Tutorial: How I do my brows

Hiya!

A quick tutorial on how I fill in my brows and what products I use.

Products I use:
- ELF Eyelash & brow wand
- MAC 263
- Catrice Eyebrow Set (or MAC Omega and Brun)
- ELF Lash & brow clear mascara

1. Start with groomed brows. I always do my face (foundation, bronzer, blush) before I do my brows. That way I don't mess up my brows while applying foundation or bronzer.

2. Comb the brow hairs up with a spoolie brush.

3. I then trace the bottom of the brow with the darkest colour and an angled brush. I often dampen my brush before applying the powder for a sharper line. Also, notice I don't trace the first 1/4 of the brow.

4. Fill in the rest of the brow with the lighter colour, focussing on the outer 3/4 of the brow. Finish off by combing through with a clean spoolie and setting with a clear mascara.

Done! Quick and simple with inexpensive products, except for the MAC brush but there are lots of cheap angled brushes out there.


Until next time!

x
Tanja

Favorites: September 2011

Hi!

Is it October already?? September just flew by! I apologize for the lack of post suring September, I'll try and do better this month!

Anyway, these are some of the products I've been using/loving the most during September.




- Clear small storage unit: First up is this clear cube with 3 drawers that I use to store my daily used products in. It's not THE Clear Cube which a lot of celebrities supposibly use for their makeup, I just purchased this at Habitat in Antwerp for €15. I like the idea of The Clear Cube, but don't like the price so much. If you don't know what The Clear Cube is, click here. I like the fact that I can see through this little clear cube and how it's small so it doesn't take up too much space on my vanity, yet big enough for all my necessities. I try to switch up the products I keep in here every now and then so that I don't get stuck in a rut and use the exact same products every single day.

- MAC Stunner blush: This blush came out with the MAC Me Over collection which launched not too long ago (click here for my haul). I've used this blush pretty much every time I did my makeup because it just goes with everything. It's a stunner!

 

- MAC 130 short duo fibre brush: I bought this brush went I went to check out the MAC Me Over collection and I've been using it to apply my foundation since the day I got it. I absolutely love it. It's a lot shorter and more dense than the MAC187, which I used to use for my foundation. I still sometimes use it to make sure my foundation is well blended down my neck. It's also smaller which makes it a lot easier to work with around the eyes and nose.



- Catrice Prime and Fine Smoothing Refiner: Click here to go to the Catrice website to read a little more about it and to find the ingredients. It's a silicone-based primer which is supposed to fill pores and fine lines. It doesn't really keep my foundation on longer (I use Revlon colorstay which stays on pretty well by itself), but I feel like it does provide a smoother base for my foundation. I think this primer is very comparable to the L'Oreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer. I don't have the L'Oreal primer but I've seen it in durgstores and tested it on my hand and it looks and feels exactly the same to me. Not sure how much the L'Oreals Studio Secrets Primer costs, but the Catrice primer only costs €4.99!

    

- MAC Fire In Her Eyes eyeshadow in the 6 Smoke and Mirrors palette (LE from the Magic, Mirth and Mischief Holiday 2009 Collection): This is one of the products that I threw in the cube so I'd use it more often. And I certainly did use it a lot, the lightest highlight colour in particular. It's described as a frost neutral beige. I like it as an inner corner hightlight and a soft wash as a brow highlight. It's a neutral (not really cool or warm, but more in between) colour so it goes with everything and gives a nice shine without being too frosty.

  

- Loverdose Eau de Parfum from Diesel: I got two of these little samples not too long ago. I loved it the first time I smelled it and I've used up one of the two samples. I can't really tell you what it smells like because I'm horrible at describing scents, but I did some research and appaerntly it has notes of mandarin, jasmin, liquorice and vanilla. For me this is the kind of parfum that I'd wear at night. I also like the bottle of this parfum so I really want to get a full size bottle of this one!
Click here to go to the Loverdose website.



