Alright, I admit I have a sleeping problem. I need to rectify that. From tomorrow onwards, I will not stay up all night doing... nothing. May the gods of sleep be with me from now on. But right now, I'm going to use this time for good. This is a look I do because I like an easy, glowy look in the summer. I love to glow, even though I'm an incredibly oily skinned girl. I think it's a nice look for a lazy dinner out on the patio with friends. I hope you like this look because it's a very simple one. I have a couple more complicated ones up next if you don't like this.


Tools Used:

• MAC 129 powder brush. I used this for the highlight too. As long as you don't dunk it in highlighter I find it works well for both powder and highlighter.
• MAC 217 blending brush to apply highlighter to my lids, browbone, and the bridge of my nose.
• Fingers. I'm gross for dipping my fingers into a pot concealor.
  

Make-up Used:

• Shiseido Translucent Powder.
  
• MAC Studio Finish Concealor in NW35
  
• Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Tawny used on lids and highlight
• Bobbi Brown pot rouge in Pale Pink. You'll be surprised how beautiful it is as a blush on dark skin.
• Bobbi Brown pot rouge in Velvet Plum
• Blistex
  
• L'Oreal Voluminous

Step 1:
If needed spot conceal problem areas on the face and use a tinted moisturizer. Then set with translucent powder. I wanted to let my skin show through and to really make it a quick look so I left it at translucent powder.

Step 2:
Conceal under-eye circles with the concealor of your choice. I just patted it on with my fingers. Set it with translucent powder.

Step 4:
Apply the Pale Pink pot rouge to the apple of the cheeks and blend to the temples. It's a surprisingly flattering pop of colour on my skin.

Step 5:
Pat on the Velvet Plum pot rouge to lips with fingers. It doesn't have to be precise and you don't want it to look like you put a lot of effort into it. You're basically trying to stain your lips with the lip colour. Even if you're using a similar coloured lipstick, try patting it on with your fingers to get a smudgey effect.

Step 6:
Apply blistex on top of your lip colour to give it a soft sheen and to keep lips hydrated.

Step 7:
Using the MAC 129 brush, dust highlighter lightly on the top of your cheekbones. Then take the MAC 217 brush and apply the highlighter to the center of your lids and blend out. Continue highlighting the brow bone, the bridge of the nose, and the cupid's bow.

Step 8:
Apply two coats of mascara to top lashes and one coat to bottom lashes.

I loved Jacqueline Fernandez's eye make-up in the pic I came across so I decided to endure my computer's shenanigans to bing you this tutorial.

Here's a video tutorial I made illustrating the points I mentioned in my previous post.

I had a request for a tutorial on how to apply shadow and to explain what I meant by crease, lid, etc. So here's a little explanation on the jargon.

Also, don't think I can't hear you snickering away at my primitive and sophistication-starved graphics. For some reason my computer isn't working optimally and so I can't open up too many programs. That's why I went into paint. This is the truth, plain and simple. I always have a spear made out of flint to whack you with if you disbelieve me.

The Lid:

The part contained within the yellow lines is the lid area (I think I deserve an award for this proclamation). It's pretty basic and this is where the 'main' shadow colour goes.

The Crease:

This part is where the eye socket meets the brow bone. The area that's enclosed by the lighter blue lines is bigger and I find it the easiest to manipulate without looking weird. In this area, I feather out the crease shadow and make the space designated to softening out the crease. The area is also bigger and I can get away with applying more colour here. For me, that's a good rule to follow I'm just going for the lid-crease-highlight combo.

In the area that's enclosed by the darker blue lines, I have less space to spread the crease shadow out. I like applying darker shadow in the inner crease area for different effects but if you're not familiar with it, I suggest you just familiarize yourself with your 'blending areas' first.

Blending Out:

After feathering out the crease shade in the designated areas, depending on the look, I blend the crease shade outward and inward. You can bend the crease deep into the lid or make it dip slightly into the lid shade. The same goes for the brow bone.

The Brow Bone:
This is the area under the brows and ends when it its the socket. I like to keep the shadow heaviest right under the brows and blend it into the crease.

Since there was a request for a mascara tutorial, I'm posting one. Do let me know if it was at all helpful or too basic.

Make-up used:

• Scott Barnes volumizing mascara. All I have to say is that you can close your eyes and find a better mascara. Not a big fan of this one.
• Revlon SkinLights Illuminating Wand in Medium Touch
  

Tools used:

• Shiseido lash curler. This is optional but I like to curl my lashes for extra drama.
  
• Sonia Kashuk Lash and Brow groomer. This is optional and I used it to brush my brows in place. I use it when my mascara gets clumpy but I didn't need to use it this time.
• Q-tips
  

Step 1:
Start with clean lashes. If you already have mascara on that has dried, your lashes can get very clumpy if you apply a mascara over them.


Step 2:
Curl lashes if you're going to do so.


Step 3:
Roll the mascara on a clean sheet of paper or a sturdy tissue. I find that most mascaras apply too much mascara on the first swipe and I get clumps. I like to gently take off the excess so that my coat is even and I can avoid any blobs.


