Miranda Kerr Inspired Makeup Look - By Request

All products in this post purchased by me

 Miranda Kerr Inspired Makeup Look-By Request 

This post was a Twitter request from @happysara89.  The request was to recreate the Miranda Kerr makeup look pictured below. While the look I created isn't exactly the same, I think it captures the spirit of the look, which is a soft feminine makeup that is appropriate for special events such as prom or weddings. For those of you who don't know who Miranda Kerr is, she is a model probably  best known for being one of the Victoria's Secret Angels. She is so beautiful and sexy, that just wearing a makeup look similar to hers really made me feel both! In fact, I was so inspired by her, I decided to create two different looks; the one to the left and one of her Victoria's Secret hot bombshell makeup looks.

Image from: http://australian-models.tumblr.com/post/14805771596/miranda-kerr

Here is how I created my interpretation of Miranda Kerr's makeup look:

Dewy Skin- One of the hallmarks of Miranda Kerr's sexy skin is it's dewy appearance. She has this lit from within glow that makes her look simply stunning. However, if done incorrectly, sexy can look just plain sweaty. To get it right, you want to choose a tinted moisturizer formulated for your skin type. For those with normal to dry skin, I recommend Physician's Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Tinted Moisturizer. It's affordable, and made with natural, organic ingredients. Plus it leaves a beautiful natural looking luminescence to the skin, perfect for achieving the dewy look we want here. However, if your skin is slightly more oily and/or acne prone, I recommend Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare All-In-One Tinted Moisturizer with Sunscreen SPF 15. This is a lightweight tinted moisturizer that is gentle enough for all skin types. However, since it's not as dewy as the Physicians Formula brand, I recommend mixing in just a couple of drops of your favorite liquid illuminator such as Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum. Apply allover face using clean fingers or a damp sponge, blending well into the skin.

Side Note: To further enhance the lit from within glow, I used a self tanner from True Natural Cosmetics the day before.  Look number 2 is two days of self tanning.

In addition to being dewy, Miranda's skin looks flawless. To achieve this look, apply your favorite concealer on any blemishes and under eye circles to make your skin look even.

Eyes- The stand out feature in the above picture is Miranda's beautiful eyes. Since her eyes are open, I couldn't see exactly what color shadows were used on her eye lids. I imagined a rose gold would look perfect with the rest of the the colors seen in this look. I also thought this would be a great opportunity to use my new Stila Countless Color Pigments that I purchased at IMATS this year.

As stated above, I created two slightly different eye looks. 

Eye Look #1 (inspired by the above photo): The below eyeshadow contains three shades in it: cream beige, copper and dark bronze. You can use any brand of shadows you happen to have in your stash that are similar in color.  However, if you are using the shadow below, I recommend using a small brush so that you can more easily pick up the precise color you want. To begin, prime your eyes with your favorite eye primer. Then, pick up the lightest color (cream beige) and highlight your inner tear duct area, and just below your brow. This will help open up the eye.

 Pictured Above: Stila Countless Color Pigments in the color Groupie-Cream Beige, Copper, Dark Bronze

 I recommend trying a smaller brush such as Bdellium Tools #772P to more easily pick up each color

Next, we want to apply color to the lid. Using the same eyeshadow, you want to pick up the color from the center of the pan where the copper and cream shade meet, and apply it just to your eye lid in a patting motion.If you are using different shadows, you can layer the copper shade over the cream and blend on your lid to create the color we want.  This lightened copper color, appears as more of a rose gold on the lid, because we have lightened it with the cream shade, but it still keeps the metallic finish.

Next, pick up some of the copper from the edge of the eyeshadow pan, and pat it into the crease of your eye for definition. Using a clean brush (I used the Bdellium Tools #785B Tapered Blending Brush), sweep into the eye crease to blend in a windshield wiper like motion.

I then picked up the Dark Bronze shadow from the pan using a pencil brush, and swept it into the crease of my eye, the outer V (outer corner of lid), and along the lower lash line.

When I looked back at Miranda's photo for reference, I could really see a chocolatey brown shadow through the crease and on the lower lash line. It reminded me of Urban Decay's Twice Baked, which is a medium chocolate brown with a satin finish. I happened to have the Urban Decay Sustainable Shadow Box that I purchased last year, so I decided to pull it out, and work this color into the crease and along the lower lash line. After applying the color into your crease, be sure to go back in with a clean blending brush and blend so that all of the colors transition smoothly. Layering this over the brown from the Stila pan we added earlier really helps add dimension to the eye look.  The key to these eyeshadow looks is layering small amounts of color and blending well.

