An eyeshadow experiment that got side tracked: THE KEY TO DEWY SKIN
After watching 101 makeup tutorials by all my fav youtubers for like 3 hours this morning because I was too lazy to get out of bed and convinced myself today is a "do-nothing" day because it's a bank holiday... and it's Monday, I surprisingly felt inspired.
Having purchased the Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bon's palettes yesterday because Debenhams had 10% off, I was excited to try out my new cocoa palette, I'm an absolute sucker for browns- I probably have all the shades in my Morphe 35OM palette anyway but like mama says, "Amina, you are an absolute junkie [for makeup and skincare of course]".
So anyway, came out the shower at around midday (like I said, today is my "do absolutely- nothing" day), and I applied my usual skin care products as I do everyday, (for those of you who are interested I prep my skin with the Elemis pro collagen collection and a few Kiehls products, if you're interested please let me know), contemplating whether or not I should put makeup on seeing as it is my "Do-not-do-anything" day. But I couldn't help myself, I didn't want to wait yet another day to not use my new eyeshadow palette. So there I was smoking out all these beautiful browns in the crease of my eyes, applying a bit of shimmer to my inner corner and brow bone, because eye makeup should always be done before applying foundation, in my opinion.
Then it began. So if you want a really dewy base then you should START PAYING ATTENTION FROM HERE. WARNING: I RECOMMEND THIS AS A NIGHT TIME LOOK OR IF YOU HAVE A SPECIAL EVENT TO GO TO, THIS IS A BIT MUCH FOR EVERYDAY BUT IF YOU DON'T CARE THEN YOLO AND JUST DO IT.
Applying my Illamasqua Hydra Veil primer as I always do because to get a dewy look you need a primer that is wet and that will get a little tacky as you wait for it to dry for about 40 seconds. It also helps if you slap your cheeks while you're waiting for it to dry because for some reason I find that helps with the tackiness and you can judge best when the best time is to decide when to put foundation on (this is a tip I learned from SoniaxFyza when they replied to my makeup woes about crappy foundation application- so big thanks to them for saving my life lol). Anyway whilst slapping your cheeks, decide which foundation you want to wear. Now I wanted to wear my everyday foundation because I wasn't going anywhere (although now I wish I was because my makeup looks so amazing MashAllah if I do say so myself). I use the Milani Conceal + Perfect foundation in the shade 05- Warm Beige- which is a little on the dark side but I mix it with my Nars Sheerglow in the shade Stromboli because not only does it make the foundation a little more yellow, but it also ensure my skin doesn't dry out. My problem with the Milani foundation is that it's so matte that because I already have such dry skin (except my nose which is so bloody oily) it cracks if I don't mix it with a more runny liquid foundation.
I use 3 pumps of the Milani foundation and one pump of the Nars and that cover my entire face. For me, it is full coverage because I have such a small face, and also I don't like LOADS of foundation because I know I'll touch my face in the day and mess it up and then I'll get really aggy. Ensure everything is pumped and mixed well on the back of your hand and then dot randomly all over your face, ensure there is some around the corners of your mouth because I find these parts are very dark in comparison to cheeks.
Once that is done, take a real techniques buffing brush and dip it into the highlighter colour of the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour kit- I use the shade 2. I use quite a lot of this to achieve the dewiness (although I must say I used a bit too much)- you want to ensure that the brush is clean before you do this, and dip into the highlight colour and swipe it so the bristles are covered in glittery goodness. The brush should look white at the top. Then spray the brush with a DEWY spray, whether this be the fix plus, NYX Dewy spray or LA girl setting spray and start blending and buffing into your face with your foundation which should already be dotted on all over.
This process of blending should take you around 5 minutes. The blendier the better. The thing I love most about the Tom Ford creme palette is that it gives you this sun kissed glow which a powder highlight can never give you, it's a natural glow which makes you feel like your skin is flawless. It is my favourite Tom Ford product, so I really recommend it! Now if this is too much dew for you and it;s too glowy that you look oily then you can counter this with a transluscent powder, I recommend the Laura Mercier one because its so light and airy. But be careful if you are going to do this, you don't want to get rid of too much glow and make sure before applying powder you tap off any excess. The last thing you want is to get rid of all your hardwork!
I hope you get to try this out and give it a go! I promise you, this works.