Step 4:
Make a zig-zag motion from the base of the lashes to the top. For full drama, get every lash from the outer to the inner corner.



Step 5:
Be sure to get the lashes on the outer and inner corner of the eyes. You can hold your brush vertically if you need to in order to get to the hard to reach/coat lashes. Reapply mascara while it is still wet. I prefer to wait a few seconds to let the mascara set and then coat the lashes again while the mascara is still wet. I would really recommend against applying mascara when your lashes are dry because I find that the lashes don't get coated properly to get any significant result.


Step 6:
Clean up any mascara on your lids with a concealor. I dipped a q-tip in my concealor to erase a few dots of mascara I had.


Final Result:
If you have any clumps, be sure to brush them out with a lash comb. Otherwise, you're done.

For me, red lips scream glamour. Not the over-the-top screaming from the rooftops kind, but the kind where it's effortless and lets the face shine. So here's one of my favourite looks I pair up with red lipstick. While the red is very bold, I purposely kept the rest of the face very nude.

I will do a separate review of the lipstick tomorrow. For now, it is such a creamy and moisturizing lipstick that wearing it is such a treat.

Make-up used:

• CoverGirl Smoothers in medium to dark
• Besame translucent powder
• Revlon SkinLights Illuminating Wand in medium touch
• Revlon Colorstay liquid liner in black
• Maybelline XXL mascara in black
• Urban Decay Primer Potion
  
• MAC Sculpt and Shape in warm light/definitive
  
• MAC Harmony
• NARS Torrid
• NARS Albatross. This is really optional as you can use the highlighting shade from the sculpt and shape duo. I wanted to add a bit or punch to the highlight so I added this.
  
• Lancome Red Stiletto
  

Tools used:

• My fingers to apply the tinted moisturizer
• MAC 129 to apply the powder and blush
• MAC 239 to apply the highlight on the lid and the brow bone
  
• MAC 222 to apply the crease colour
• Smashbox fan brush to apply the highlighter on my cheekbones

Step 1:
I applied the tinted moisturizer, CoverGirl smoothers, with my fingers and blended it into the sides of my face. I also concealed where needed (my under-eyes).

Step 2:
I followed with translucent powder with the MAC 129 brush. I really like the brush because I like to get a lot of use out of my brushes and this one does a great job of applying powder and blush.

Step 3:
For this look, the brows have to be very groomed. I just got my eyebrows done, but if yours are unruly, tweeze away the strays and enhance them for maximum effect.

Step 4:
I patted on Primer Potion to my entire eyelid. I like using a prime that doesn't have any colour for this because I want to use the colour of my eyelids.

Step 5:
I applied the highlighting shade from the sculpt and shape duo on the entire lid with the MAC 239 brush.

Step 6:
I gave subtle definition to my crease with the contouring shade from the sculpt and shape duo and using the MAC 222 brush. Be sure to blend out the contouring shade. Don't worry if it's not a very dark crease because the look is supposed to be very natural (but better of course).

Step 7:
I applied Albatross to my brow bone and blended into the crease with the MAC 222 brush.

Step 8:
With a steady hand, I applied the Colorstay liquid liner from the inner corner of my eye to the outer edge. At the inner corner, keep the liner very thin. As you get to the middle of the eye thicken the line slightly. At the outer corner, extend the liner as far as you are comfortable. Keep the extended part of the liner thin.

Step 9:
I applied mascara to the top lashes only.

Step 10:
I added a basic brown rose blush to my cheeks from the apple of my cheeks to the temple with the MAC 129 brush. I chose a nude blush because I didn't want to overwhelm the cheeks.

Step 11:
To add a very slight pop of colour, I dipped only the top of the MAC 129 brush in torrid, tapped off the excess, and very lightly applied it on the apple of my cheeks. Be careful to keep this very subtle as it's meant to add warmth and a hint of colour.

Step 12:
I used the Smashbox fan brush to apply Albatross to the top of my cheekbones.

Step 13:
For the final touch, I didn't want to use a lip liner or gloss. I applied Red Stiletto to my lips. You can use a lip brush for precision if you like but I was a bit too lazy for this.

I started to take off the make-up from the founation tutorial when I decided to do a very spring-y, colourful look. I took off a bit of the make-up I already had from the foundation tutorial so forgive the angry blemish. Also, my eyebrows desperately need grooming but I'm too lazy to get them done or to tidy them up for now. Feel free to substitute any of the products I used for similar colours from other brands.

I find this look very wearable and not very dramatic. Let me know what you think.


Make-up used:

• Nixie Natural Finish Founation/Oil Free
• Besame translucent powder
• Benefit Moon Beam
• Revlon Colorstay kohl pencil in black
• Revlon Skinlights Illuminating Wand in Medium Touch. I adore this concealor an hate Revlon for discontinuing it.
  
• Urban Decay Primer Potion. This is one of my favourite primers.
  
• Nixie Mineral Eye Shadow in Nixie.
  
• Urban Decay Secret Service. This is a matte medium brown for the crease.
  