Side Note: If you don't have Twice Baked, you can use any true brown with a satin finish. This particular color does have some gold glitter in it, but the glitter is so fine that it translates more to a satin finish than true shimmer on the lid. Also, the gold warms up the shade, which is exactly what I was going for.

 I applied Twice Baked to the lower lash line using a flat angled brush. Then, I took a clean blending brush, and blended the color out to soften the line.

When I looked at the finished shadows, I decided I wanted to further brighten up the inner corner of the eye. I reached for my Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Blush & Highlighter in Natural Glow and using a smudge tip applicator, dotted and smudged the lightest color from the palette around my tear duct. You can also use a cotton swab or small brush if you prefer.

For liner, I wanted to use a brown cream liner. Miranda clearly has a brown liner on her lower lash line, so I thought I would use that for top and bottom lash line, winging it out slightly. I used Urban Decay cream eyeliner in Demolition, applying it with the included brush.

If desired, trace over the liner with a brown shadow to set, you can use Twice Baked, or the Dark Bronze form the Stila pan, whichever you prefer. While the liner will stay on it's own, setting it with a powder shadow over the top of it, will help the eye look last even longer.

Curl lashes, apply mascara, and if desired, apply falsies! My favorites are Ardell Demi Wispies.

Eye Look #2 (inspired by Miranda's Victoria Secret look and my inner bombshell):

Like in the first look, begin by priming lids with your favorite eye primer from lash line to brow.  Take some along the lower lash line as well. For this look, we are going to use the Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Blush & Highlighter in Natural Glow as eyeshadow.  Begin, by highlighting with the lightest shade from the palette just under the brow, and the inner corner of the eye using a fluffy brush.

 Next, chose the center color from the palette (a rose gold shade) and apply to the lid using the same brush.

To create more depth and dimension, we are going to layer a few colors. You will need a light shimmery golden brown, shimmery gold, light copper, dark brown shimmer and a matte warm brown color.  Any brand of shadows that you like will do. I used my Physicians Formula Nude palette, and the Urban Decay Naked palette.

 Start with the light copper, and blend it across the lid over the shade you just applied. I used the second color in the Physicians Formula Nude palette. Then over that, still with your fluffy brush, blend a shimmery gold such as Urban Decay's Half Baked over the lid. Finish the lid with the light shimmery golden brown shade. Use a clean brush and blend all the colors together over your lid.

 For the light shimmery golden brown, I used the third shade in my Physicians Formula Nude Palette (pictured above). Next, you'll need your matte warm brown. I used Buck from the Urban Decay Naked palette. Pick up a little of the color on a pencil brush and sweep into your eye crease and along the lower lash line.

Next, line your lower lash line with the dark brown shimmery shadow, such as Urban Decay's Darkhorse.

Apply Twice Baked in the same manner as we did in Eye Look #1.

To complete Eye Look #2, I did not apply falsies, I simply curled my lashes and applied generous amounts of volumizing black mascara to my top and bottom lashes. 

Brows - No matter which look you choose, don't forget to define your brows. Miranda has full, nicely groomed brows, and it's a very important step for a complete look. My favorite brow powder these days is Illamasqua Brow Cake. I used the shade Motto which is a taupe color. To keep brows in place, I applied Anastasia Brow Gel using a disposable mascara wand, and brushed the brow hairs up and into place. I actually did my brows before the eyeshadow application, but the order you do this in really doesn't matter. It's a matter of personal preference.

Bronze - Since I am so fair, I needed a good bronzer to mimic Miranda's golden glow. I reached for my favorite matte bronzer, Too Faced Chocolate Soleil in Milk Chocolate. This particular bronzer is a great pick for ladies with fair skin like me. However, whichever bronzer you use, just make sure it's a matte one. There is plenty of shimmer on the eyes, and we will be using a separate highlighter for strategically placed shimmer, so we won't need any in our bronzer. To contour and bronze the neck as well as the outer perimeter of my face, I used my Cozzette Diamond Blender brush.  The tapered tip makes it ideal for contouring. However, to bronze across my forehead and down the bridge of my nose and chin, I chose a smaller flatter brush and painted the bronzer on.

For cheeks, I chose NYX Cinnamon blush and a small dome shaped brush to apply the color to the apples of my cheeks and swept it back toward my hair line.

