Halloween Youtube Mix

So yeah, as I've said, I'm into theatre and theatrical makeup. So it follows that I should be posting some Halloween tutorials. Unfortunately I haven't had the time to prepare; if I'm gonna do Halloween, I'm gonna do Halloween right, damnit.

Instead, I've gathered a list of YouTube favourites I think you should try out. Enjoy!

 Playlists from year round costume/theatrical enthusiasts:

Julia Graf does mostly makeup with a passion for editorial style looks:



Kandee Johnson is a makeup artist who does lots of costuming and editorial looks:



Pixiwoo are makeup artists (Sam and Nic Chapman) who, besides being amazing, also love their editorials and costume makeup looks:



I had to make this playlist of Klair DeLys myself (She has two channels: KlairdeLysArt and KlairdeLysdotcom); she should really have one on her channel. She is an artist who does a variety of things including DIY props, editorials, every day makeup, and full costume looks. This is by no means a comprehensive playlist:


Threadbanger are a long time favourite of mine. They are amazeballs at DIY fashion and costuming:



Here are some special effects tutorials:

Miss Budget Beauty invited a guest vlogger for this one:



The Prince of Vanity stuck a pencil up his nose:



Pollyanne B zombifies her nails:



Some more costumes

Vintage or Tacky as Rosie the Riveter:



Miss Budget Beauty's Comic Book look:



Secret Life of a Bio Nerd's Mermaid costume:



And her fox costume (very timely):



And her Harley Quinn Costume (goes will with Julia Graf's Harley Quinn look):



Pollyanne B's Creepy Doll:



Mr. Kate's futuristic fairy:



Aaaand for those of you, like me, who never plan Halloween early enough, here are some last minute costumes:

MacBarbie07's Red Riding Hood with no-sew cape:



Andrea's Choice easy/last minute ideas:



Last, but not least, Daily Grace's cheap/dumb costumes:



I hope you have a fantastic Halloween! <3

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The Hunt: Clinique Anti-Blemish Solution

Formulation: liquid
Shade: 04 Fresh Vanilla
Coverage: light to medium
Special features: contains Salicylic acid for treatment of blemishes

Initial impressions: It does the job without breaking me out more, has a demi-matte texture and looks fairly natural. I was, however, disappointed by the lack of lighter warm toned shades. Shade 04 is the darkest shade I could go with but leaves me looking somewhat ashey.

Wear: Overall the wear is average but oils may soak through after a few hours, so you'll want to have something around to blot with.

Other products used: Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot, Collection Pressed Powder, Seventeen Miracle Matte Concealer Crayon, Collection Illuminating Touch, MUA Correct & Prime, Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Protective Base

Favourite method of application: I prefer a stippling or duo-fibre brush. Applying it too heavily can lead to cakiness and finger or sponge application can be hard to blend evenly. Sponges (because you always dampen your sponge, right?) also have the tendency to dilute it quite seriously.

Final opinion: This foundation accentuates dryness, so I think it's formulated with oily skin in mind. It doesn't build very well; if you have a lot of redness, you'll want to use additional products to achieve a more even skin tone. It also tends to make powders look cakey, especially when you first apply it in the morning. Avoid heavy-handedness, and don't apply your makeup just before you walk out the door.

Length of use: 5 months


Who should use this: Definitely oily girls with spot/acne problems. Us combination and dry skin girls should probably avoid.

<3

Love Me Beauty - October 2013

There's still a little bit left in the month, so despite my camera and time issues, I wanted to show you this month's Love Me Beauty box. I went with menu 2 even though I wasn't really sold on this month's offering.

Before I go on, however, I should mention the letter subscribers received recently. In it, Love Me Beauty responded to customer complaints saying, "It has come to our attention that some products dispatched in our October box from our long term partner's Lord & Berry have not met the high standards set by Lord & Berry and ourselves." As "a gesture of goodwill and apology", they've promised a full sized Lord & Berry lipstick in next month's box. 

Now this is only my third box from Love Me Beauty, but I can say that I've always liked the majority of their products, and I've been reading reviews on them for some time and it's nearly always positive. It's unfortunate they didn't notice the problem before shipping, but I admire them for responding so quickly, publicly, and personally.

I'm also new to Lord & Berry, having been introduced to them in my first box. Sadly, I don't have high praise for what I know of their products, so I wasn't surprised by my own reception of the pencil and mascara. However, I did a little googling and I found that aside from the obvious manufacturing fault that many (but not myself) found, the reviews were mixed, even contradictory. 

So I still don't think we should all condemn Lord & Berry at this point. Aside from the fact they are giving us a free product in return, the problem could simply be an easy to remediate supplier issue; these things happen. Let's just wait and see.

Lord & Berry Smudge Proof Eyeliner in Smoke: I couldn't recommend this product to anyone in good conscience. No, I didn't find the manufacturing fault, but I did find the quality of the pencil to be rather inferior. It was streaky and dragged even on the back of my hand. I also found it nearly impossible to get a decent colour payoff on my eyelid. That said, I've read at least one review in which is was described as "creamy", so it's entirely probable that more than one manufacturing fault was present in what went out in the boxes.

