Cleanse, Tone, and Moisturize

This week, I wanted to write a quick post on the importance of taking care of your skin. If you make time for a regular skin care regimen, you'll have a much nicer canvas to apply makeup to. So, here are the steps to take care of your face in the morning before you apply any makeup, and at night before you go to bed.

Products I Used:

• Clean & Clear Foaming Facial Cleanser
• Clean & Clear Daily Pore Toner
• Clean & Clear Oil-Free Daily Moisturizer

CT&M

1.  The first thing you need to do is clean your face, and I mean really clean it! Not just, "Oh yeah, I got some shampoo on my face in the shower, that counts, right?" It doesn't.  For this step, you can use just your hands, or a washcloth.

I use Clean & Clear products because they are reasonably priced, and they work. Also, I have sensitive skin, and this brand doesn't irritate it.

2.  Using a cotton ball or cotton pad, apply a toner to your face. Toner balances the pH level of your skin, and prepares it for moisturizing.

3.  The last step is to moisturize.  Apply moisturizer just using your hands, or a cotton ball, if you wish.  It is important to use an oil-free moisturizer, so that you don't clog your pores.

It's easy to take care of your face... SO DO IT!

Just another beautiful day, xoxo

Sinehan

Smudged Eyeliner

Sometimes, you are just too lazy for a full eye makeup look, but you still want to add a splash of color. Applying a smudged, colored eyeliner is a quick way to create a fun makeup look.

Products I used:

• Ulta Smokey Eyes eyeliner in ivy
• Clinique High Impact mascara in black (not pictured)

Usually, I use Rimmel's Exaggerate eyeliners, but for this post I decided to try out Ulta's version. It actually wears the same, so either one is a good bargain purchase!

The nice thing about these eyeliners is that they twist up easily, and they have a smudging tool attached.

1.  Start by applying the eyeliner along the lashline.

2.  Apply eyeliner to the lower lashline, stopping about halfway in.

SMUDGY TIME :D

3.  Use the smudging end of the eyeliner to smudge the eyeliner, and extend it out at the outer edge of the eye a bit more. This is done similarly to how you would use a pencil eraser, but please, be gentle and don't hurt your eyelids!

4. Finish the look with mascara.

Was this look created on purpose? Or did you fall asleep with your makeup on and just so happen to wake up looking this fabulous?

They'll never know.

Just another beautiful day, xoxo

Sinehan

Mousse Foundation

In my first post, I discussed how I rarely use actual foundation, because I don't think it's always necessary. However, I had a friend request that I go over how to apply it. This post will cover how to apply a mousse foundation to even out your skin tone.

When choosing a foundation, use the back of your hand as a color guide. This will match the closest with your face, because both areas of skin are exposed to about the same amount of light throughout the day. If you need help matching the color, you can always ask someone working in a beauty supply store for help!

Products I used:

• Ulta Extreme Wear mousse foundation in natural beige
• Foundation brush
• Physician's Formula concealers in yellow and light
• Urban Decay Naked Flushed
• Mini kabuki brush

1.  If needed, apply concealer to any blemishes, and under the eyes for dark circles.

2.  Lightly swirl your foundation brush in the mousse. Be careful not to saturate the brush with too much product.

3.  Lightly apply the foundation starting on your cheeks, then forehead and chin. Blend over entire face, paying close attention to any spots that may have excess redness, such as around the nose. 

4.  Make sure you blend downward so that you don't have a line around your jawline.

5. After the foundation is well blended, feel free to add contouring/highlighter and blush.

Just another beautiful day, xoxo

Sinehan

Dark Eyeshadow, Done Right

Don't be afraid to use black eyeshadow!

My best friend decided to do what most college girls do for Halloween: dress up as a cat.

When she asked me to do her makeup, I though it would be the perfect opportunity to write a post on how to use black eyeshadow without looking like a hooker. She was going to a concert that night, so darker makeup was appropriate.  There's a fine line between makeup for a night out and makeup for a street-walker; this should help you stay on the right side of that line.

Products I Used:

• Urban Decay Naked 2 palette
• NYX Eyeshadow Base in 03 Skin Tone
• Prestige Liquid Eyeliner in black
• Rimmel Exaggerate eyeliner in 261 Noir
• Angled eyeliner and shading brush
• Eyeshadow brush
• Clinique High Impact Mascara in black

1.  After you've applied your base, start by covering your eyelids with eyeshadow base.

2.  Apply your highlighter (I used "Bootycall") with an eyeshadow brush to the inner corner of your eyes and your brow bones (under the arch of your eyebrow).

