Fixing Broken Shadows

I have been lucky enough to spared the misfortune of shattering one of my blushes, eyeshadows, or other powder products.  *knocks wood and hopes I didn't just jinx myself*

Nyx Blush in Taupe

I have, however, been able to use a powder product to the point where there is a significant amount of pan showing.  For those who don't know what pan is, it's that glorious gleam of metal that shows through when you have used a product enough to wear all the way through it.  Eventually, though, the pan gets so large that it becomes difficult to get the product onto your brush.

Whether you have a cracked or shattered powder or an overwhelming amount of pan, there's a cure, and it's an easy one.

$3 at Walmart

Here are the products you will need:


- Your powder product to be fixed (duh);
- Rubbing alcohol (91% is best, but 70% will work);
- A toothpick;
- Some paper towel; and
- a flat ended object (I use one of my makeup brushes)



Now for the fun!






First, you'll want to pulverize the product in its pan.  I use the toothpick to scrape along the edges and then use the bottom of a makeup brush to mash the powder down.  The aim is to get it to the point where there are no more chunks.  There's no right or wrong way to do this so have at 'er.

Contour pudding.  Yum!

Once you are satisfied that there are no more big chunks, pour a bit of rubbing alcohol into it.  I start with a capful and then go from there.  I haven't tried pouring a ton of alcohol into it but my theory is that it wouldn't hurt your product, it would just add to the drying time.  But that's just a theory; please don't blame me if you drown your favourite blush and it's forever maimed.

Grab your toothpick and get to mixing.  You'll know it's ready for the next step when the consistency is smooth.



Next, fold up your paper towel so that it ends up being at least four layers thick.  If it's too thin, you'll end up poking through it.  But if it's too thick, you won't be able to feel where the edge of the pan is.  Just stick with four layers, there's no need to be a paper towel cowboy.

Place the folded paper towel over the wet product and press, hard, with the flat end of a brush (or whatever object you've opted to use).  I usually start by pressing down once in the middle to distribute the product and then I work from the top left corner to the right and then down towards the bottom incrementally.

Et voila!  You can commence cheering now.

Once you're satisfied with your pressing efforts (or once your hand feels like it's about to fall off, whichever happens first), gently pull back the paper towel.  You will lose a bit of product in this process, but it's minimal.

Your product will be repressed onto the pan but will still be wet.  Leave the lid open and let the product dry.  Overnight will generally do the trick, but it will depend on the alcohol content and how much you poured in.  I tend to err on the side of caution as I don't want the product to become moldy or whatever else could happen to it if closed up while still damp.

I have used this method on a number of different products and have found that they all performed just as well after their alcohol bath as they did before.  The product does not change colour or consistency and it still applies and blends as before.  I even have a bronzer that I've repressed twice and it still works perfectly well.

So there you have it: an easy and inexpensive way to extend the life of your products or save those that you would otherwise have to throw out or replace.

Open Letter to Aspen on her 4th Birthday

*** This post has nothing to do with makeup. ***

Happy Birthday Pickle!!

First Father's Day

How are you four years-old already?!  I remember your arrival like it was just yesterday.  You came into this world with barely any vitals; it took a team of doctors to get you breathing.  But just 10 minutes later you were healthy, strong, and "the most alert baby on the ward" according to the nurses.  You haven't slowed down since.

You reached all of your milestones ahead of schedule and you've been fiercely independent since you were just a few days old when you would fight to hold your head up while we burped you.  You don't like to ask for help and will try things over and over until you get it right.  Your threshold for frustration is much higher than mine and I admire you for that.

This year we've seen your personality emerge even more and Daddy and I are so proud of the person you are.  You are helpful, kind, generous, and loving.  You are cautious but brave.  You are inquisitive, determined, and you don't put up with shenanigans.  You are also quite possibly the funniest person I know (you telling Daddy he's "exhausting" was pure gold!).  

My happy, sweet Aspen Lily

I'm sure I have forgotten some of your Aspen-isms but here are a few that stand out:

- flumb = thumb

- lasterday = yesterday

- Tatty = Daddy (when you're annoyed with him)

- 100 = you use this as a form of measurement ("lemons are 100 sour"; "I love you 100")

Infanthood and toddlerdom are well behind us and in a few short months you will no longer be a preschooler.  You are so excited to start Kindergarten and I know that you will love school.  But you going to school scares me.  I worry about other kids being mean to you.  I worry about you doubting yourself.  I worry about you becoming self-conscious.  I worry about others chipping away at your self-assurance.

I want to protect you from all of those things, and so many more, but I can't.  Negativity is an unfortunate fact of life.  To shield you from it, if I could, would be to clip your wings.  You need to experience negativity in order to learn how to choose kindness (even when it is tempting to be cruel).  You need to be challenged in order to grow.  You need to make mistakes in order to learn. It's your father's and my goal to raise you in such a way that you are up to the challenges that life will throw at you.

Aspen, aspiring makeup artist.

Aspen, there is something that I want you to know: Daddy and I will always love you.  On days when you feel all alone, we will love you.  When you feel like no one cares, we will love you.  When you've done something wrong and are afraid to tell us, we will love you.  And when you are angry with us and are convinced that we don't, we will love you.  

And on that note, my beautiful daughter, I wish you a very happy birthday and a year full of wonder, adventure, excitement, happiness, and learning ahead.