Lord & Berry Scuba Mascara in Black: I've only tried a couple waterproof mascaras, but this is the only one that felt like rubbing waxy chalk into my eyelids. It was absolutely dry as a bone, and I don't think I could bring myself to try it more than the once.

Balm Balm Detox Bath & Shower: What a lovely combination of essential oils! Just sniffing it brings a smile to my face. I'm saving this one for a Grumpy bath day.

Weleda Millet Nourishing Shampoo: Now, I don't normally shampoo my hair, but I put it up with a lot of hairspray recently, and my cleansing conditioner didn't remove it, so I was willing to try this out. It left me very confused. There was no lather, even when I added more, and no indication on the packaging that it shouldn't, and I didn't feel like it cleaned my hair much at all. Ouch.

Amie Morning Dew Matte-Finish Moisturiser: This is a very light moisturiser, with a very delicate fragrance. I absorbs quickly, and does leave the skin looking matte, but I felt like it left a kind of film on my skin. I'll be trying it more than just the once, though.

 

Have you tried any of these products before? What do you think of them?

<3

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Avon & Balance Me Haul

I've done maybe a little too much shopping recently, but I feel like I'm playing catch-up with the Avon products. It's also A/W offers season, and I have very little self control. Don't forget, if you're interested in any of the Avon products I mention, you can by them by clicking on the brochure link above. Without further ado...

Besides the highlighter I bought these to try out as demos, but they're all available for you to purchase in the current campaign 16. The whole bottom row of items are a giftset and I got the Antler bag on a discount with purchase. The palettes are also one set.

• Mega Mix 'N' Go Palette (pp. 22-23) - This is awesome, but I keep forgetting to use it because I keep in in the Antler bag for showing off to clients.
• Antler Cabin Bag (pp. 12-13) - Very simply and elegant bag and I love the mix of patent and matte finishes. Lots of room for stuff! I would actually consider using this as my Carry-on bag instead of my eons old backpack.
• Ideal Luminous Highlighter (not currently available) - The glitter is minimal, but sadly any glitter is too much for me :(
• Prepare to Party giftset (pp. 140-141) - love the clutch, I keep all my brushes in it these days. The lipstick comes in the colour Red 2000, which is on the scarlet side, but not too much so.

This is the Balance Me discovery box everyone has been all excited about. I'm reserving judgment until I can try these for a bit longer, but I'll admit I have high hopes for the hand cream and the face balm.

• Radiance Facial OIl
• Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm
• Super Moisterising Hand Cream
• Wonder Eye Cream
• Moisture-Rich Face Cream
• Rose Otto Body Wash
• Facial Expression Filler

One of the nice things about being an Avon rep is that I can buy from clearance every campaign; the bag and two of the lipsticks are such items. The eye makeup remover, eye brush, concealer and eye primer are gifts with purchase of the mascara in campaign 15, so the offer isn't available now.

• Conditioning Eye Makeup Remover (p. 34) - fairly good remover, but I don't think I'll get to it in ages, so I will probably give it away.
• Eyeshadow Primer (p. 34) - This is really good, it makes my MUA eyeshadow sticks really pop!
• Eyeshadow Brush with Smudger (not available in 16, ask me to order)
• Ideal Flawless Concealer Stick in Medium (p. 49) - has a really natural finish that I like, and decent coverage.
• Shine Attract Lipstick in Guava (not available in 16, ask me to order) - love love love this! Has a balmy finish, and the colour is divine. Think Bourjois Color Blast.
• Plump Pout Lipstick in Chilli (no longer available) - Now this is my kind of red! It's deep shade and has no blue in it! Yay! Can't comment on the formula yet.
• Ultra Colour Rich Matte Lipstick in Pink Cuddle (no longer available) - This is a middling to cooler nude pink shade. Sadly, I prefer a warmer one, though it's nice and I can see wearing it again.
• Cosmetic Bag with Pendant (no longer available) - ooh, isn't that an exciting description?!  It has a lovely teal interior and basketweave satin-type outside
• Mega Effects Mascara in Blackest Black (pp. 20-21)  - This reminds me exactly of Benefit's Bad Gal, only cheaper. Definitely dupe potential, and the brush is awesome. It's similar to a wand where the brush is bent 90 degrees.

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think?

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Face of the Day #1

 

I picked up brochures and orders for Avon the other day, so I thought a full Avon face was in order, well, nearly. Sorry about the baggy eyes and red flush in the photo at the bottom; I had to rush out the door after getting my face on, so this is after a few hours of walking around North Bristol. That and a particularly horrible (and by horrible I mean really lovely) friend of mine came for a visit last week and left behind her cold.

