Makeup Basics - The Eyes

"The eyes are the windows to the soul." I have no idea who said that or what exactly it means. I may have to do a Google search...

I was lucky enough to have a mother who taught me the art of makeup from an early enough age. I used to makeover my younger sister, Emily, and do photo shoots with her. Makeup has been in my life for what seems like a very long time, and I will never give that up.

I had the pleasure of doing my friend's makeup for her husband's homecoming, but sadly did not get a picture. She has told me on several occasions that she does not know how to do her makeup, let alone apply eye shadow properly. I decided to do a "basics" series, that will hopefully give some hints & tips on what tools are needed that will help achieve any eye shadow look you want.

 

First, brushes. I cannot put enough emphasis on using brushes to apply eye shadow. Brushes will make your life a million times easier. Brushes range anywhere from $1 to $50 and up. The most I have spent on a brush is $34, my very first foundation brush from MAC. It is still in perfect shape even though it is close to 8 years old. My cheapest brushes were $3 from Target by e.l.f. Don't you know my $3 brushes are the most amazing concealer & contour brushes ever!?! I suggest starting off with four types of brushes (pictured below):

Pencil brush. Good for lining top and bottom lash line. The "pencil" will put color exactly where you want it to go, hence perfect for lining. The one I have is by Sonia Kashuk from Target and costs about $7.

Contour brush. Use this brush to add color into your crease line. It is domed, almost like a pencil eraser in shape. I have tried using other types of brushes for my crease, but color gets all over the place or not enough is distributed evenly. The one I have is also from Target by e.l.f.brand. It is literally called "contour brush" and only costs $3!!! (There has been absolutely no shedding of the bristles and the brush stays in shape through multiple washings.)

Flat brush. My all time most favorite brush in the world is the MAC 239 shader brush. It has a tapered, rounded edge with firmer bristles. I cannot remember when I got this brush, but it has passed the test of time. I use it to pack color on my lids, get in the inner corner or brow bone for a high light. It picks up color very well and applies it smoothly. This brush costs $25 and is the one brush that I recommend most.

Fluffy brush. Good for distributing color all over the eye, (lid and brow bone). This one is the Sephora Classic Collection Crease Shadow Brush. But I hate it for in my crease, it is too big, so I use it mainly for my brow bone or to blend shadows. The cost is $16.

After you have your brushes ready, the first step is primer. Without primer, eye shadow does not stick to the lid, the colors are muted, and won't last all day. Loreal, Urban Decay, Nars, (most brands) carry an eye primer. I have currently been using Too Faced's Shadow Insurance. I squeeze some onto my pointer finger and blend it all over my eye. Let it dry for a minute or two and you're ready.

Cream, powder, long lasting, chalky, bright, nude. Eye shadow can be scary. There are so many colors from so many brands to choose from. Where to start?  First do you want to wear bright colors? Or is a more natural eye your style? Shadow preferences are different depending on the person. I personally am not afraid of color, but have learned to tone it down so I don't wind up looking like a clown. For beginners I suggest picking up a natural palette. Wet 'n' Wild has great pigmentation for very cheap. I am not a fan of Cover Girl shadows, they are chalky and don't last long. MAC has the most amazing pigmentation I have ever had in a shadow. My favorite natural eye shadow palette though, is Urban Decay's Naked 1. All of the shades can be mixed and matched together for a flawless look. There are matte shadows as well as shimmers, 12 colors in all for $52. It seems pricey, but the breakdown is just over $4 a shade.

Mascara can be scary as well. There are so many to choose from!!! I suggest CoverGirl's Clump Crusher as a basic overall amazing mascara. Not only is it around $7, the wand is amazing...I have yet to get any clumps from it and it lasts longer than and works better than most of my high end $20 - $30 mascaras. Again, mascara is a personal preference thing that you have to shop around for to find the one that you like.

Whew, that was lengthy, but I hope you found it useful. For me, makeup is trial and error. Sometimes something I had high hopes for failed for me miserably, but thank goodness for good return policies! If you don't like something you bought, don't be afraid to return it, even if it is used. Look around, read reviews if ordering from Sephora or Ulta, or watch You Tube videos on products you are interested in.

Tricky 3 (Using Urban Decay's Naked 3)

Trick is a gorgeous color in the Naked 3 palette. It's like an orangey/pinky glimmer goodness for your eyes. I watched a YouTube video this morning using Naked 3 and figured I would put my own spin on the look. If you don't know yet, Urban Decay has this whole "Naked" line of shadows, lip glosses, face powders, etc., that are geared towards the nudes. The "3" is pink nudes, soft, romantic, and pretty. I have used it a lot lately, as I am thinking of spring. In the wintertime I go a little darker with my makeup, but now that it is warming up, I am liking softer colors. Okay. Here we go....my "Tricky 3" look down below:

 
I really, really like how this turned out today. It was soft and somewhat subtle, the focus being on the eyes, but the cheeks/lips rounding it all out.