• LORAC Moonstone to highlight on the browbone. This is a shimmery champagne.
• Bobbi Brown blush in Spice. This is a cinnamon/amber shade.
• Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss in Flash. This is a sheer tangerine that is not scary.
• Maybelline XXL mascara

Tools used:

• MAC 239 brush to apply shadow on the lid
• MAC 222 brush to apply the crease shade and blend it out. I also used it to apply shadow the brow bone
• MAC 187 brush to apply foundation
• MAC 242 brush to apply concealor
• Scott Barnes angled blush brush to apply, hold your breath, blush
  
• Scott Barnes flatliner brush to apply shadow on the lower lash line
  
• MAC 129 brush to apply powder. Alternatively, you can use this for blush.

Step 1:
Apply foundation, concealor, powder, and if you want highlighter. See the foundation tutorial if necessary.

Step 2:
Tap the Primer Potion on your lids.

Step 3:
Apply Nixie very sheerly on the lid. I didn't want to pack on the colour and kept it soft and fresh.

Step 4:
Apply Secret Service in the crease and blend into the Nixie and into the brow bone.

Step 5:
Apply Moonstone on the brow bone and blend into the crease.

Step 6:
Rim the entire bottom lash line with Nixie. Line the outer fourth of the lower lash line with Secret Service. Blend the to colours.

Step 7:
Make a thin line with the black kohl pencil starting from the inner edge of the pupil to the outer corner of the eye. Do not extend the line any further. Apply the kohl pencil lightly on the outer third of the lower lash line.

Step 8:
Curl lashes if necessary and apply mascara on top and bottom lashes.

Step 9:
Apply blush on the apply of the cheek and follow through to the temple (refer to the blush tutorial if needed).

Step 10:
Apply Pixel to finish the look. I applied it fairly sheerly because I didn't want to overwhelm the look.

I know this is very basic but someone asked me for such a tutorial a long time ago. It was so long ago that I'm ashamed to tell you when exactly that was. I'm something of an anti-foundation person as I don't wear it in daily life. However, I recently got samples of 2 foundations for which I will do a review of soon. In the process I figured why not add a tutorial while I'm at it.

Take note, I'm having some "peeling issues" along my hairline so that's why it might seem to be darker or patchy there. It's from a skincare thing I'm trying out. GREAT results but the peeling around the hairline is annoying. I will post about this more elaborately.

Basics:

• Determine what kind of a finish you and what coverage you want. Factor in whether you are going to use a concealor or not. You might be able to go lighter on the coverage if you're going to use a concealor.
• For hyperpigmentation from acne scars, you can usually erase their appearance temporarily with concealor and foundation. For blemishes that are still alive and thriving (like mine), I like to first cover with a concealer first that matches the skin tone, then apply foundation, and touch up if necessary. For pitted scars, I can do a tutorial because I find that it is easier to show step by step what to do.
• Figure out what your undertones are and what undertones in foundation suit you best. I know some very fair desi women who have pink cheeks and so assume that their undertones are pink. Look at the face as a whole. Determine what undertones are overwhelmingly present and use that as a starting point to choose your foundation. My undertones are very olive/yellow and so I would look for a foundation that would complement that.
  
• On me, too much yellow in foundation looks horrible and mask like. I would ideally look for a foundation that is more balanced that only yellow undertones. For me, it is necessary that there be olive in the formulation too. Try to see what balance is necessary to look natural on your skintone.
• Walk around for a day with the foundation you're interested in to see whether it oxidizes and how it looks during the day. When foundation oxidizes, it becomes darker and you're left with very obvious looking foundation
  

Make-up used:

• Nixie Natural Finish Foundation/Oil Free (test driving this for you ladies)
• Besame translucent powder. Basically what you need is powder to set the make-up.
  
• Revlon Skinlights Illuminating Wand in Medium Touch. Sadly, this concealor is discontinued. Pity since it matched my skintone perfectly and conceals dark circles and blemishes very well. I found mine at Big Lots for $2 a few weeks ago so they are still on this planet.
• Benefit Moon Beam. I like the soft, dewy look and I love this highlighter for it. You can skip this step if you want. What I like about the Moon Beam is that the glow is soft and understated. No discoball effect, just a dewy finish.

Tools used:

• MAC 242 brush. I use this to apply concealor on blemishes and sometimes on under-eyes too. I prefer using my fingers to pat the concealor on my under-eyes.
  
• MAC 187 brush. I use this for foundation as you need very, very little. It spreads the foundation evenly and in a very thin layer so you get a natural, 'my skin is shining through' look. This brush allows a very controlled level of application so you can layer foundation if necessary. You can find stippling brushes from other brands too that are quite good.
• MAC 129 brush. I use this for powder and when needed for blush.
  

Step 1:
I always recommend patting on some eye cream and moisturizer first. If you want, you can use a primer on top of that. I'm going to start with concealing the most obvious problem I have: my under-eye circles. I apply my concealor on the inner corner of my eye, on the sides of my nose, and along the lower eyelid. If you want, you can apply some on the top lid too. I prefer to leave that be because I will use primer and shadow on my lid anyway.
Step 2:
I like to use my fingers to tap the concealor gently on my under-eyes and blend it into the surrounding areas. Be careful not to tug at your under-eyes and to make a tapping motion to spread the concealor. I find the MAC 242 works very well for this purpose too.

