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.