Category: eye make up

Sultry Nude tones: a flirty Make-up look for Valentines

~ Emmie ~ Leave a comment

Over the years, I’ve sported a lot of make up looks…but for Valentines this year, I was feeling that nothing is more adorable and feminine than a nude palette with a bit of shine, topped off with a matte red lip. It’s romantic, doesn’t appear formal or done up, but looks fashionable and right, with jeans or with a dress. I’m not in a relationship and for those who are at the moment, I am envious of them. I’ve always loved the idea of a holiday for loving, and remember the little cards we’d send to everyone in class in elementary school. As adults, it’s now something so exclusive to couples, something that single people can’t celebrate, but as a single gal, I still want to have fun during this time. So I’ve concocted another makeup look for all the dates that are being enjoyed during this time. I can only imagine.

I have posted a valentines make-up look several years before, and if that is of interest, the link is here. It’s got smoky plums as the theme. But this year, I wanted to do something a little bit racier. I was actually inspired by the playboy bunny’s make up. Subtle nude tones, very glam black liquid liner and mascara, red matte lip. Ultra flirty and feminine. Bedroom eyes. As I was creating this year’s Valentines make-up look, I also realized this is a version of the cat eye, French girl, retro pin up look. It’s just a classic. So here goes.

This is the start of any good make-up, and flawless base. Highlighting can be a great way to make the face look more luminous in photos.
  1. Apply a good foundation on lightly moisturized face. Medium to heavy coverage is best for photos. Then apply and highlighting concealer in certain spots: forehead triangle, under eye bags, nose bridge, chin etc…then blend with a beauty sponge, powder to finish and set.
  2. Next, define the eyebrows with a pencil or powder or gel. Put on the eyeshadow base. I like to use a slight shimmer on my bottom lids for more cute glow. A skin coloured shadow for the top lids work great as a base. Next add a shimmery taupe shade all over the lid. Take a dark tan colour shadow for the crease and outer edges of the lid. blend with a fluffy eyeshadow brush.
  3. Draw in a cat eye line with liquid liner on the top lid. I like to use felt tip pens for control and thinner lines. The line should not be too thick or too thin. It should also extend past the corner of the lid lifting up ever so slightly on a slant.
The eye make up is almost complete. Notice the subtle tan and nude tones. Use a slight shimmer shadow for a romantic sheen.

Finish with a good 1 or 2 coats of volumizing mascara, and ample amount of blush just on the tops of the cheeks. Do not over blush, keep the colour in the area of just the tops of cheeks. And voila, the finished look should be polished, flirty, elegant, and fun. Perfect for any Valentines Day date night.

Do I scream flirty or what? I feel pretty classy in this make-up, and that’s the beauty of it. It just works for any occassion, really.

May is month to celebrate the coming of summer…

~ Emmie ~ 2 Comments

I’d like to think I am pretty spiritual. I find happiness in rituals, I believe in things that can’t be seen, just felt. I like to think about Mother Earth and how she changes the seasons. May 2021 is especially wonderful, because after a winter of lock down in Toronto, Canada, any brightness and colour would easily excite me beyond words. It had been a cold, grey winter lockdown, but with spring finally warming up in this very Northern city, it’s sunny enough to get greenery growing all about. I see flowers blooming, cherry blossoms are on trees, the rains of April have stopped and nature is alive again. A rebirth. Very meaningful to me and joyful.

This particular winter has been very difficult on my mental health as I have posted about in my previous post about weight-loss and gain during the pandemic. Being trapped at home was dark and sunless, as are all winters in Canada…I struggled daily with anxiety and depression. Even now with the change of seasons, I still suffer a bit from a lower mood sometimes, but much less so. I wanted to do a post about celebrating and being thankful for this current pre-summer loveliness that is working hard to cheer me up. Being thankful for connections that can now be made as the weather allows people to go outside and just see, experience, maybe even frolic? I must admit I’ve never frolicked before, but this Spring going into Summer is more a good time than ever to start!

How I Celebrated this May-time Wonder:

I love flowers. I think they always look so beautiful. Flowers add elegance and happiness to anything and/or anyone they decorate and touch. See their work on Mother’s Day, at weddings, funerals, as table decor, patient gifts. Their magic is undeniable. So to celebrate their floral vibrancy I decided to make a simple flower crown and then go outside to model it in photos. I found some cherry blossom trees and could not resist using them as a backdrop for enjoying being in nature and being thankful.

So this is me, modeling my crown. Also modeling this white blouse with ruffle-y sleeves. I think it fit the general mood of May, and it’s themes of rebirth, freedom and enjoyment.