Here are the products I used:

FACE

Algenist Deep Wrinkle Minimizer - Okay, I'm the "Embrace your wrinkles!" type, but I've had this pesky smile line since forever that likes to catch all my makeup and become the centre of attention on my face. That's a no-no. So I picked this up from Space.NK to teach it a lesson, and boy does it! It doesn't make it go completely, but I'm cool with that.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer - Part of my GWP (Goodie Bag) from the recent Space.NK event, I was really excited to try this out, as I think I've just started a close relationship with Laura Mercier as a brand. I mean, since when does a whole brand just look that good on one face? This is not a silicone primer, so it felt different going on and seemed to soak straight in. The Invisible coverage foundation didn't go on as smoothly as with my Garnier primer, but it's still even and stayed put for the rest of the day.

Avon Ideal Flawless Invisible Coverage (Page 60, in Golden) - I really like this foundation. You can really see the skin through it and it feels great on. I just wish I could wear it confidently when I'm not trying to demo the brand. Soon! My skin is improving on a daily basis!

Collection Illuminating Touch Concealer (naked) - As good as they say!

Seventeen Miracle Matte Concealer Crayon (light) - Annoyingly, I could only get this in light at the time, but if I put it on under foundation, it blends well and then I only have to put the tiniest touch on after. This blends and has great coverage, but doesn't stick to the dry patches. The fact that it's matte means that it downplays the bumps, helping to create the illusion of smoother skin.

CHEEKS

Sleek Face Contour Kit (light) - Yeah, okay, this is probably my area of least confidence. I've become increasingly embarrased about the fleshiness around my chin and cheeks, and I like to think that a little subtle contouring helps. I leave my forehead alone, but add shadow to the hollows of my cheeks, under the jawline and under the chin. I left the highlighting to another product:

Avon Ideal Luminous Highlighter - This isn't available this campaign, but why not try the Illuminating Face Pearls or Luminous Finish Face Illuminator on pages 60/61. It's a lovely highlighter, which I placed at the top of the cheek  and jaw bones, but it does have a slight glitter under strong light.

Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Copper - When I bought this it went to the back of my stash, but I've recently heard it's a beauty favourite, so I dug it up for this look. Sadly, it's hard to tell the blusher from my natural flush in the pic below, but I do like the way it applies with my Real Techniques Stippling Brush and the colour is very natural, which is how I like it.

EYES

MUA Colour Blast Eyeshadow Tints in Stay and A Girl Like Me -  I use these as an inner corner highlighter and base, respectively. They go on really smoothly after warming up, and I've only seen my shadow crease once, after a very long day, when I use this as a base. Also, I think Stay is the best highlighter ever: not glittery or powdery, which irritates my eyes!

Avon True Colour Eyeshadow Duo in Healthy Glow - This colorway is only available in the Christmas Flyer (pages 18 & 19) in a giftset along with the clutch, lipstick, eyeliner and mascara in the photo above. The True Colour shadows are velvety and highly pigmented. There was no fallout and they blend like a dream. I really wanted this colourway because I tend to go with more natural eyeshadow and the colours really suit my skintone.

Avon Glimmerstick Eyeliner in Blackest Black, pg 17 - Not as black as I would like, but nice and creamy without smudging all over the place during application.

Avon SuperShock Mascara, pg 75 - This was my first go with a plastic brush and I've got no complaints, but I think I need to find some sort of mascara masterclass, because I can never seem to get on more than one coat without pulling out lashes and making it look worse. (Update: On second application, I discovered that it's best to refrain from wiggling the brush, and to roll the brush rather than blinking or pushing the brush through the lashes)  I have to admit, though, I haven't tried a lot of mascaras. Do you recommend any?

Laura Mercier Eyebrow Pencil in Brunette - I love the way this doesn't really draw on your browbone, but coats the little invisible hairs that really help make your eyebrows look elegant. I actually don't do much with my brows because otherwise they'll look a bit crazy. Just a little on the top edge and to elongate them to frame my face better.

LIPS

Laura Mercier Anti-feathering Lip Pencil in Plumberry - Best lip pencil I ever tried, honest. I gave them up ages ago because they all sucked. All of them. They smudged or were too hard, did nothing for feathering, were the wrong colour: they were evil. And then I met Laura Mercier, and Nina the makeup artist (heart!) at last week's SpaceNK event. These pencils are waxy, preventing feathering, but go on really smoothly. And Nina gave me the best tip ever: choose a pencil in your natural lip colour! I have issues with my lips going flesh-toned at the edges which makes it hard to convincingly draw an attractive lip line, but the pencil evened out the colour of my lips which make it a cinch for the lip line. I actually think this is one of my best and quickest lip jobs ever.

Avon Ultracolor Lipstick in Red 2000, pg 11 - Despite turning out to be a scarlet (I don't do pinky tones very well), I actually like this colour. Normally I prefer darker or more crimson and vermillion reds. Though i have to admit, it does rather match my lovely shade of flushed. Also this is a crazy nice formula. It's super creamy and comfortable even after a long day, not sticky, and lasts really long. I'll have to do a comparison wear test soon to show you what I mean. What creamy lipstick do you recommend that comes in a similar colour?

This is actually Lava Love on my lips here, which again looks like a great orangey-red on the stick, but more like a watermelon red on my lips.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin