"Makeup begins with an inner sense which will lead to the creative transformation of the face to a distinct character."
-

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Unni Paletes - Eeasy Organization Trick

UNII Palettes are palettes that is a easy-to-use and it is a fun way to store your individual eye shadows. Some companies sell individual eyeshadow, but are oblivious to the fact that too much single eye shadows merely turn into chaos. Lucky, Unni has a magnetic bottom and each package comes with magnetic stickers where you can stick a small magnet to your eye shadows for it to adhere to the palette. Since eye shadows stick to the palette magnetically, it can be moved around. So it's perfect for traveling or taking your makeup on the go.

Unni Palette ships to US and Canada and they can fit up to 10 NYX and MAC eye shadows. The packaging is also really neat. Here are some pictures of the Unni Palettes (there are 5 colours):


Pomegranate (back view)


Twilight (front view)

Lemongrass (closed view)

Eggplant (back view)


Snow (back view)

Each palette is about $29. Right now, it's FREE SHIPPING, but limited time only. You can add any eye shadow, from any brand to the palette and it'll stay nice and organized! It can be easily slipped into your purse too. :)

More information is on their website :
http://uniicosmetics.com/index.html

Thursday, June 3, 2010

DIY: Lemon + Sugar = The Perfect Scrub


A sugar scrub is a great way to exfoliate the skin. Using lemon as one of the ingredients is even better because lemon is a natural acne fighter. It even hydrates your skin, leaving a refreshing tingle. I have personally tried this scrub, and trust me, it works wonders! It is super simple and easy to use. The ingredients, only lemon juice and sugar, are found in almost every household. So, if you have nothing to do on a Sunday night, make yourself a Lemon Scrub! Your skin will thank you ;)

Here are the steps:
1. Cleanse your face, but do not apply any toners or moisturizers
2. Turn the tap to allow a constant flow of warm water. You can splash the face with some lukewarm water, but I prefer to run a really hot stream of water and hover my face close to the sink. The purpose is to open up the pores in your skin to allow a deeper cleansing scrub.
3. Pour some lemon juice on to a cotton pad. Make it moist but do not saturate it too much! You do not want lemon juice dripping on your clothes.
4. Pour 1/2 tablespoon of sugar on to the cotton pad. Rub in the sugar, making sure that all the sugar sticks to the cotton pad.
5. Massage the cotton pad on your face. You can feel the sugars scrubbing on your face and removing those unwanted dead skin! (If you get some in your mouth, it's okay! You will just be tasting lemonade)

Here is a video tutorial to make a Lemon Sugar Scrub by Kandee the makeup artist.
:)
Happy Scrubbing!


Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The Ultimate Dark Circle Crisis- Concealer 101


Skin discolouration affects all of us at one point or another; for some people, it's a constant bother. Heredity is a cause for a lot of under eye darkness that seems to evolve into a stain! Other times, it is probably due to allergies or tiredness. For most of us, the quickest fix is a quick apply of concealer! Many have found trouble finding that one PERFECT concealer. Now, the reason you are agitating over this is probably due to the way you apply your concealer. Yes, before applying concealer, the
basics steps are fatal! When purchasing a concealer, look up reviews, consult previous buyers; but most of all, make sure to test it out!

Copyright 2009 UnderEyeCircles.org

Picking the shade!
Picking a concealer that can camouflage blue and purple tone can be tricky. The guide for concealer shade is that a green concealer reduces the appearance of redness, a purple concealer reduces the appearance of yellow tone discolourations, etc. Based on your skin tone, the shade of concealer you choose must brighten the under eye area. Therefore, the moral code is to always go a shade or two lighter than your natural skin tone.

The prep!
Many people make the mistake when applying concealer to not prep the eyes first. This is a crucial step. Why? The under eye area is a very delicate layer of skin. To the majority of women, it is usually very dehydrated. You should always prep the skin with a moisturizer or a primer. This will make the skin hydrated and will adhere to the concealer better. If your skin is dehydrated, the concealer will only look cake-y and flaky.

Texture- liquid, cream or powder??
There are all kinds of concealers out there. Liquid, cream, stick, powder, and some of the other odd ones. A liquid concealer seems to be the most popular within most women, because of its super blend able ability. Cream concealer is my personal favourite. It holds on better and provides a much better camouflage, which I find liquid lacks. Powder concealer, lastly, is a very unique formula that I am always nervous to try. Personally, I find that powder concealers are like powders, just a shade lighter. Looking up some reviews, I realize that powder concealers can be a great investment! It is lighter than normal face powder and can blend very well!

Some hits - the products that I swear by

Copyright Makeup Art Cosmetics
M.A.C. Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer
This concealer is one of the best cream concealers to treat my under eye. I use it every day! The texture is creamy and blends really well, which is surprising because it is a very opaque colour. When I first purchased this, I was wary that the color would be too strong for me. Only a small amount of product is required to create a huge difference to your skin!

Copyright: Sephora Cosmetics

Sephora Collection Concealer Palette

I use the shade on the lower right for my under eye. The formula stays on for a long time and is very silky and soft. I love this concealer more than the M.A.C one. Comparing the two that I use currently, this concealer is definitely smoother and blends better. I must say that this is one of the best concealers I have invested in!

Copyright: Smashbox Cosmetics

Photo Op Eye Brightener

This under eye brightener really brightens your eye bags. I suggest using this prior to your concealer. It hydrates your skin and leaves a really sparkly finish. Don't be frightened by the sparkles it leaves, after concealer application, no sparkles are left, only a very, very pretty glow under the eyes! It is my favourite under eye primer. A must buy!