 

Do you see the shimmer? I first applied Trick on the "balls" of my eyes all the way up into the crease, patting the eyeshadow into place. (Patting a shimmer shade will help keep the glitter intact and prevent fallout.) Using Limit I took a fluffy crease brush and blended out the harsh line from Trick. Then I took a small stiff crease brush (I use ELF's $3 crease brush...it's amazing) and applied Nooner into the crease and a slight "v" on the outer corner of the eyes. I used Limit to blend a little more, up above my crease and onto my brow bone until there were no harsh lines. For the space just below my brows I used Strange as a highlight (this shade is matte and perfect for the brow highlight).

For the finishing touch, I used UD's 24/7 Liquid Liner in Smog on my top lash line, then used a dark brown eye pencil on the outer 1/2 of my lower lash line. It looked too blah, so I took a pencil brush and swept Trick on top of the brown pencil and all the way into the inner corner of the eye. Finished off with a coat of mascara and done!


Side view

Can you see the freckles on my nose?!?

The blush I have been loving lately is Mac's "Warm Soul". (Pictured above). It's a gorgeous warm, almost peachy light brown color with a slight shimmer. When I went into Mac to get a new foundation, the girl used this on me and I had to have it. I believe if I were stuck on an island, this is the blush I would want with me. You can see it on my cheeks 3 pictures above. I also used the bronzer from UD's Naked Flushed palette and a Smashbox highlighter on my cheek bones, down my nose, and on the sides of my upper face.

Above are 7 of the colors from the Naked 3 palette. I used Strange, Limit, Trick, & Nooner. For my lips, I used a Cargo Cosmetics lipstick (can't remember the shade) and a Lorac gold glitter gloss. Hope you liked today's look and thanks for reading this!

Leave me a comment with your favorite blush!

Vice 2 Neutrals/Golden Eyes

I never used to like to wear neutral eyeshadow. I thought it boring and always liked brighter colors on my eyes. Looking back at pictures, what was I thinking?!? I got the Vice 2 palette from Urban Decay for the bright colors, but have honestly used the neutrals more than anything. Now I realize that there are times when a neutral eye is better than a bright eye. Granted, I still love those bright colors, but have learned to use them as a pop instead of a full eye look. Older and wiser I suppose. (When I am brave enough I will find one or some of those old photos...)

The other main reason behind my not going full on clown with the brights: The night before my husband and I got married (rather, eloped in Vegas), he told me I look like a clown with all that nonsense on my face, specifically my eyes. For a while I quit wearing makeup all-together, but that wasn't me. I am a tried-and-true makeup addict, and honestly, I feel better (inside and outside) when my face is on.

So, here it is, yesterday's look using the Vice 2 palette, all bottom row shadows with a touch of gold glitter from MAC on the inside corners for added sparkle.

Makeup items I used:
Eyeshadow: Urban Decay's Vice 2 palette - all bottom row colors
Eyeliner: Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil - Roach (gorgeous chocolate brown with gold shimmer
                Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil - Whiskey (on water line)
Blush/Bronzer/Highlight: Urban Decay's Flushed palette
Lips: Hourglass Femme Nude lipstick - Nude #3

~You can click on any of the pictures to view larger~

Tip of the day: Glitter on the inside corner of the eye will catch the light, giving a little something extra to your look. It's definitely a personal preference, so go with what you feel comfortable with.

Leave a comment with your favorite nude eyeshadows/palettes!

Well, hello there!

You know that feeling when you take your bra off at the end of the day, and your whole body lets out a sigh of relief? That is how I feel when I take off my makeup at night (after I've taken off the V.S.) Don't get me wrong now. As much as I love washing my face, I love putting on my makeup in the morning even more. Oh, the possibilities!

Hi! My name is Stephanie, although, since the days of the late '90s chatrooms my username has been one form or another daiseygirly on anything and everything, henceforth the title of my blog. I am a "normal girl" (age 30) whose love for makeup has led to this 'diary' of sorts. I need a step away from the daily ordinary that is my life. I do not remember my mother ever leaving the house without her face done. I have taken it upon myself to try to do the same (most days anyways).

I do not call myself a makeup artist, I have no degree/certificate that pertains to the beauty industry, nor will I ever hint/pretend that I know everything. All I have are my personal opinions and thoughts on the makeup that happens into my life. That is the purpose of this blog, to share those thoughts with you! I will do that through pictures and words: daily looks, steps, products I use, and my insight into why I do/do not like a product.

My love for makeup is the reason for this new adventure. Makeup is what I like to consider my hobby. I am not into fashion, jeans & a t-shirt suffice, I cut my own hair because I refuse to spend $65 for a boy cut, and when I get my nails done, it is downstairs watching a movie (I do my own acrylics when I feel the need to glam up my hands). The one thing I spend moolah on is makeup. But I am picky, if I do not like something, I return it. I don't buy it just to have it. I hope you join me on this journey in discovering new products and rediscovering the older ones that are tucked away in my vanity's drawers!

Feel free to leave me a comment, suggestions, or your favorites, un-favorites, anything!!!