3.  Apply a silver color (I used "verve") with an eyeshadow brush from the inside to the middle of your eyelids.

4.  Use the shading brush to apply a darker silver/grey color ("Pistol") to the outer half of your eyelids.

5.  Blend in towards mid-lid.

6.  Use your angled eyeliner brush to apply black eyeshadow ("Blackout") to the outer corners of your eyelids.

7.  Use the shading brush to blend.

8.  Use your eyeliner pencil to line your bottom lashes, and use liquid eyeliner to apply a winged line to your top lashes. Finish the look with mascara.

That's it!

Thanks for being my model, Shelby!

Just another beautiful day, xoxo

Sinehan

Crushed Blush

Traveling Woes

Over the weekend, I flew to Maryland for my birthday. Unfortunately, in the process of my luggage being handled oh so carefully, one of my favorite blushes shattered. Does that mean I have to throw the blush away and buy a new one?

NOPE!

Instead of a makeup application tutorial, this will be a makeup repair tutorial.

Products I Used:

• Maybelline FIT Me! Blush in medium nude (pictured above, broken to bits L)
• Rubbing alcohol
• Toothpick

1.  Use the toothpick to break the blush into smaller pieces.

It should look like this when you are done:

2.  Pour in a little bit of rubbing alcohol at a time, and use the toothpick to stir and smooth out the blush. Be careful not to let it overflow!

It should look like this:

3.  Let it dry over night, and your blush will be as good as new!

Crisis averted.

Just another beautiful day, xoxo

Sinehan

"Royals" Eyeshadow

I have been crazy obsessed with the song "Royals" by Lorde. Not only is the song catchy, but the makeup in the video is really fun. It's an easy look to copy, so I'll go over it in this post.

If you haven't seen the video, check it out!

We don't care. We're driving Cadillacs in our dreams.

 Products I Used:

• Urban Decay Naked 2 palette
• NYX Eyeshadow Base in 03 Skin Tone
• Eyeshadow brush
• Eyeliner brush
• Shading brush
• Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer in 261 Noir
• Eyelash curler
• Ulta Voluptuous Volume Mascara in Black

Note: For this tutorial, I have already applied my base and concealer.

1.  First, apply eyeshadow base to your eyelids.

2.  Use your eyeshadow brush to apply a light nude or pink color to your eyelids. I used the "Bootycall" color from the Naked 2 palette.

3.  Apply your eyeliner along the upper lash line, without extending past the outer corner or your eye.

4.  Next, using your eyeliner brush, make a "v" shape on the outer corner of your eye with your black eyeshadow. I used "Blackout" from the Naked 2 palette.

5.  Using your eyeliner brush, bring the shadow inward along your eyelid crease, and along your eyeliner.

6.  Use your shading brush to blend inward. You can use your eyeliner brush after to make sure the outer corner is still defined.

7.  Finish the look with some mascara, and you're done!

Note:  I curled my lashes before applying mascara to give it a more dramatic finish.

"We're better than we ever dreamed. And I'm in love with being queen."

Just another beautiful day, xoxo

Sinehan

Basic Eyeshadow

Sometimes, you want a more "done-up" look, but don't have much time beyond what it usually takes to slap on some eyeliner, mascara, and go.  In this post, I will go over a quick, two-color eyeshadow look.

Products I used:

• Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
• NYX Eyeshadow Base in 03 Skin Tone
• Eyeshadow brush
• Crease shadow brush
• Prestige Liquid Eyeliner in Black
• Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer in 261 Noir
• Eyelash curler
• Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black

Note:  As always, feel free to use drugstore substitutes for the more expensive products that I use.  Maybelline makes an "ExpertWear" line of eyeshadow duos that are quite excellent.

1.  First, cover your entire eyelid with the eyeshadow base.  This will help the shadow stay longer and give the color more consistency.

2.  Use your highlighter on both the inner corners of your eyes, as well as right underneath your brows (highlighted on one eye in picture below).  I use the "Bootycall" color from the Naked 2 Palette as my highlighter.

Note: All right, so technically this is a three color shadow, but I don't count the highlighter as a color.  You don't have to use a highlighter, but it gives the shadow a more finished look.

For my two shadow colors, I picked YDK and Busted.

3.  Next, use the lighter of the two colors, YDK, to cover from the inner corner to just past mid-lid with the eyeshadow brush (highlighted on one eye below).

4.  Using the crease brush, use the darker color for the outer corner of the eye, and blend into the crease.

5.  Finish the look with some eyeliner and mascara.

Note: I did put some eyeliner on the bottom lid, using the Rimmel pencil.  When I do my bottom liner, I go along the lash line, from the outer corner to about mid-eye.

Just another beautiful day, xoxo

Sinehan