My favourite contouring products

Contouring and highlighting my face has to be my favourite part of my make-up routine; from concealing to dusting some highlighter on the highest points of my face and curving out my cheekbones. All those steps take your whole make-up look to another level, structuring your face and enhancing your features - because that's what it is all supposed to be about, enhancing what you already have, your favorite particularities. Of course no one's perfect (except that model on the cover maybe?) no face is perfectly symmetrical or perfectly curved and even if that's the beauty of it all, we as human tend to see what we don't have instead of what we do have, don't we? I think balance is key, as for everything. Yes, to some extents make-up can help us be the best version of ourselves, mostly by boosting our confidence - but make-up is supposed to be fun before being anything else. So go ahead and experiment, try yourself at contouring if you haven't already, give yourself a nose job by doing so if you want to, but never forget that it is just make-up and that your best ally is your own face, use it ! Now, I could ramble about contouring and its many techniques for days but today I wanted to introduce you to some of my favourite products.

Many people like to contour with their bronzer; to me, bronzer is mainly a product to -  as the name suggests - bronze up the face, warming it up and adding back some of the color that foundation sometimes takes away. For medium to dark skin tones it's fairly easy to get away with contouring with a bronzer. However I find that for fair to light skin tones, especially cooler complexions, using a bronzer may look a bit too orange. Contouring is about sketching some shadows on your face to accentuate the curve of some of your features. To do so, the product used should mimic as much as possible a natural shadow, which is why it is usually recommended to use a cooler toned cream or powder. If you find yourself struggling at contouring with your bronzer, maybe it's because it is slightly too warm. The two products on the picture above, M.A.C Harmony blusher and Benefit Hoola bronzer are what I consider to be hybrids; they can be used to both bronze and contour, without being too orange nor too ashy. They're the perfect in-between shade that will suit most skin tones out there, even the lighter ones. If you're after an easy introduction to contouring and can't be bothered to use to different products - a bronzer and a contour shade - they I'd recommend trying out one of those two.

I do occasionally like a stronger contour, especially on nights out when the light is dimmer and more forgiving than the daylight. The next few products are definitely meant to be used for contouring, as they're much cooler in tone that the previous ones. To start with two budget-friendly products, I like to use N.Y.X blush in Taupe and Catrice eyeshadow in 350 Starlight expresso. They're both extremely pigmented and mimic a shadow incredibly well. They can however look too ashy and muddy on some people, so one thing you can do (and should do anyway) is to use your bronzer as a transition shade, like you would use a transition shade in the crease of your eye to blend any eyeshadow. That way, not only will the transition be smoother and more natural, but also you can balance out the grey tones if you need to. Next comes Illamasqua cream pigment in Hollow. This is a shade that I think would suit most skin tones, again very pigmented and easy to use because of its cream form; you can even use your fingers, say to contour your nose. The one thing I'll add is that it tends to get messy quickly - a consequence of digging your brush in it is that you'll get bristles in your products, so try to use your (clean!) fingers over brushes if you can. Last but not least, my favourite of them all; the oh-so-famous Sculpting powder from the genius behind the invention of contouring, Kevyn Aucoin. I'm sorry to say it's the most expensive one out of the bunch, but that's for a reason; it is the most universal and flattering contouring powder ever. I've never met anyone who used it and didn't like it. Even I am head over heels for this compact, and knowing how fair I am, it says a lot. It's an investment, but if you're ready to step up your contouring game, this one is an absolute winner.