- BC Bonacure Hairtherapy Hair+Scalp Dandruff Control Shampoo (250ml): This shampoo saved my hair! Since may/june, I noticed I was losing a lot of hair and I didn't know why. I didn't know if it was because of a lack of vitamins, or stress or the shampoo that I was using at that time.
My roots get oily after a day and a half after washing it, but my scalp is usually really dry. I've tried many different shampoos but often go back to Head & Shoulders because other shampoo's would give me dadruff. Because I was losing so much hair I even asked my doctor if she knew what could be the cause. She said that it was normal to lose more hair around spring and summer. I kept using the shampoos I'd normally use which are all drugstore shampoos found at pretty much any supermarket, but the hairloss didn't improve.
About a month ago, I went to get my hair cut after about a year and a half or trimming my ends myself. The hairdresser immediately told me that my scalp was inflammeted which was causing the hair to fall out. He said the chemicals in cheap, drugstore shampoos are too harsh and can dammage your scalp so he recommended me this shampoo. I noticed a major improvement after 2-3 uses and the amount of hair I lose when washing or brushing my hair is back to normal. I'm really glad I got this shampoo and I'll probably never go back to cheaper shampoos again. I'd rather spend a little more money than lose all my hair.
I purchased this shampoo at the hair salon and I know it's available at Pro Duo here in Belgium (which is a hair and beauty supply store). It cost me about €14 at the salon and about €9 at Pro Duo with my discount card. I also found it available on Beautybay.com.

 


That's it for my September favorites! If you have a question about any of these products, feel free to ask me in the comments!

Thank you for reading and until next time!

Up next: some OPI nail polishes!

x
Tanja

Favorites: August 2011

Hello!


September is here, so it's time for August favorites!
These are the beauty items I've been using the most during the past month.




- Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel:
During the cold months I like to use a moisturizer that's a little more rich. But during the warmer months, my face tends to get a little more oily, so I prefer a moisturizer that absorbs in to my skin easily and doesn't make it more oily than it is. This oil-free moisturizer leaves my skin soft and hydrated, but not shiny. It isn't super cheap, but for the amount of product you're getting (125ml) €41,24 is a good price to me. If you live in the UK or US, you're lucky because it's a lot cheaper there : $24.50 = €17,18 (!!! that's half the price we pay in €, not fair lol) , £27 = € 30.72.
US shop online (Clinique) $24.50 for 4.2 fl oz / UK shop online (Boots) £27 for 125ml / BE shop online (Ici Paris XL) €41,24 for 125ml

- MAC Prep & Prime Highlighter in Radiant Rose:
This a highlighter pen with a little brush that's meant to brighten and prime under the eyes (think YSL Touche Eclat). I like to use it underneath my concealer or on it's own when I want to quickly brighten up my under eye area. It can also be used as a highlighter on top of your foundation (browbone, cheekbones,...). I think this is a great multi purpose product and perfect to keep in your makeup bag.
US online shop $23 / UK online shop £17 / €18,50 in MAC stores and counters in Belgium and the Netherlands.

- Seche Vite dry fast top coat:
I've been painting my nails alot more the last couple of weeks. I usually paint my nails at night and thanks to this top coat, I don't have to wait an hour before going to bed after painting my nails. This dries my nail polish in a couple of minutes and leaves a super glossy finish. It also makes my nail polish last longer.I can't do my nails without this topcoat anymore!
US shop online (Ulta) $9,95 for 0.5 fl oz / UK shop online (Beautybay) £8,99 for 15ml / BE or NL shop online (Boozyshop) €7,95 for 15ml

- Catrice Brow Styler:
I usually use an angled brush (MAC 263) and an eyeshadow (MAC Brun) to do my eyebrows. I have been looking for a good eyebrow pencil for a while now for when I just want to fill them in  quickly or to take with me for touch-ups during the day. Before trying the more expensive brands, I searched through the cheaper brands first. I decide to try the eyebrow pencils from Catrice and I must say, I really like them. I like that they're not too soft so they don't give off too much colour. The colours have kind of a grey undertone which make them perfect for filling in eyebrows. I also like how the have a little spoolie brush on the end, very convenient for on the go. Only downside about this product is the fact that it only comes in two colours, the lightest one might be too dark for blondes.
Catrice is a German brand but I'm not sure where you can find it internationally. I do know you can find Catrice in Kruidvat stores in Belgium and the Netherlands. These pencils were €2,49 each.

