How Not To Take Photos For Your Blog (Or: FUUUUUUUUU…)

Last week I did what I thought was a really pretty look for a night out so naturally, I went to snap a few photos. Of course, in blogging land, “a few photos” is at least fifty. Loading up my memory card today, I was expected to be greeted with a couple of decent pictures at least to share with you all! Er, no:

I can’t be the ONLY one that this happens to. Please tell me I’m not the only one!

Anyway, this is the ONE even half decent picture I managed to take, and I don’t know what’s going on with my massive hair, and my lipstick looks all skewwhiff.  I even edited out my spot in rage, which I don’t normally bother to do. Ah, well. *I* know it was a pretty look!

Eyes: Maybelline Color Tattoos in Pomegranate Punk and Pink Gold, OCC Loose Colour Concentrate in Triptych, Inglot neutral shadows  (can’t remember which, but matte chocolate browns), Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Perversion.
Cheeks: Beauty UK Peaches and Cream, Illamasqua Emerge
Lips: Silk Naturals Nectar

Tropical Fish Collaboration with Liza: Clownfish Lips!

Liza and I have been saying we’ll do a tropical fish collaboration together for ages and we’ve finally done it! I’m crap with fish and the only two that sprang to mind were clownfish and blue tangs (hey, I’m a Disney fan!). I’d done a Dory look a long time ago, so Liza took the blue tang and I took the clownfish!

Kyrolan Supracolor in white, MAC Gesso. Sugarpill Flamepoint, Buttercupcake, Mochi, Velocity and Lumi. Kryolan glitter in Pearlweiss. Collection2000 24/7 Extreme Liner. Make Up Store High Tech Lighter in Stardust.

I’m on a bit of a lip art kick at the moment as I find it really difficult. Keeping your mouth open for a long period of time is kind of difficult and potentially gross as well. Anyway, that aside, despite a fair few imperfections, I really like my clownfish lips! I think they’re cute and fun.

And a little step-by-step just for fun!

Thanks for reading guys – be sure to check out Liza’s look and Twitter too!

Lip Maths: Violated Film

Ugh, another Lip Maths, another very questionable blog title.



MAC Film Noir + Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Violate

I absolutely love this combination – it’s a lovely oil-on-water kind of effect. I love it when I find a nice colour to wear with Violate – it’s a surprisingly more wearable and layerable gloss than you’d think, but you know, it’s still green. I can’t wait to wear this combo out!

New Vlog: Illamasqua Favourites

The new Illamasqua collection launches today and I'm eyeing a fair few things from the line! The lovely green lipgloss in Shoot has got 'cult classic' written all over it and everyone is going nuts over the 'mini egg' polishes already - it's really hard to get indie polishes in the UK so unusual glitter finishes are pretty rare over here.

 

In light of the launch, I decided to film my favourite Illamasqua products. OK, it's mostly lip stuff, but what did you expect? My earrings which are rather rude and childish are by Gogo Philips at Topshop, FYI.

What are your Illamasqua favourites? Anything to recommend me that I can add to my horrendously long list?

My Top Five Favourite MAC Blushes

I do love me a MAC blush, I won’t lie! They don’t get as much love from me personally as they should, as they’re all kit blushes - I have four full palettes now and they’re hugely useful to me. These are my personal favourites that I like using on myself, though.

L-R:

MAC Harmony (Matte)

Everyone loves MAC Harmony – it’s a lovely contouring colour for paler skins, and it’s a pretty subtle contour on me which I really like. It does lean a little warm, but not too warm and I just find it really versatile. A MAC classic.

MAC Modern Mandarin (Satin)

From last years Tres Cheek collection, this is a beautiful bright, orange based blush. It’s got a lovely satin sheen that makes it much less scary on the cheeks. It’s just really brightening and pretty! I thought it was LE, but as of writing it’s still available on the website.

MAC Buff (Matte)

Oh Buff, how I love thee! It’s a beautifully natural colour on my cheeks when blended out. The website describes it as a “soft muted pinkish-peach,” but I see a little more brown in it. Either way, it’s a very natural, effortless and subtle colour and I use it a lot – it pretty much goes with every look.

MAC Mocha (Matte)

Ok, so Buff and Mocha look pretty similar here, but on the cheek they look much more different. MAC describes Mocha as a “soft plum-pink” and there’s certainly much more pink here than in Buff, and so does give a little more rosiness on the cheek. Again, really really easy colour to wear.

MAC Peaches (Sheertone)

I wouldn’t be being true to myself if I didn’t have a peach blusher in my MAC favourites as I have four or five in different finishes. Peaches is, as the name suggests, a straight up peach colour. I love, love, love a peach blush on my skin and this applies subtly, beautifully and really lifts my complexion. If I had to keep one MAC blush I’d be tempted by Peaches!



As you can see, I kind of prefer their more natural and neutral colours! What are your favourites MAC Blushes?

I’MPerfection: Illamasqua Inspired Dotted Liner

 

As per usual, I’ve found myself enchanted by the latest Illamasqua campaign,  and like everyone who has seen it, the spotted liner look really caught my attention and seemed really easy to do! I had to give it a try…

Eyes: Inner corner, MAC Da Bling. Liner colour, MAC Creme De Violet. Lid colour, highlight shade from MUA Pro Brow Palette. Brow Highligh, MAC Gesso. Liner, Collection200024/7 Extreme Liner. Spots on liner, Kryolan Aqua Colors.
Cheeks: Illamasqua Lover, Illamasqua Melt (lipstick, as a cheek highlight)
Lips: Illamasqua Test, Illamasqua Torture
Dark Lips: See this week’s Lip Maths!

I love, love, love how this came out! It looks like fluttery feathers. Ideally I would have used falsies, but I’ve only got ones with really thick lashbands at the moment. I didn’t want to take up too much room on the lid and for this to look like an eyeshadow and not an eyeliner look so I left it without. I don’t have many Illamasqua eye products, so I thought I’d better do Illamasqua cheeks and lips seeing as I pinched their idea! I used Illamasqua Melt lipstick as a cheek highlight and I really liked the glow it gave!I didn’t want to take this look off!

Are you excited for new Illamasqua goodies? I’m eyeing the fantastic looking blush brush!

Juxt Because: LOTD with MAC, Sleek and Illamasqua

A fairly simple, soft look for you guys today! I wore this yesterday to run some errands and go see a couple of people for drinks and then a dinner. I hadn’t done a MAC-heavy look for a long time, and Rachael had sent me some MAC stuff that day (thank you, Fairy Mac Mother!) so it felt right!

Eyes: Lid, MAC Juxt. Crease, MAC Harmony. Inner corner highlight, MAC Whisper of Gilt. Brow Highlight, MAC Gesso. Liner, Sleek Eau La La Liner in Cocoa, chocolate brown from Sleek Storm palette. Waterline, UNE Skin Glow Pencil in G02.
Cheeks: MAC Harmony, a touch of MAC Mocha and a touch of MAC Whisper of Gilt.
Face: Revlon Colorstay in Ivory, Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Emerge, Illamasqua Loose Powder in P010
Lips: Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Provoke.

I’m trying as hard as I can to use up Gesso as I think it’s a really nasty shadow – I don’t understand why people rave about it. I think I might just give up and Back 2 Mac it anyway. Seeing as I threw together this look pretty quickly, I kind of love how it came out, althought I wouldn’t use Gesso again for sure. I really, really love Illamasqua Provoke – it’s just a sheer caramel gloss, but for some reason I’m really attracted to the neutrals Illamasqua make!