Initial Result
The concealor is blended into the under-eyes and the surrounding area. It's very close to my skintone. If your concealor is not sensationally lighter than your skin tone but if it's a bit off, foundation will fix that.

Step 3:
If you have any active blemishes (mine has been alive and thriving for the past 1 1/2 months just So you know) or a lot of hyperpigmentation, mask them with a concealor that matches you skin tone. This is why I love the Revlon skinlights concealor. It does such a good jod with my under-eyes and any blemishes.
Before:

After:

Step 4:
Apply a few dots of foundation on the forehead, cheeks, nose, chin, and on the outer bridge of the nose near your eyes. Remember, you can always add more foundation later so it's better to do it by layers. You might find out that you don't need so much after all.


Step 5:
I blended the foundation out by making small circular movements with the MAC 187. I find that circular movements give the best results with a stippling brush because they spread the foundation more seamlessly.

Step 6:
If necessary, add some extra concealor on persistent blemishes to neutralize them (I like the sound of neutralizing them. sounds very "this is the CIA and we need to kill this blemish. Ok, I just realized how lame that comment was). Blend the edges into the foundation.


Step 7:
I like to add a glow which is very soft. If you want to skip this step, do so by all means. I applied Moon Beam on the bridge of my nose (very lightly), on top of my cheekbones to my temple, on the brow bone and followed the curve of my eyebrows all the way to the highlighter on the cheekbone, and on my cupid's bow.


Step 8:
I blended the Moon Beam with my fingers.

Step 9:
I dipped my powder brush in my translucent powder, tapped off the excess, and applied a thin layer over the foundation to set it.



Step 10:
Don't forget to set the concealor on the under-eyes with powder. You can also use an eyeshadow brush for more precise application.

Final Result:
See, that wasn't so hard. It looks very natural I think.

This is a very easy and quick tutorial on how to emphasize your brows. The method is great even if you have a strays that need to be tweezed like I do. It does a great job of defining your brows and making them look immaculate.

Make-up Used

• Revlon Skinlights IllusionWand in Medium Touch. What you need is a concealor that blends in with your skin perfectly. You can also use a slightly lighter concealor on the bottom of the brows. A wand or stick concealor is really handy for this technique but you can use a brush to apply concealor from a pot.
  
• MAC Stud eyebrow pencil. You will need an eyebrow pencil that suits your brows.

Tools Used:

• My fingers. Alternatively you can also use a concealor brush or even a q-tip.
• A spoolie brush.
  

Step 1:
Brush your eyebrows into pace with a spoolie brush. I grow really long antennae like hairs at the inner corner of my brows, so if you suffer form this trim the long hairs that spike up.

Step 2:
Apply concealor along the upper and lower edges of your brows. Make sure to apply the concealor as close to the hairline as possible.

Step 3:
Blend the concealor on the upper hairline outward. Don't start near the eyebrow-hairline, rather start at the outer edge of the area where you applied concealor. If the concealor is very obvious at the eyebrow-hairline gentle tap to blend it in. You don't want to blend the concealor away completely there. Make sure there is a subtle gradation of concealor from the eyebrow-hairline outward.

Step 4:
Tap the concealor on the lower hairine outward. The same thing applies here and you want to blend from the outer edge of the area with concealor. Gently tap away too much concealor at the hairline but do not blend it all away so that nothing remains.

Step 5:
Go over the natural shape of your eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil. Keep the strokes short and light. If you hairs are slightly more sparse in the inner corner of your brows, don't fill them in completely. Rather, darken the area slightly so that it doesn't look too harsh. Brush your brows with a spoolie brush when you are done. This softens the brow pencil, blends your brows and the brow pencil together, and makes the result look more natural.

So here I am again with a full face look. I like using a cream eyeshadow and then top it off with a similar coloured powder eyeshadow. This helps hold the shadow longer, stop creasing, and intensify the colour. I like using medium grays and one darker gray as an accent. Also, feel free to substitute the products I'm using with similar shades from other brands. The blush I used in this look was a limited release for a collection that came out last year. If you're looking for it, you can still find it on ebay and at outlets (at a much nicer price too).




Make-up used:

• Besame translucent powder
• Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow in Galaxy
• Tarte The Real McCoy eyeshadow
• MAC Knight Divine eyeshadow
• Hard Candy Buttered Popcorn powder eyeshadow. Again, the crappiest brow highlight out there, but I was too lazy to dig into my stash for another shade.
  