Highlight - Now, for that strategically placed highlighter I was talking about. To stick with the rose gold theme, I chose Wet n Wild Fergie Center State Shimmer Palette in Rose Chapagne Glow.  Using the same small domed brush (I used Real Techniques Contour Brush), I lightly applied the highlighter to the tops of my cheeks, lightly on the forehead, down the bridge of the nose, cupid's bow and very lightly on the chin.

Set - To prevent shimmer overload, and to set everything, I lightly dusted over my entire face with a loose translucent setting powder. The highlighter will still show through, but just enough so that it still looks natural.

Lips - To complete the look, I really wanted my OCC lip tar in Electric Grandma, which is a frosty coral. That looks like the exact shade Miranda is wearing in the above photo. I have this shade, but could not find it! So, I improvised. I mixed a few lip glosses together, and really like how the final color came out. While it's slightly more pink than I wanted, I still think it compliments the look nicely.  To get the lip color, I lined my lips with Milani Color Statement Lip Liner in Haute Pink.  I then mixed NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Pink Rose with a peachy nude gloss I had from Christopher Drummond Beauty (shade not on tube so unknown). I topped it all off with just a little bit of Stila's Sparkle Luxe Gloss in Fairy Dust. For look number two, I added extra Fairy Dust Gloss and lined just outside of my lip line to make my lips look fuller.

 Lips for Look #1 (above)

Here are the final looks!:

Look #1 - Inspired by the Miranda Kerr photo above

 Above: With Flash

Look #2 - Inspired by Miranda's Victoria's Secret look (and my inner bombshell)

I hope you enjoyed this Miranda Kerr inspired makeup look. A big thank you to Sarah for suggesting this post.  If you try either of these posts, I would love to see it! Tweet me a pic to @MakeupMatters1

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Please feel free to leave comments below. All comments are welcome. Please be advised that comments are approved individually, so don't worry if you don't see your comment appear right away. While I enjoy all types of comments, please refrain from linking your own blog below.  I do not tolerate spam of any kind. However, I do like to share the love, so if you are ever interested in doing a collab post just let me know.  As always, thank you so much for reading. I really appreciate all of my readers, and I write for you so suggestions and requests are always welcome.

-------Love and kisses,

                                                             LIZA, Makeup Matters By LNC 

Makeup For Mature Eyes Using Naked 2 Palette

All products in this post purchased by me

Makeup For Mature Eyes

While I am not happy about Urban Decay selling to L'Oreal, like many of you I've had the Naked 2 palette in my stash for a while. This post is by request, and is a look I would create if working with this palette on someone with mature lids.  It's very simple to create. I've used the included brush since I know those who have the palette also have this brush. This look is also good for those with hooded lids, and will work well with any eye color. 

Here is the tutorial:

Step 1: After priming the lid, dampen the flat end of your Naked 2 brush with a rosewater & glycerin spray, or water. With a slightly damp brush pick up some of the color Bootycall onto your brush and apply it to your eyelid and slightly into your crease in a patting motion.  Side Note: If you don't want a shimmery lid, you can replace this color with Foxy, and apply from lash line to brow with a dry fluffy brush.

Step 2: Using a pencil brush apply Bootycall to the tear duct and under the inner half of the lower lash line. This will open up the eyes, and is great for mature or hooded eyes as well as close set eyes.

Step 3: With the fluffy end of your Naked 2 brush pick up some of the color Tease. Tap off the excess and sweep it just above your natural eye crease to create depth. This helps to open and shape the eye. You are basically contouring the eye, making it look more open.  Add more as needed. Next, apply Tease to your lower lash line using a pencil brush starting at the outer corner so that it meets up with the Bootycall we applied earlier.

Step 4: Flip over your Naked 2 brush to the flat side you haven't used yet. Pick up some of the color Busted.  Tap off the excess and apply to the outer third of your eyelid and just slightly into the crease. If your eyes are smaller, you may need to use a smaller brush.

 Step 5: Flip your brush over again, and blend with the fluffy side of your brush. Apply a little more color, then blend again. You want to gradually build color so it will last longer. The color should come up just pass your crease, not all the way up to your brow.

Step 6: With a push liner brush, pick up some of the color Blackout and gently push and wiggle the color into your lash line.

Step 7: Go back in with your pencil brush and apply Busted to the lower lash line starting at the outer corner and blending it in about half way.

Step 8: Using a fluffy brush, apply Foxy to your brow bone area and blend it down into the Tease color you placed in your crease.