Love A x
Flawless skin
So after recently experimenting with coconut oil as a primer (which is really good at making your skin look super dewy and avoiding any spots), I began to wonder what would happen if I used an illuminator under my foundation as a primer. This look I went for is definitely not everyday and was for a ball. I used the Soap&Glory Hocus Focus Instant Visual Flaw Softening illuminator. It's a beautiful bronzey- gold colour and looks amazing as a highlighter however it made my skin look wonderful as a primer too!
After patting that on my skin, I used the Nars All Day Luminous foundation in the shade Stromboli and I kid you not, this foundation is a must have. Any redness I had- gone. My deeply embedded dark circles and eye bags from the lack of sleep the night before- gone.
It was magic.
Completed with a golden bronze smokey eye using the Urban Decay Naked 2 Pallette (shades: half baked, foxy, chopper and snakebite) and a liquid contour using the Giorgio Armani Maestro liquid bronzer in the shade 90, I felt like molten. I've added some pictures of my makeup look for you to see for yourself how flawless this makeup really looked. These images have not been retouched, only filtered slightly (as the flash already made the pictures look edited!!) I hope you enjoy and recreate! Email me if you have any queries (aminaenquiries@gmail.com) or alternatively message me on Instagram (@amina.blogs) for any other tips or questions you might have!
Lots of love,
A x
Glam by day
I recently purchased the Anastasia Beverly Hills cream contour kit in medium, and I have to say it lives up to its reputation of being amazingly blendable and simple to use! So using this contour kit I thought why not show you how I contour my face for a day look. This look is a lot more subtle than how I would usually contour for an evening occasion, as I feel heavy make up in the day can look really wrong. But sometimes you'll find that you have to make an effort for a day event and so rather than look over the top, the products I've used for this look allow for a fresh yet glamorous feel.
(I debated with myself about uploading a photo of my contour unblended but eventually thought why not?! If you have a teeny face like me and no forehead then this is the way to go! Highlighting is going to be your priority.)
The power of blending...
AND VOILA! After curling your hair and perfecting your pout...
I've tried to use the same light for each photo to show you a true outcome, so these photos haven't been filtered.
Products used:
BEAUTY BLENDER (it's your best friend)
....
Nivea daily essentials light moisturising day cream for normal to combination skin
Foundation: Tom Ford Traceless, in 'Natural'
Highlight: Shade Banana from the Medium ABH cream contour kit and MAC pigment in 'Kitchmas'
Contour: Shades Cinnamon (as a transition shade) and Chocolate from the ABH kit. To deepen my contour I used the Diorskin Nude Tan Sun Powder in 006- Sienna
Eyebrows: ABH dipbrow pomade in Chocolate
Eyeliner: Rimmel London glam eyes liquid liner in black
Eyeshadow: I used the lightest shade in the bobbi brown bronze highlighting palette to add a little shimmer to the eyes
Lips: liner- No.7 lipliner in nude and MAC kinda sexy lipstick
If you have and questions or anything then please feel free to contact me or comment below!
A x
Being Asian, finding a good bronzer can be really difficult. Recently I purchased the Bobbi Brown shimmer brick in 'Bronze'. When I first used it, I'm going to be honest, I was quite dissapointed because I couldn't see enough of a glow.
The One
Finding the perfect foundation isn't an easy quest. I've been searching for years, and after trying out loads of samples from a variety of designer brands to drug store products, my perfect foundation has the consistency of cream and looks like silk as it melts into your skin. It's dear, but it's worth it. When you've found the one, you can't put a price on it. It'll stick with you forever, and while you still continue to experiment with new brands and new lines of foundation, Tom Ford's Traceless foundation will be a stable staple in your makeup bag. It's amazing, my favourite makeup product ever. Whenever I wear it, I am told my skin looks flawless and glowy, which is funny because I only use the smallest amount! It lasts a long time if you are reasonable with your dosage, which makes it affordable in the long term... I think of it as a neccessary investment. I'm the shade 'Natural'. Give it a go, I think it's perfect for any skin type and there are so many colours! (The pictures have been unedited and are unfiltered to show you the colour and coverage.)
A x
Fairytale Hair
Ok, so when it's summer and you're bored of sticking to a pony tail, or you feel like your bun needs to be spruced up a bit then this post is definitely for you!