I may write a post about what and how to contour and will definitely write one about highlighting so stay tuned for those ! What are your contouring powders recommendations ?


xxx

M'

How to: Deal with those dark circles

We've all been there; after hitting on "snooze" three times, it's time to rip yourself out of bed to rise and shine...ha, ain't easy is it? Early mornings are bad enough without having to helplessly stare at those nasty multicolored dark circles and deep bags under your eyes in the mirror. It is safe to assume  that most of us will need some serious help in the dark circles department daily, whether you had a late night, you're stressed out or aren't eating/drinking what you should - truth is, it's hard for everyone to get 8 hours of sleep every night anyway.  Some are lucky enough to have very few dark circles or bags - I myself do not to have to deal with bags as you can see on the above picture. May I also add that this same picture was taken this morning, as I am still on spring break, and after no less than 9 hours of sleep. I know. Trust me, you don't want to see what my dark circles look like on a regular morning, with or without bags. I'm so acquainted with the zombie eye-look that I have now developed and learned about a few techniques that I use on a daily basis - little tricks that help me look somewhat human again. Nothing ground breaking, but I thought I could share anyway.

PRIME

The priming step is crucial to me, whether it is for you face before foundation, eyelids before applying eyeshadows, or your under-eye area. You may not need any foundation primer or eyeshadow extender, but you should take the time to care for your eyes. The skin around your eye is much thinner that the rest of your face, which is primarily why you should use a separate moisturiser and invest in an eye cream (although that is controversial; I personally believe that eye cream do make a difference, but as long as you use some kind of moisturiser, I'm okay with whatever you believe to be right). It is also one of those places where the first signs of aging will be visible; you can't help growing older, but you can help to make the transition slightly easier. You don't have to invest in the most expensive anti-aging eye cream and serum out there if you don't want to or don't have the budget - but a good, basic eye cream will undoubtedly make a huge difference in the way you will look like in ten to twenty years. 

What's awesome with our generation is that more and more products are hybrids; take tinted mosturisers for example; they moisturise (obvious) while giving you a hint of coverage and, if you're lucky, even provide you with an spf. Some eye-creams can kill two birds in one stone (how horrific is that expression though?)  too: last year I was introduced to the Dermalogica Total eye Care and it has become a part of my daytime skin care routine ever since. Incredibly lightweight and easily absorbed, it has a slight peachy tint to it with some (almost) undetectable light reflecting particles - which makes it an incredible base under make-up while caring for and protecting your eye area.

If you struggle with bags or puffy eyes, an easy trick is to apply your eye cream with the back of a spoon, which you can put in the fridge overnight for optimal effects. It's easier than to grab an ice bag every morning isn't it ? Alternatively, I've seen people store their eye cream into the fridge - feel free to do whatever you feel to most comfortable with.

CORRECT

After eye bags, the trickiest part to deal with when concealing is to hide those green and purple shades. The only way to conceal them - if they're at their strongest - is to use a peachy corrector. It is well-known that pinky-peach shades are the best at concealing green and purple shades whereas yellow handles redness. What is good with correctors is that they act as an extra layer, minimising the darkest shades underneath the concealer, to let the latter do its job properly. It is an extra step, but it only takes seconds and make the world of a difference for those who really do suffer with strong dark circles - like I myself often do (heads up to extra fair people out there and those suffering with severe allergies - you know what I'm talking about). Bobbi Brown has your back in term of correctors; their range literally offers a shade to suit every skin tone and come in both a pot and a liquid form, to satisfy your preferences.

I find it best to apply corrector (especially those in a pot-creamy form) with fingers (always use your ring finger though, please! ) so the product melts into your skin with the warmth of your finger - also you really need the tiniest amount. Apply it wherever you find those green and/or purple shades, usually around your inner corner, but sometimes you can spot some tiny green veins towards your outer corner too.

CONCEAL

When you finally have those veins (*gross*) under cover, it's time to move to my personal favorite part of my entire make-up routine: concealer! On top of corrector, it truly banishes dark circles and if applied right, will keep you covered throughout the entire day. To extend the wear of your concealer, make sure not to apply too much (so it doesn't cake up, wouldn't be a good look would it?) and to set it (so it doesn't crease). For an extra glow and to look that little bit more awake, use a powder at least one shade lighter than your skin tone or even one that has light reflecting particles in it, like my well-loved Hourglass Ambient lighting Powder in Dim Light. 