• Bobbi Brown Espresso Ink gel liner. For this look, I think a simple pencil liner would actually be the easiest option. I used a gel liner because... well, I'm a predictable creature who clings to her habits.
• Cover Girl Lash Blast mascara
  
• Bobbi Brown Pink Rose
• Bare Escentuals Wearable Rose lip liner
• Bare Escentuals Wearable Rose lip gloss

Tools used:

• MAC 129 brush to apply the translucent powder
  
• MAC 242 brush to pat on the cream shadow
• MAC 239 brush to apply the powder eyeshadow
• MAC 222 brush to apply the crease colour
• MAC 219 brush to line my lower lid with the crease colour and to smudge the gel liner
• Windsor and Newton angeled brush for applying the gel liner
  
• Bobbi Brown Face Blender brush to apply the blush

Step 1:
I didn't use any tinted moisturizer, complexion enhancer, foundation etc. for this look. However, if you want to use something to even out your skintone, I'd recommend a light tinted moisturizer. Keep the skin looking as natural as possible. Then apply translucent powder to set your make-up.

Step 2:
With the 242 brush, pat on the Bobbi Brown Galaxy cream shadow on the lid.

Step 3:
Apply Tarte's The Real McCoy on top of the Galaxy cream shadow with the 239 brush.

Step 4:
Define the crease by applying the MAC Knight Divine eyeshadow in the crease with the 222 brush. Blend out the crease colour with the same brush.

Step 5:
Line your lower lash line with Knight Divine using the 219 brush. Keep it as close to the lash line as possible. You don't want to make the line too thick or it will look too raccoon-eyed otherwise.

Step 6:
Apply the Bobbi Brown Espresso Ink gel liner with the angeled liner brush. On the top lid, make the line of medium thickness and on the lower lid make the liner very thin. You can line your lower waterline if you feel comfortable doing so.

Step 7:
Make sure the 219 brush is clean and blend out the liner on the top and bottom lid until you have a smoky result. If you want a little extra definition, you can line your top lash line as close to the lash line as possible (make sure the liner is not too obvious since you want it to look soft and smoky).

Step 8:
Blend the brow highlight on the brow bone and into the crease with the 239 brush.

Step 9:
Curl your lashes if you need and generously coat your upper and lower lashes with the Cover Girl Last Blast mascara.

Step 10:
Smile and apply the Bobbi Brown Pink Rose blush with the Face Blender brush on the apple of the cheek. Blend out towards the temple. Since the eyes are fairly dark, you want to make the blush subtle so be sure to use a light hand.

Step 11:
Line your lips with the Bare Escentuals Wearable Rose lip liner.

Step 12:
Finish the look by applying the Bare Escentuals Wearable Rose lip gloss.

I decided to put up an entire face tutorial/look. Don't ask me how I gathered the courage to put my pic here, but since many liked this rather simple look that I did, I took the plunge. Please link to the page rather than copy the image (I will take down the pic if this turns out to be a fiasco).

This tutorial is rather basic except the liner might need a bit more deftness than usual. Overall, it's a fairly easy look that's a bit on the dramatic side. I am using this as a testing ground to see whether full face looks/tutorials will be helpful or not. Let me know what you think.


Make-up used:

• Yves Saint Laurent Complexion Enhancer #5. This isn't a foundation or a tinted moisturizer so it doesn't provide coverage. It does diffuse the light and gives me a polished and soft glow. Feel free to use the tinted moisturizer or any kind of complexion enhancer of your choice.
  
• Besame Translucent Powder. Any good translucent powder will do.
• MAC Cafe Matte lipstick.
• NARS Turkish Red cream blush
• Urban Decay Primer Potion. Feel free to use your favourite primer as Primer Potion can be a bit difficult to blend with.
• Tarte Here's Looking at You eye shadow on the lid
• MAC Mulch eye shadow in the crease
• MAC Blacktrack fluidline
• Cover Girl Lash Blast mascara
• Benefit High Beam to highlight
  

Tools used:

• MAC 188 stipling brush to put on the complexion enhancer and translucent powder
• MAC 239 for application of the shadow on the lid
• MAC 217 for blending in the crease shade
• Windsor and Newton angeled brush for applying the fluidline

Step 1:
Apply the complexion enhancer with MAC 188 by stipling it on first and then using small circular motions to buff it into your skin.

Step 2:
Apply a thin layer of translucent powder with the MAC 188.

Step 3:
Prep your lids with Primer Potion and let it dry. If you find blending very hard with this primer, I suggest applying some translucent powder over it so that it is easier to blend different shadows.

Step 4:
Apply Tarte Here's Looking at You on the lid with the MAC 239.

Step 5:
Define the crease and the outer corner of the eyelid with MAC Mulch eye shadow. I used benefit High beam to highlight my eyes, but if you want to add some extra oomph, blend in the shadow highlight of your choice on the browbone and into the crease.

Step 6:
Line your eyes with Blacktrack along the lower and upper lashline. Make the line on the top lid thin and starting short of the inner corner and make the line thicker as you get to the outer corner. Extend the liner slightly past the outer corners and connect the liner on the bottom lash line to the extend part of the liner (on the top lash line).

Step 7:
Apply a generous coating of mascara but be careful to comb out clumps with a spoolie brush.

Step 8:
Pat NARS Turkish Red on the apple of the cheeks and blend along the cheekbones to the temples.

Step 9:
Fill your lips with MAC Cafe Matte lipstick.