I love you 100,

Mommy

Too Faced Melted Matte Liquid Lipstick Review

Too Faced recently released their Melted Matte liquid lipsticks and being the lipstick addict that I am, I couldn't resist trying them out.  I showed incredible restraint, though, and only bought one; I expect my Medal of Fiscal Responsibility to arrive in the mail any day now.

A Beginner's Guide to Highlighting and Contouring

A mistake that I used to make was applying foundation and expecting that to make my face look a perfected version of its self.  Foundation is great for evening your complexion and covering up imperfections, however, it creates a uniform look to the skin which can leave your face looking flat and unnatural.  Enter highlighting and contouring.

The concept of highlighting and contouring is fairly straightforward: you highlight the areas that you want to make more prominent and contour the areas that you want to create the illusion of depth in.

Bronzer, highlight, blush, and contour.

Some highlighters are more shimmery than others and some are even matte.  When it comes to choosing a contour shade, I look for something with a slightly cool undertone to help mimic the look of natural shadows.  I think it's important to note that a bronzer is not always ideal for contouring with.  This is because bronzers are typically warmer in tone.  Take a look at the picture to the left: the bronzer is at the top and is a yellowy-brown.  The contour shade that I use (which is actually a blush from Nyx Cosmetics in the shade Taupe) is deeper in shade and doesn't have a yellowy base to it.

Tools of the trade

For brushes, I tend to gravitate to angled cuts for applying my bronzer and contour.  I also prefer a smaller, rounded brush for applying my highlight although a fan brush would also work well.  For blush, I like to use a tapered brush.

Personally, I like to contour the hollows of my cheeks, my temples, the sides of my nose, and my jawline so that I actually have a jawline.  When I'm feeling particularly fancy (read as: when I have extra time which is basically never), I will contour under my bottom lip to make it appear larger and across the top of my nose to add extra definition.

For highlighting, I focus on the tops of my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, and the cupid's bow of my lips.  Others may add some highlight along the sides of the chin or above the brow bone; it comes done to personal preference and the structure of your face.  I added some subtle highlight above my brows in this picture but I often leave it alone.

As with basically every other aspect of applying makeup, it is important to blend so that you do not have harsh streaks of contour or strips of highlight.  Unless, of course, you like that look.  :)

I regret not including a view from the side as that would better demonstrate the
difference.  However, if you look at my nose and my lower lip, you can see how
adding the contour shade helps to define those features.  Adding a touch of bronzer
across my forehead, keeping it close to the hairline, helps to warm my face up.

Over-lined Lips (aka commitment-free lip injections)

Hands up everyone who has ever wanted fuller-looking lips.  *raises both hands WAY up in the air*

Okay, now hands up if you don't actually want to commit to lip injections.  *this girl right here; there are just too many horrifying "after" pictures*

So what's a girl (or guy) to do?  Over-line your lips.  It's simple and the only thing you need is a lip pencil and a somewhat steady hand.

My Favourite Powder Foundation

Foundation is just what the name implies: the base (or foundation) for the rest of your makeup application.  It is available in liquid and powder and can range from sheer to full coverage.  Some leave a dewey look to your skin while others mattify.  The one you choose will depend on your skin's needs and your personal preference.

Basic Eyeshadow Tutorial

Applying eyeshadow can seem daunting, but it's not nearly as tricky as it may appear.  The key is blending.  In this post, I am  going to walk you through an easy, everyday eye look that will pair with any lip colour and any blush.  The technique can be used with any colour combination so once you get the technique down, experiment with blues and purples, etc.  Have fun with it!  Remember, it's just makeup; if you make a mistake you can literally just wipe it off and start all over.

5(ish) Minute Makeup

Okay.  Real talk.  We don't always have time in the morning to apply a full face of makeup.  Or we don't have the products.  Or we simply don't have the desire to fuss with liquid liner, blend out foundation, or line our lips.  In this video, I apply my makeup in roughly 5 minutes (a bit longer because of the sweet little pickle who came in to check out what I was doing).



This is the first makeup video I've ever done (like you couldn't tell).  I have no idea why it's such a narrow view but I was almost in tears simply trying to get the video from my phone to my computer so I'm just going to go with it.  I shot it using my Samsung Galaxy s6 Edge phone which was propped up between two rows of lipsticks.  I'm not always in frame and the angle is horribly unflattering, but hopefully you can all see past that and just focus on the products and application... not on my gajillion chins. :)



I made this video in response to a request from my friend, Andrea, who, by the way, designs amazing purses.  Seriously, check them out here.  Please feel free to leave any questions, suggestions, or requests in the comments,

Colour Theory 101

Today let's talk about first basics: colour theory.  Understanding how colours complement or contrast with each other will help you in determining what shades will work best for your particular colouring.  These are not rules that must be adhered to or the Makeup Police will drag you away; rather, these are guidelines for enhancing or concealing features as you see fit.

Is it a crime not to prime?

I've heard it said that it's a crime not to prime.  So let's talk about primers and see whether you really risk makeup persecution if you opt out of this step.

So many options!

There are a few reasons you may want to use a primer: a) to minimize the look of pores; b) to smooth your skin by filling in fine lines; c) to add radiance or to mattify your skin; and d) to help extend the wear time of your foundation.  Not all primers will accomplish all goals so you need to determine what your particular needs are and go from there.