Final Steps: Curl lashes and apply your favorite mascara. It's always a good idea to keep cotton swabs handy for clean up. For additional information on cleaning up and preventing fallout, you might find this post helpful:

http://makeupmattersbylnc.blogspot.com/2013/04/dealing-with-eyeshadow-fallout-tips.html

Here is the completed look:

I hope you found this post helpful. 

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Spotlight: IT Cosmetics Vitality Cheek Flush Powder Blush Stain & French Boutique Luxe Blush Brush

Sample Sent For Consideration

IT Cosmetics Blush Stain & Luxe Blush Brush

Today, I have something a little different for you. I am able to share with you an amazing matte blush and brush. Except, this time, I am able to show you the product on two different skin tones! My beautiful cousin, and friend Sandra was in town for IMATS this weekend, and we decided to play with this beautiful blush from IT Cosmetics. Between the two of us, we came up with 3 ways to wear it (eyes, cheeks and lips) and created two different looks!

The blush is a beautiful powder stain from IT Cosmetics called Vitality Cheek Flush Powder Blush Stain in the shade Matte Sweet Apple.   

We each used the IT Cosmetics French Boutique Luxe Blush Brush to apply this powdered stain onto the cheekbones for a flush that literally lasts all day. 

About The Blush: This blush is especially beneficial for women with dry or mature skin, though it really will work on all skin types. Although it's a powder product, it contains hydrating and brightening ingredients such as plum & cherry oil, jojoba, amino acids, vitamin A, C,  E, hyaluronic acid and aloe.  This blush also contains anti-aging ingredients such as acai, green tea and white tea to protect the skin against free radicals.  To top it all of, this blush is waterproof, making it the perfect pick for those who live in warmer climates (like Sandra), or summertime. 

Here is a look at the product: 

The compact is rubberized, and comes with a mirror in the lid, perfect for travel.

I would describe the color as a reddened coral, which is a very popular shade for Spring.

About The Brush: I've had one of these brushes for a few months now, and it actually landed on my February Favorites Pinterest board. The brush is just awesome. There is no other way to say it. It's perfect in every way. Seriously. The handle is feminine, and pretty, the bristles are plush and luxurious, and the application is just flawless every time.  I particularly recommend this brush for those of you with sensitive skin.  

Here is a look at the brush:

 The brush comes packaged in a clear cylinder tube.

Note how dense the bristles are. 

One Blush, One Brush, Two Skin Tones:

 

 On the left, you can see the blush on a fair skin tone, on the right a medium skin tone

 For Sandra's look, I used the blush along her cheekbones. I also swept the color through the crease of her eye, to add warmth to her eyeshadow look. I then applied a lip balm, and pressed a little bit of the powder stain onto her lips to create a lip color that tied the whole look together. 

For my look, we used the blush on my eye lids as well as along the cheekbone. This particular shade really does work on every skin tone. It's super pigmented, and blends well. We applied it on my skin a bit more heavily for the purpose of the camera, but this blush brush really allows you to apply the product as lightly as you want to, so fair skinned girls should not be afraid.  I have always been in favor of a matte blush rather than a shimmery one. Matte blushes just look much more natural on the skin. If you do prefer some shimmer, it's always better to strategically place highlighter rather than go in with a full on shimmery blush for an every day look.  

The Vitality Cheek Flush Powder Blush Stain retails for $24.00.  

The French Boutique Luxe Blush Brush retails for $34.50.

However, QVC.com sells these two together at a special price of only $35.00 for the set!  This is a steal!  The blush and brush are such high quality, that they are certainly worth their individual prices. However, the QVC duo is such a great deal, that I really wanted to share it with you. This particular shade will work on all skin tones. However, there are currently four shades available to choose from as part of the duo. 

 

Canadian shoppers can purchase these products at www.theshoppingchannel.com 

 

*This post contained samples sent for consideration by IT Cosmetics or their PR Firm. This in no way alters my review. I only share items with you that I truly love and think are worth buying. I do not accept money in exchange for reviews. I do not get any commission or kick back if you buy these products.

Dealing With Eyeshadow Fallout - Tips & Tricks

*Everything in this post purchased by me, except the makeup wipes, which were a Sephora VIB gift*

 

 

Dealing With Eyeshadow Fallout - Tips and Tricks

Dealing with eyeshadow fallout can be such a pain in the a**! Yes, I said it! It's true. Nothing is worse, than spending time doing your makeup, only to have flecks of shadow fall onto your cheek and ruin your perfect foundation job. Sometimes, the most beautiful shadows are the most prone to fallout.  Added micro glitter can create a beautiful metallic look on the eye, but should that same glitter fall on your cheek you will look like a disco ball rather than have the pretty shimmery lids you intended. 

