the box is not plastic. It's made of cardboard and sturdy paper materials so it's not at all flimsy and could definitely stand a fall and you can carry it with you when you travel without any fear. I have one gripe about the outer packaging though, it's a dirt magnet! To keep it looking clean and in  pristine condition, I always put it inside a ziplock bag but that doesn't stop all the dirt and lints from sticking to it.

The box is not at all big, it reminds me of a pencil box I used to have lonnnnggg ago. When you flip the top cover you will see a mirror which is really handy. There's a magnet which keeps the flip tightly in place.

And now let's discuss the gems inside the box. As I've mentioned earlier, there are 12 full size eyeshadows in this palette, which is truly a great value for your money. Here they are:

1) Virgin-a frosted beige color
2) Sin-a beautitul light, shimmery champagne shadow
3) Naked- a matte light brown color
4) Sidecar-a frosty brownish-pink color with lots of shimmer
5) Buck-a matte dark brown color, technically just the darker version of naked
6) Half-baked- a subtle, lustrous bronze shadow
7) Smog- deep coppery bronze
8) Darkhorse- darkened deep chocolate brown with shimmer
9) Toasted- a shimmery, dark pinky brown
10) Hustle-dark plummy chocolate brown with a bit of sheen
11) Creep- a grayish-black with tiny silver flecks
12) Gunmetal- a blue gray metallic color that is really gorgeous

Urban Decay has absolutely hit all the right notes with the Naked Palette. It has very wearable eyeshadows from a fresh daytime look to a sultry neutral smoky eye for a night-out. The formula is top-notch. Each shade has buttery texture and is very easy to blend. There is no glitter bomb on the shimmery eyeshadows and no disco sparkle too. This beauty is definitely a jewel in my collection.

Unfortunately, Urban Decay is not yet available in KSA:((. But you can get it online for $48+shipping fees. It's also available at Sephora outlets in Dubai for 220aed.

My 5 must-have MAC Eye Brushes

         
Brushes are great makeup tools. They can truly improve the outcome of your work. Whether you're a professional, a beginner or just another makeup addict like me, having the right tools and in this case make up brushes, is very important. There are many reasons why you should invest in brushes. First, blending is a tedious task without the bristles of a brush. It is almost impossible to achieve proper blending using your fingers or sponges. Second, brushes may seem expensive at first but with the right care, they can last you for ages, unlike sponges or those cotton-bud types that are available in market. And they're more environment-friendly because you don't throw them immediately:). Last but not the least, they are gentler unlike your fingers because they exert lesser effort against the sensitive skin around the eyes which is very prone to wrinkles and sagging. You might wonder why I chose MAC. It's because most makeup gurus refer to these brushes all the time and are somewhat used as the benchmark in the "brush industry". Of course there are other fabulous brushes by other brands but I'll talk about them in some other post. For now, let's see which MAC ones have made it to my list. Happy reading!

1) MAC 224(soft dome, tapered blending brush)
-Is a long, fluffy brush with a dome- shaped tip designed for seamless blending. (161 SR)

2) MAC 239(flat stiff,eye shading brush)

-It's a flat, slightly dome-shaped goat-hair brush. It is soft and dense to shade or blend eye shadow or emollient-based products. This brush has a tapered, rounded edge with smooth, firm, fine fibres.(139SR)



3) MAC 219(pencil brush)

-It’s a soft, fairly firm brush with densely packed bristles and shaped liked a pencil's tip, thus the name. It's designed for precision blending of color especially on the lower lashline and for smudging liners.(139SR)

4) MAC 226(small tapered blending brush)

-A limited edition brush. It is a small, slightly tapered, dome shaped brush that is especially designed for the crease. It is a fab tool especially for those who have small eyes and monolids(aka "east asian" eyelids).(Price is currently unavailable)

5) MAC 217(stiff dome, blending brush)
-My darling brush! This brush has fine, densely packed fibers that are arranged in an oval shape. It's great for packing colors, and blends colors like a dream. Definitely a must-have!(124SR)

Hope you enjoyed it! See ya<3

Ice

My Top 15 MAC Eyeshadows

A MAC store is a heaven for a make up addict like me. But with over 150 eyeshadows to choose from, not to mention the limited edition ones, choosing eyeshadows especially for newbies can be a trepidating task. I have compiled my top 15 eyeshadows so that it can serve as a guide if anyone is interested in building their own palettes. Picking only 15 is so difficult because there are so many gorgeous colors and I want to include all of them. I tried my very best to make it a variety of colors from highlighters to neutrals and to blues and greens. My list has some matte and shimmery finishes as well. All of these shadows have buttery texture, very easy to blend and have very good pigmentation. I hope you enjoy it! 

1st row L-R: Blanc type, Phloof, Ricepaper, Gorgeous Gold, Goldmine

2nd row  L-R: Silver Ring, Nehru, Black Tied, Woodwinked, Satin Taupe

3rd row L-R: Expensive Pink, Cranberry, Beautiful Iris, Humid, Freshwater

1) blanc type- a matte, very light beige color. it's great as a highlighter for a very dramatic look or an all-over lid color for a neutral look.
2) phloof- is a frost color with a bit of brownish and pinkish tinge to it. it's a gorgeous highlighter. it's also great as a lid color, i also love, LOOOOVVVVEEEE it as a highlighter on the inner corner of the eyes. It opens up the eyes instantly.
3) ricepaper-is a beautiful light shimmery peachy gold shadow. It's a gorgeous lid color and a wonderful highlighter as well.
4) gorgeous gold-a very unique and pretty greenish gold shadow.
5) goldmine- a lovely pure gold shadow, think 24k:).
6) silver ring- a medium to dark silver shadow with a bit of shimmer.
7) nehru- a matte dark color, like a cross between black and gray.
8) black tied- a true black shadow with a bit of silver sparkle.
9) woodwinked- warm,red toned brown with a metallic shine.
10) satin taupe-  a dark taupe with a hint of burgundy and a frosted finish.
11) expensive pink- a  peachy  gold color with just a tiny hint of pink.
12) cranberry-  a berried red with a frost finish.
13) beautiful iris-a soft lilac with a tiny bit of shimmer.
14) humid- greenish khaki with golden shimmer.
15) freshwater- a bright summer blue with a nice silvery sheen.

These beautiful babies are available in MAC stores. Each eyeshadow refill retails for 68SR while a single eyeshadow pan costs 86SR. The 15 pan palette costs 83SR.

What's your favorite MAC eyeshadow? See ya! <3

Ice

Welcome to my world!

Hello there!

This is my first venture into the blogging world. I'm really excited that I will be able to share my experiences, views and thoughts to all of you. I'll tackle makeup posts and reviews which is my obsession nowadays. You can also expect some reviews other than makeup of course like accessories and some random bits and pieces of everyday life.

Here's a list of what you can expect to see in the next few days:

1. My top 15 MAC eyeshadows
2. My 5 must have MAC eye brushes
3. A review of the Urban Decay Naked Palette
4. A review of Dior Shimmer Powder in Amber Diamond
5. A short tutorial/lesson on how to wash and dry your brushes

See ya! <3

Ice