- Armani Code eau de parfum:
I discovered this parfum a couple years ago and I've loved it since. I like using it at night when I go out. I'm really bad at describing scents so I'm not going to attempt to. Here's what's on the Giorgio Armani website: "Orange Blossom is the Muse of this creation: a miracle of the nature, the quintessence of femininity. A unique creation reveals this flower's full magic and operates its metamorphosis by the incredibly soft embrace of Madagascar vanilla and a touch of honey. Sambac jasmine, from India, amplifies the radiance and elegance of this celebration of noble materials. An unforgettable fragrance that exudes a mysterious charm."
BE online shop (Ici Paris XL) €62,40 for 50ml / US online shop (Sephora) $65 for 1.7 fl oz / UK online shop (Boots) £52 for 50ml

- The Body Shop Coconut shower cream:
First of all, I love coconut! If you don't like the smell of coconut, you probably won't like this one. I love how this lathers up  and how it makes my skin feel super softer.. Bought this huge bottle during a sale one time but I just refill it with the smaller bottles. I like the pump on this cause it keeps me from using way too much. The key ingredients in this are cocoa butter, coconut oil, glycerin and sunflower seed oil which make this shower cream great for normal to dry skin.
US online shop $8 for 8.4 fl oz / UK online shop £4 for 250ml

- Shu Uemura eyelash curler:
I don't always curl my lashes because they are pretty curled with just mascara. I do however curl my lashes when I want them to stand out more and appear longer, especially when I'm not wearing a lot of eyeshadow or not any at all. I like this eyelash curler because it curls my lashes really well without having to squeeze really hard. I've never pulled out an eyelash with this curler! It also fits the shape of my eye really well. I know this is  pretty expensive for an eyelash curler, but it will last you for years!
US online shop $19 / Uk online shop £20 / BE: €25 at the Shu Uemura store in Antwerp (Address here)



That's it for this month. If you have a question about any of these products, feel free to ask!

What did you love in August?


Up next: MAC Me Over haul!

x
Tanja

NOTD: Purple + Glitter

I've been trying to switch up my nail polish more regulary because I have so many colours and I always end up wearing the same ones.


Yesterday I put on Plum Play With Me from Catrice, and I added glitter on my thumbs and ring fingers. For the glitter I used one coat of Models Own's Purple Haze and one coat of Bourjois' Paillettes Disco. I love the glitter, might actually put it on all my nails some time.


Here are the pictures:

Artificial light

Flash

That's it for now, more notd's coming up!


x
Tanja

Haul: Shopping in Antwerp

A while ago I went shopping in Antwerp with my friend Magali.

I always say I don't like shopping, but I actually do unless it's for clothes, and only if its not too busy.

So here are the things I bought. Not just makeup, I got some jewelry too.

 I'll go over each item quickly. If you'd like me to do a seperate review, let me know.

I had been wanting to Hoola bronzer from Benefit. I like using it with my Sigma SS to contour and I really like it so far. Its not too dark and easy to blend. Also like how the colour looks on my skin tone.

At Kruidvat (drugstore in Belgium and the Netherlands) I saw the Dream creamy foundation, which is called Dream smooth mousse foundation in the US and possibly the UK. I got it in the lightest shade which was 08 Light beige. I haven't really tried this product yet but it does feel really smooth.

 We each picked up one of the Bourjois Smokey eyes trios. They were buy one get one free so we split the price of one. Really good deal.

I got the trio in . I think the pigmentation is really nice and I like using these colours for a quick neurtal eye.



I also got 2 of the Catrice lipsticks. I already had 2 colours and I like the texture of them so I wanted to get some more. Plus they're really cheap. I personally never really wear lipstick cause my lips are really dry and it just doesn't look nice. So I mainly got this for when I do makeup on other people.

 

I also got the kohl from catrice cause I needed a black kohl pencil. Had this one before and I think it's really nice especially for the price.

 

 

At Instant Spa, I bought Extravagance by OPI. It's one of the colours from the Designer Series and it is gorgeous. I've always wanted to try OPI polishes but they're really expensive here. When I saw this one, I just had to have it lol. I'll probably look for OPI polishes online in the future tho.

 

Next: jewelry.

I got two pairs of earrings from New Look. I'd seen the leopard ones before but wasn't sure if I wanted  them or not. Seeing them a second time really made me want to get them, do I did :).

Also thought the little fairies looked really cute.

Then we went in to a store called I Am, which I hadn't seen before. They had lots and lots of nice accesoires. I picked out these gold butterflies. Until then I always stayed away from gold earrings cause for some reason I didn't think they looked good on me. But Magali convinced me to get them and I'm glad she did.

We also stopped at the River Island store which opened not too long ago. On our way to the accessories section, Magali spotted this really cool ring that looked alot like the leopard earrings I had bought earlier. Only problem was that it was too small for me. So we went looking for a larger size, but couldn't find one. Even asked one of the girls from the store if and when they were gonna come back in stock. She said they were gonna get them back in stock but she didn't know when. So I was like ok, I'll just have to come back every day to check if they're back. Then, on our way out, Magali found another one, and it was a bigger one, yay! She then decided to get it too lol.