Step 10:
Dot Benefit High Beam along the top of the cheekbones, along the bridge of the nose, on the browbones, on your cupid's bow. Blend it out by patting it out and thereby making it a sheer sheen.

I was playing around with the few shadows that I had brought along with me on vacation and I did this basic look that I quite liked. I will post more intense looks soon, but for now I hope you like it. Also, you can use similar colours from other brands. I did list everything I used without forgetting even one product. It's a proud moment for someone who once forgot her books at home and went to school with an empty bag. Again, these are all true stories.

This is the final look:




The brushes I used:

• MAC 239 brush. If you have an eyeshadow brush you like to basically apply shadow on the lid with, you can always use that instead.
• MAC 219 brush. I used this for the crease, smudging, and blending. Again, if you have a different brush you prefer, go ahead with that one.
• Windsor & Newton 1/8 inch angeled brush. I used this for the gel liner.

The make-up I used:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• NYC loose translucent powder
  
• MAC Beautiful Iris shadow.
  
• MAC Satin Taupe shadow.
  
• MAC Carbon shadow. I think any non-glittery or non-shimmery shadow would suffice.
  
• MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
• Hard Candy Buttered Popcorn. I used this to highlight, but I really don't recommend it. It's an awful shadow but it was the only one I had on me for the job.
• CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara

Step 1:
I patted on the Primer Potion on my lids and waited for it to dry (about a minute is fine if you ask me).

Step 2:
I applied a very thin dusting of translucent powder over my lids. I find that Primer Potion makes bending difficult. A thin veil of translucent powder helps me blend my shadows better without adding any danger of my shadows creasing.

Step 3:
I applied Beautiful Iris from lashline to crease.

Step 4:
I applied Carbon in the outer "v" and along the lash line.

Step 5:
I then applied Satin Taupe over the Carbon and blended it into the crease. I applied the shadow all the way into the inner part of the crease, right above the beginning of the eye. Make sure to blend the Satin Taupe into the Beautiful Iris, especially at the inner corner. I also apply less on the inner corner of the eye.

Step 6:
If necessary, add drama at the outer edge with Carbon. Make sure to blend it well into so it doesn't look like a bunch of black shadow.

Step 7:
I applied Blacktrack along my lower and upper lashline. I lined my lower waterline and on my upper lashline, I made the line fairly thin. I blended out the Blacktrack on both lashlines with the 219 brush. You could use a q-tip for this too.

Step 8:
I again applied Satin Taupe over the smudged liner on the top and bottom lashes.

Step 9:
I applied Beautiful Iris on the first 1/3 of the lower lashline, starting from the inner corner.

Step 10:
I added some highlight with Buttered Popcorn on my brow bone and on the inner corner (I told you I didn't like this shadow. It only gives a hint of colour and some glitter that falls everywhere).

Step 11:
I applied a bit of Lash Blast mascara and voila, we're done.

I know a girl who threads her own eyebrows by using her feet to hold the thread. That's how she described it to me. Ever since then, I've been experimenting and although I haven't actually threaded my own eyebrows, I've become fascinated at how I can mummify my own foot with thread alone. However, I can thread my own upper lip and other such densely forested areas. Forgive the pictures, lighting was not my friend. Lots of excessive shadows and a bit dim if you ask me, but otherwise I can't get the thread to show up in the pics.

What I used:

• Pure cotton thread.
  

Step 1:Cut off some thread. Try seeing how much thread you are comfortable handling beforehand. Try lassoing your hand with the thread so to speak, so that you have the thread around your hands and have enough thread in between your hands that you can keep them at a comfortable distance. I don't like to have the length of the thread be too long since it becomes hard to maneuver,.

Step 2:Tie the ends of the thread together.

Step 3:Place the ring of thread around your the thumb and the rest of the fingers of each hand and twist it a few times. I like to do that around 5 or 6 times. Too few twists won't get rid of hair properly and too many makes it hard to thread as well.

Step 4:
Place the thread on the spot you want to thread and do not lengthen your index fingers on either hand. Keep them bent and the thread taut. For your upper lip, you can keep the area taut bu pushing your tongue against the area inside of your mouth.

Step 5:
Lengthen your index finger on one of the hands in a swift motion. You're pushing the twists in the thread to pick up the hairs in the scope of the stroke and pulling them out.

Step 6:
Alternate between lengthening the fingers of each hand and make your way around the area you want to thread.

So I am back (finally) and I decided to do a tutorial on contouring with powder bronzer. Yes, I do eventually get around to requests. I'm just a bit... disorganized. I would also like to add that I am sorry that the pics are underexposed. I am this weird strongly green colour. I am very olive skinned and in bad lighting I become more green/lizard-colours versus plain ol' deep olive

What I used:

• A bronzer. I used NARS Casino. I like this because it doesn't have red undertones and looks like my skin but deeper and has only very slight shimmer.
• A blush. I used MAC Ambering Rose. This is already shimmery so I didn't want to use a highlighter for this look.
  
• An angled blush brush. I used MAC 168. I used to use Essence of Beauty's which I also like a lot.
• A blush brush. I didn't use a blush brush per se but used MAC 187 instead. Whenever I am using a pigmented blush, I like to use this brush to sheer out my application.