Et voilà! No dark circles in the world will ever ruin your morning again (not that it should, we aren't that shallow are we eh? *guilty*)  if you follow those three easy steps carefully, I promise! 

xxx

M'

FOTD: Always Vampy

Today was one of those days I felt like having fun with my make-up. The thing with being on holiday is that you don't have to wake up early and do your make up with your eyes half closed every-damn-day (well, you don't have to do it at all really, but I know I usually do, even if I'm just going to uni). When on a break, I rarely ever wear make-up - so much that when I finally get an occasion to put some on, I get excited about the whole process again and take my time to play around with my ridiculously large collection of products. Don't judge me, it's the little things that are supposed to make us happy right? You can also notice that I took big step and cut my hair; all I'll say about it is why on earth didn't I do it sooner? 

This look's main focus is definitely the lips - oh, are we even surprised? I used one of my all-time favorite dark red, Lime crime's Velvetine in Wicked. Not only is the colour absolutely gorgeous, but the formula of those Velvetines is to die for. Due to their extra-matte finish, you do need to exfoliate your lips prior to using any of the Velvetines, as they tend to stick to dry patches - like any matte product does anyway - but they most probably have one of the most impressive staying power. You can talk, drink and eat without worrying about it getting on your teeth or rubbing off. Another major bonus point for me is that if you really need to apply another coat, say at the end of the night or if you're building up the colour, the product always applies beautifully, without getting patchy or cakey (if you've tried the Hourglass Opaque Rouge liquid lipsticks, you'll know what I mean). I've been on the hunt for this baby for quite some time, as it is hugely popular - but if you manage to get your hands on it (check out Urban Outfitters and Cocktail Cosmetics, you might be in luck) I'd highly recommend to grab it and cherish it.

I kept the eyes pretty simple, using my beloved Maybelline Color-Tattoo in On-and-On Bronze  all over the lid together with  M.A.C Brown script and Swiss Chocolate in the crease. I also pop a tiny bit of my well-used Stila Kitten eyeshadow on my inner tear duct, as always.  The base is Jouer Matte Moisture tint, M.A.C pro longwear concealer, Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting powder and Hourglass Ambient lighting powder in Diffused light. 

Happy Friday everyone, enjoy the week-end !

xxx

M'

Are limited editions worth the splurge ?

We all have something we like to collect, whether it is stamps, mugs or makeup. I obviously very much like to collect makeup in general, but I have a particular soft spot for limited editions. Now, not all limited editions are worth it, especially if you take into consideration that "limited edition" also generally means "extra pricey". M.A.C went absolutely crazy over the last couple of years, coming out with a limited edition line almost every month - you can't put up with that, plus to me it takes away the charm of the whole concept of rarity of a limited edition. My favourite limited edition lines to splurge on always have been Chanel's. Every Christmas they come out with a gorgeous line, which usually contains an eye palette and sometime a highlighter. We all know how much I like my highlighters, so of course I always have to have them, no matter their ridiculous price. Last Christmas they came out with "Camélia de Plume" which is to me the best they've ever made; I don't own or have come across anything like it before; it's a light, cool-toned champagne with both gold and silver particles in it.

Not only does the product apply like a charm and would suit pretty much any skin tone, but ohhh that design...Almost too pretty to be used really. It's seriously gorgeous, and I'll forever blame myself for not picking up a back up - I love it that much. I know some places still have a last few in stock, so if you come across a Chanel counter, I'd highly suggest you go and ask. And if you can't get your hands on it fear not, Christmas will be back again and I'm sure they'll come up with yet another beauty. Oh, and if you really feel like splurging...have a look at their spring collection - it's coming out this week and their "Jardin de Chanel" blush is to.die.for. 

                                                               This highlighter looks dashing on the top of the cheekbones

Limited editions are most definitely a splurge, but then we all need to indulge from time to time and if you take good care of your products they'll remain in your collection forever. What were your favorite limited editions? 

xxx

M'