That's all for now.
Up next: Venomous Villains haul!!

Have a nice weekend.

x

Tanja

Haul: Nail polish shopped in Cardiff

Just got back from a trip to Cardiff a couple of days ago. While I was there I picked up a couple nail polishes. After recieving my Models Own polishes, I definitely wanted to try more of them, so I went to Boots to have a look. Unfortunately they didn't have all the colours in stock so only picked up 2 colours. Magenta Pearl and Purple Mystique. I love these colours! They were a bit more sheer than the cremes so I applied 3 coats to get them nice and even.

Models Own - Magenta Pearl

Magenta Pearl (3 coats, no topcoat, flash)

Models Own - Purple Mystique

Purple Mystique (3 coats, with topcoat, flash)

With that purchase I recieved a £5 off voucher for the N°7 and Ruby & Millie line. So before going home, I made quick stop at Boots. I wanted a nail polish that didn't look like anything I already had and Night Silver from N°7 caught my eye. It's a very dark silver, gunmetal kind of colour. Looks darker in person than on the photos (due to flash).

N°7 - Night Silver

Night Silver (2 coats, no topcoat, flash)

Lastly, I went looking for Mushroom from Barry M. After I heard Lollipop26 (check out her youtube channel here and blog here) talk about it, I decided I had to have it lol. She compaired it to Essie's Mink Muffs and Chanel's Particulière in this blog post.

Again, this colour looks alot lighter in the pictures because of the flash. Also took a picture with artificial lighting.

Barry M - Mushroom

Mushroom (2 coats, no topcoat, flash)

Artificial light

When I saw it in person, I thought it would look alot like a polish from Catrice I already had. But when I compared them, they looked less similar then I thought they would. I also compaired it to Models Own's Nude Beige. Nude Beige is alot lighter and From Dusk To Dawn from Catrice is more of a taupe.

From left to right:

Catrice - From Dusk To Dawn, Barry M - Mushroom, Models Own - Nude Beige

(2 coats, no topcoat, artificial light)

That's it for today. I'll be posting my make up haul soon!



Have a nice weekend!


x
Tanja

Experiment: Orly + INM: update

It's been 4 days since I painted my nails and started this little experiment. So here's a little update.
I took these pics a couple minutes ago.

As you can see, the polish has worn off a bit on the tips, which you can only really see from up close. Other than that it looks fine. I'm really happy with the results so far, cause usually my nail polish starts peeling or chipping after 2 or 3 days. So I guess the Orly Bonder is doing its job!

That's it for now. I'll be busy studying this weekend so I might not be able to post anything, but I'll defintely be back on tuesday evening with the final results of this experiment.

So have you ever tried one or both of these products? Did you like them? What's your favorite base coat and top coat?


Have a nice weekend!



x
Tanja

Experiment: Orly Bonder + INM Out The Door

I recently purchased Orly Bonder and INM Out the door topcoat on Ebay. I read alot of good reviews about them so I wanted to try them out. I think you can find Orly polishes in nail salons in Belgium, but I don't know if you can find the INM topcoat anywhere. Instead of looking for them, I just went for the easy way and bought them online. For the Orly Bonder I paid €7.18 ($9), the INM topcoat was €5.97 ($7.49) (both prices include shipping costs), and I don't think I would be able to find them much cheaper.


So here are some pictures of the bottles

Now, as I've mentioned before, I usually don't wear a manicure for a long time. Since I have exams coming up, I dont have time to change up my manicure alot. So I figured that's a good opportunity to see how well these two last.


I painted my nails last night with one coat of Orly Bonder, two coats of Catrice's Lucky in lilac (bottle below), topped with one coat of the INM topcoat. I added a subtle (read: barely noticable, lol) detail on my ring finger using one of the designs on the Konad plate m26 (design nr. 3 on the picture), using My Little Orchid from Essence (LE from the Returnt to paradise collection)


Some pictures of what I used

And here are the pictures from last night.

Only had this on for one day so I didn't bother taking pictures. But so far no chipping or tip wear. I'm planning on leaving the polish on till next tuesday, which is the day of my last exam. That way I won't be able to spend time on my nails and I'll know what it will look like after a week. I'll probably post an update on friday or saturday.


Another tutorial coming up tomorrow!



Thanks for stopping by!


x
Tanja