Step 1:I started off with a clean base. I moisturized my face and applied some translucent powder so that my make-up glides on better and doesn't look patchy.

Step 2:Here, I made the classic fish-face by sucking in my cheeks. I am not going to place the bronzer under the cheekbone but on the cheekbone. So here, place the bronzer along the shadow that you see when you suck in your cheeks.

Step 3:I dipped my MAC 168 brush in the bronzer and tapped it to dust off the excess bronzer. Be careful to not use too much bronzer at the first go. You can only blend it out to an extent and I'd rather just add intensity as I go along. As a good rule of thumb, I draw a line from the middle of my eye and where the shadow and the line collide is where I place the farthest bit of bronzer. I went along the cheekbone up to the temple. For added drama, you can add bronzer along the temples and the jawline.

Step 4:
I blended out the edges of my of the bronzer so that it's no longer a strip. I didn't use another brush and just blended the bronzer out with my MAC 168.

-Initial Result-I have blended out the bronzer enough so that the cheekbones are enhanced but was careful to not blend not too much that it just looked like my usual application

Step 5:I like to add blush because I personally feel it looks much more natural. I dipped my MAC 187 brush into the Ambering Rose blush, dusted it off and placed it on the apple of my cheek. I apply the blush pretty much only on the apple of my cheek and then blend it into the bronzer.

-Final Result-Here you can see the final result: cheekbones with a slight flush. If you want, you can add a highlight along the top of the apple of the cheek and then make your way toward the temple. However, I skipped this step as I didn't want too much shimmer

I know I'm stuck on the smokey eye thing of late, so I'll do a bright coloured or neutral tutorial next time. However, I got the Lumiere eyeshadow to finally work for me and I had to show off the blue shadow. In my opinion, this is a fairly easy smokey eye that's just a tad different because of the lining on the lower rim. Pardon the eyebrows, I need to get them done with weekend.

Again, pardon the simplicity of the tutorial as I'm still enjoying my vacation. I hope you like the tutorial.

What I used:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion. This is my absolute favourite primer and with a combination of other things, it helped the Lumiere loose shadows to stick. A good primer isn't always a necessity in the traditional sense, but it makes a lot of difference to the longevity and colour intensity of your shadows.
• Lumiere Dark Waters eyeshadow. This is a very intense, shimmery blue shadow with black undertones. A similar shadow would also work.
• LORAC Moonstone . I needed a basic, shimmery champagne as highlight.
  
• MAC Blacktrack. I like using gel and cake liners because it gives me great control over how I want the thickness and intensity of the line. I can get my liner to look like a traditional liquid liner or like a smudged pencil liner. A cake or gel liner would be great for this look.
• MAC 242 brush. I used this to pack on the loose eyeshadow. Make sure you have a brush that will help you build intensity with your eyeshadow.
  
• MAC 217 brush. I used this to blend the edges of the eyeshadow. Any good blending brush will do.
• L'Oreal Voluminous. I love dark, sooty volume with a smokey eye. You could use any volumizing mascara for this look.
• Loose powder. I used a nameless brand loose powder under my eyes to catch fallen eyeshadow.
• Angled liner brush. I have the most fabulous liner brush I had extra when I was making a painting. It's a Windsor and Newton brush I bought for around $3 that performs better than any brush out there and has taken a fair amount of abuse.
• Q-tips. Actually, I only needed one.
  

Step 1:
I prepped my lids and lower lash line with primer and I let it stay for about a minute.

Step 2:
First, I put a generous amount of loose powder on my cheeks and under eyes. With the 242 brush, I applied Deep Waters from lash line to the crease. For a slightly less dramatic look, you could stop right below the crease.

Step 3:
I lined my entire lower lash line with Deep Waters. Again I used the 242 brush (I seriously adore this brush).

Step 4:
To blend the edges of the shadow on my upper lid, I used the 217 brush to blend out the colour at the crease. The edges are now softer than when I first applied the shadow.

Step 5:
I applied Moonstone as highlight on my brow bone and blended it into my crease.

Step 6:
With the angled brush, I made a think line on my upper lid. On my lower lid, I made the line somewhat thicker. I also lined the inside of my eye (the waterline, where you'd traditionally put kajal). Then, I used a q-tip to gently blend the shadow and liner on the lower lash line.

Step 7:
Finally, I dusted off the powder and fallen eyeshadow on my under eyes and cheeks. I finished the look with 2 coats of volumizing mascara.

For the tutorial below, I made a diagram to show the are you want to blend the blush out to.

The area within the triangle is where you would ideally like to keep within the triangle. Blend the blush outwards from the initial blush application to the edges of the triangle. Make sure that there are no harsh lines.

There are a various ways to contour cheekbones into existence and I have different preferences depending on my mood. I wanted to post one before but the pics were beyond crap and I didn't like the tutorial in general. So I'm bringing you a new and slightly different version. Also, I know there are many out there whose skin hates cream blush so I'll bring you one soon with a bronzer/powder blush.