Luckily, I know several tips and tricks to help you cope with fallout. These are the best methods I know.  Whichever method you choose is a personal choice.  There is no "right" way to deal with fallout.  However, these few are tried and true for me.

When I look at all of the different ways used to manage fallout, they basically fall into two categories: 

1. Putting something underneath the eye to catch the fallout
2. Allowing the shadow to fall onto your face and cleaning it up later

Here are some of the things you might put under your eyes to catch fallout:

Shadow Shields: These are little pieces of paper with a sticky back created to catch eyeshadow fallout. When I first tried these, I was less than impressed. At first, the glue on the back seemed too sticky, then when I patted the tape as recommended to lessen the stickiness it fell off my face mid application. Once I mastered the technique, I realized these can really be a great tool. While these can be costly, they can also save your makeup. There are other similar brands available as well including one made of silicone that is washable and reusable.

Tissues: Everyone has tissues. This is a super easy method. Plus, if you fold your tissue and hold it at the corner of your eye, the angle can actually help you create a winged shadow look. By holding the tissue the way I have it in the picture below, then sweeping a shadow into your crease, the tissue will help create a nice edge to your eyeshadow look, while protecting your cheek from fallout.

Translucent Powder: This is an old trick makeup artists have used for years. Simply apply a thick coat of translucent powder just under your eyes. The eyeshadow will fall onto the powder, and can then be easily swept away with the flick of a powder brush. I don't prefer this method for mature eyes, as the extra powder, if not cleaned up properly can settle into fine lines and wrinkles.

These are the methods of clean up I prefer:

Do the eyes first, then use a makeup wipe: It's such a simple concept, but many people never think of it. We are often taught to do our foundation first. However, by doing your eyes first, you can easily wipe away any eyeshadow that has fallen down onto the cheeks with a makeup remover wipe. Then proceed with the rest of your face makeup as usual. This is a great method, and I highly recommend it.

Put a little primer or moisturizer on a sponge: This is my preferred method. Even if I don't do the eyes first, I may just do foundation (no powder), and clean up with a little primer or moisturizer on a sponge. I can simply touch up any foundation if needed, but it won't completely remove your makeup the way a wipe will. Any eyeshadow will stick to the primer on the sponge and easily be wiped away.  This is the method I use most. I like this method even if completely doing foundation second, as I can go right into priming the skin after doing eyes.

Some of the eyeshadows that are most prone to fallout are ones containing heavy glitter (*cough* Urban Decay *cough*).  In addition to the above methods, there are some additional steps you can take when dealing with glittery shadows prone to fallout.

Extra Tips & Tricks: 

Choose your tools wisely: While everyone is familiar with Urban Decay's primer potion and various other eyeshadow primers, one that I don't hear talked about nearly enough is Too Faced Glitter Glue. Unlike other primers, this creates a somewhat tacky base on the lid.  The stickiness is what helps glittery shadows stick to the lid better so it ends up on your eye, rather than on your face.

When using an eyeshadow that is heavy on the micro glitter, you may want to consider a sponge tip applicator. Yes, you read that right. I know, I know. I was taught to always throw the sponge tip applicators that come with traditional eyeshadow duos and quads right in the trash. However, a good sponge tip applicator can really help in pressing the glitter onto the lid.

If you just can't do the sponge tip thing, the next best thing is a stiff flat synthetic brush. I recommend one that has a firmer flatter head as it will more easily hold the glittery shadow.

Whichever applicator you use, make sure you press the shadow onto the lid, rather than swipe it. You want to use a gentle patting motion and pack the color onto the lid for maximum intensity. Swiping the product will only encourage fallout.

If none of the above work for you, try using your eyeshadow wet. Simply dampen the sponge tip applicator or brush slightly, then pick up some shadow and press onto your lids. The water will help it stick to your lids much better than if it were dry.  Just check to make sure your eyeshadows can be used wet, and give them proper drying time before closing the lid to prevent bacteria growth or ruining your shadows.

Choosing the Right Tools Can Help 

Prevent Fallout 

I hope you found this post helpful. Let me know if you try any of these tricks, and how they work for you!