Now I am no Jen Atkin, nor do I even think or consider myself a hair stylist or hair dresser in any way shape or form, but I like to experiment when I'm really bored, like most girls do and I somehow managed to create these really funky and whimsical up-do's!
The first one is Grecian goddess:
1.) wrap an elastic headband over your head with your hair out (hair can be in any parting)
2.) tuck the loose ends of your hair over and under the back of the headband (pin any loose bits of hair in place)
3.) hairspray all over & pin headband in place if it's feeling loose.
Second up-do is the fairy-bun:
1.) Part your hair in the middle so that you can leave two chunks of your hair dangling at the sides of your face & tie your hair in a pony tail with a hair band
2.) Plait the loose end of your pony tail and wrap it around the hairband to create a plaited bun, tie in place with another hair band (preferably one that matches your hair colour)
3.) plait the dangling bits of hair at the side of your face separately and bring them around & pin them to the back of your head
4.) Finally hairspray any loose frizzy bits of hair.
Enjoy!
A x
Not so falsie
Eyelashes are the second thing that can make or break your face after fleeky brows. I always get asked what mascara I use because my lashes always look voluminous and long! So I thought I would share my eyelash secret with you.
Truth is I wear 3 different mascaras of atleast 2-3 coats each, but I wait for the coats to dry before I apply the next mascara. Sorry the picture is unclear but to clarify I use:
1.) Loreal Punky Miss Manga Mascara
2.) MaxFactor Masterpiece Transform Mascara
3.) Loreal Telescopic Mascara
(In that order)
I know you could buy a designer mascara for the same price, but I find that none of them (and believe me I have tried so many) give me the same effect as these three combined! Plus most drug stores always have offers on these mascaras/ranges, so it can work out cheaper.
The picture below doesn't do any justice to my eyelashes but it's one of the clearest ones I could find! I am not wearing any falsies, it's simply the magic of mascara!
Trust me it looks way better in person!
A x
EX1
EX1 foundation has been specially designed for olive skin tones. This foundation is great for everyday wear as a little can go a long way. It has the ability to look like tinted moisturiser and it's buildabuility (i don't even know if that's a word) allows for a natural looking foundation. Tailored to the characteristics of your skin type, this foundation is a perfect alternative for everyday over using big designer foundations which are a lot more pricey.
Priced at £12.50, it's better than most drug-store products while offering some level of exclusivity through the brand name and the fact this foundation is suitably for mainly olive skin tones. It's definitely worth buying, as it acts as an everyday alternative to using expensive designer foundation (that should only be for special occasions unless you're minted)!
(I'm the shade F200.)
(I'm the shade F200.)
A x
Bobbi Bronzer.
However I find that with this bronzer you have to be generous with the application to achieve the golden dewy glow you want. This bronzer is really good if you are going for a contour look. Using the bottom three colours (and going over it with the deepest shade) creates a deep brown that I think is suitable for most olive skin tones. It can also be applied subtly if you don't like harsh contour lines. Using the upper 3 colours, I highlight the apples of my cheeks because the pinky shade allows for a blush effect- but again it is not too harsh, so your makeup looks glowy but subtle.
As the shades in the shimmer brick are highly pigmented, they're great to use as eyeshadow as well! Most of the colours are actually quite neutral when applied through 1 layer, so for an everyday subtle eye glow the colours are brilliant for all skin colours. However these shades are build-able and can be applied for evening wear too. I would say the only issue I have when applying it as an eyeshadow is that cameras tend not to pick up on the colours very well (as you can see in the images below)- but I promise in person it looks amazing.
Priced at £32.50 on the Bobbi Brown website is fair as this product works in more ways than one and lasts a really long time. It's worth investing in.
(P.S the images were taken in different lighting hence the inconsistency in the quality, I was trying to find a light that would show each feature the best!)
A x
Little bottle of gold
Organix Renewing Penetrating Moroccan Argan Oil is my favourite hair product...ever. You only need the teensiest amount and I find the best way to apply it is by massaging it into damp hair. Of course as with all oils it takes time to really notice a life changing difference. For me I noticed a difference in the texture of my hair after using it everyday for a week. I now have the hair I was once jealous of: soft, silky and strong. I can't live without it. You can purchase it from any mainstream supermarket or drugstore!
Enjoy! A x
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