What I used:

• Cream blush. I used Bobbi Brown's Chocolate Cherry Rouge Pot. Any blush on the darker side will do.

Step 1:Start of with clean moisturized skin. I prefer not to scrub my face before doing this because it can get red which spoils the effect. If you want you can do your foundation now, however I skipped the step (yes, I'm lazy).

Step 2:Suck in the cheeks and make the classic and highly elegant "fish face" This way you can see where the cheekbones end. The shadows that show up are the edge of the cheekbone.

Step 3:I added this step to clarify where I'm going to put my blush. I am going to place my blush, about 1/3 to 1/2 away from the outer corner of my eye and draw a line straight down to the part under the cheekbone. From there I am going to follow the line under the cheekbone to the hairline.

Step 4:Dot some blush along the area under the cheekbone. I make the blush more dense as I reach the hairline. Note that the placement of the blush is low on the face, especially compared to using blush for a natural flush on the apple of the cheek.

-Initial Result-Blend, blend, blend! Be certain to blend along the top and bottom edges of the blush "stripe". I added this fuzzy pic (sorry about that, I'll put but a better pic soon) to show you how I start off blending. It' certainly not done yet. You can blend the blush out more as you reach the hairline. Make the blush thinner as you go inwards (in the direction of the nose, mouth etc.). Be careful to not blend the blush out over too large an area as the effect will be lost.

-Final Result-The blush adds depth to the shadow under the cheekbone and gives it more presence. There is no harsh stripe but since the blush is placed under the cheekbone it defines the cheekbone more. For more drama, you can dust some highlighter along the top of the cheekbone and on the apple of the cheek.

I used to be so intimidated by blush and the little brush that comes along in the packaging. You know, the one that is so tiny that you really don't know what to do with it. So I thought a blush tutorial might be in order. This look is basically a very soft, sheer pop of color on the cheeks. True, the pics are cropped oddly but the basic idea is quite easy (at least I think so).

What you need:

• Blush. Quite the shocking revelation isn't it? I used LORAC blush in Soul.
  
• A blush brush. I used Smashbox #16. There are some great blush brushes out there ranging from Essence of Beauty (great, great brushes) and Sonia Kashuk to Stila.
  
• A kabuki bush. I used MAC #182. Again, there are cheaper and more expensive alternatives out there.
  

DiagramThis is a diagram of how the application proceeds. The application is something of a triangle, at the center of the apple of the cheek the application is at its heaviest and most noticeable, and then I make my way to the temple thinning out the blush "line."

Step 1:I press the head of my blush brush against the blush pan so that the head of the brush is covered with blush. This is enough blush for one cheek and I never double-dip because otherwise the blush application becomes more dramatic and can even become clownish. If I want a more dramatic application, I pick up more blush on my brush after I'm done with the initial application.

Step 2I then tap off the excess blush of my brush by gently tapping the brush over my free hand. This ensures that I don't apply my blush too heavily. I can always add more blush for drama, but it's much harder to get rid of excess blush.

Step 3I place the brush on the middle of the apply of my cheek and make my way down diagonally. As a general rule of thumb, I never go down lower than the top of my upper lip. I always draw a mental line at the top of my upper lip and try not to go below that. Also, my application is also the most firm at this point because I was to deposit the most color.

Step 4I decrease the firmness of my application as I make my way to my temple. As you can tell I have applied enough color in the middle of the apple of my cheek but it isn't overwhelming or too strong.

Step 5I have now reached my temple and my blush application is over a very thin bit of skin as compared to my broad application at the apple of my cheek. And by the way, that's not sideburns that's a scar I have from a long time ago.

-Initial Result-This is the result from my initial blush application. It's too dramatic for the subtle look I'm going for so I prefer to buff the blush out a bit. However, I sometimes like slightly heavier blush and I stop after Step 5.

Step 6With a kabuki brush, I buffed the entire area where I had applied the blush.

-Final Result-This is what I end up with when I want a subtle pop of color that brightens my skin and makes me look awake. Of course, depending on your application you can make the final result more dramatic or more subtle.

This is a dramatic cat-eye look but I used neutrals, well except black liner, to achieve this. It's not very intimidating but it does require a bit of shading at the outer "v," so you can refer to my diagram if needed. I do apologise for the pictures as I have the world's worst camera. I hope my next tutorial is a bit nicer picture wise.

What you need:

• A neutral, medium taupe brown for all-over colour on the eyelid. I used Bobbi Brown Sable.
  
• A soft buttery-vanilla coloured eyeshadow for highlight. I used Bobbi Brown Vanilla
• A neutral, dark brown eyeshadow to use for shading. I used Bobbi Brown Chocolate.
• A liquid, cake, or gel liner. I used MAC Blacktrack fluidline.
• A mascara. I used Revlon Fabulash.
• Optional but recommended: a primer. I used MAC paint in Cotton Candy very sheerly.

Step 1:
I already had cotton candy paint tapped very, very lightly over my eyelid to function as a primer. I then put Bobbi Brown Vanilla eyeshadow from lashline to brow bone to even out the area.