How I Made my Flower Crown:

The crown itself is actually pretty simple to make, First buy some flowers with stems that are delicate enough to wrap. Then grab some floral tape. I got mine from a craft store. Also find a base for the crown. I used a thin headband, but a circular wire, etc…could also work! Then clip off the individual flowers from the bouquet, leaving a stem 1-3 inches long. Then arrange the flowers by colour and shape on the headband, wrapping each stem with the floral tape to the head band in a spiral motion. And Voila; a gorgeous, simple crown that shines with the glory of nature awaits to be worn!

My flowers were a few days old when I made the crown, but a slight wilt makes them look more real. For my eye make-up I wore a vibrant violet shadow, as I was inspired by nature’s colourful florals…

What are some other ways to celebrate the outdoor nature around this time of year? Let me know in the comment section below….

Anti-quarantine Glam Make-up looks…

~ Emmie ~ Leave a comment

The worldwide lock down has brought my spirits down as well. Physical distancing has bound everyone to their homes hiding or imprisoned; letting one’s appearance go is sadly is the new normal daily life. No hair or nail salons, no spas or gyms…basically no beauty allowed.  And with myself being in the beauty industry, I’ve been unemployed for six weeks now. I’m so bored with my inner thoughts and no amount of youtube, disney + or netflix can distract me from myself. I’m trying not to gain a ton of weight during my unemployed home times, and I’m basically living day to day wondering the necessity of pants. This is a dangerous time. I wanted to find a way to make social distancing more bearable. So what better than to share some glamourous full face make-ups suitable for happier days. These make-up looks I have designed are useless during the lock down, but give me something to look forward to wearing post covid, when all eyes may be on myself and the beauty of others!

Plum Smoke Romance:

I originally did this look for valentines, and I liked it a lot for the flirty sultry aspect. Plum is also a lot more inviting and interesting than the usual charcoal/grey smokey eyes.. So here is how to get it…

  1. Prepping the face…for this look, the less shine, the better. everything has to be matte and smokey. That includes the foundation, concealer and powder. I will even do my eye shadow base in a matte nude color.
  2. Define and fill in brows: pretty standard in all make-ups actually.
  3. Find a matte plum eyeshadow and sweep it on the whole lid from eyelash line all the way to the brow bone. Smoke out and deepen the plum with a charcoal violet shadow for a second coat on the entire eye lid.
  4. Using a soft eyeliner, line the top lid and smudge the line with a dark shadow to blend and set the liner. Use that same shade for the bottom lid and line the outer corners of the eyes.
  5. Two coats of mascara always, and falsies if desired. Blush is optional for this look and I kinda prefer without.

Carefree and smokey. I have dark days too.

Playboy Bunny Neutrals:

I made this look one Halloween when I contemplated donning the iconic  playboy bunny costume. The elegant body suit with stockings, bow tie, ears and tail. It’s pure feminine prowess at it’s best. The make-up for this look is a glam relies heavily and a retro cat eyeliner and shimmering nudes and taupes and goes well with any going out outfit.

  1. Foundation and concealer as always. Concealer is particularily important for a flawless matte complexion. Add powder generously.
  2. Fill in brows bushy and fluff them up fully!
  3. Matte shadow base all over top and bottom lid. Shimmer eyeshadow just on the bow bone and inner corners.
  4. Dark shimmer taupe shadow in the crease. Shimmer nude in the main center upper lid. Line with black pencil. Set the pencil line with a dark shadow, black or brown…outline the bottom lid with a bit of the same dark shadow (just the outer corners)
  5. Do a dramatic cat’s eye liner with liquid liner.
  6. Add two coats of mascara and falsies of desired.
  7. Use a matte blush on the cheeks.
  8. Finish with a red lipstick matte or gloss.

I do like to be girly sometimes. What better than to don a neutral glam look.

Ice Blush Princess:

If one could be the fairest in all the land!  Magical and fancy, pretty yet cool, behold the ice princess make-up. With ice pinks and plenty of dewy glow it’s a grown up way to show off baby doll pink.

  1. Moisturize the face with a non greasy lotion: This looks best when the skin is highly mosturized. Cool shimmery colors show every crack/crease on the face when it is too dry.
  2. Foundation and  concealer or brightening serum under and around the eyes is key to achieving that flawless glow; use face powder lightly to set. Finish brows with and filler and fluff aiming for a natural definition.
  3. Shadow work: Neutral non shimmer eye shadow base on top lid. Shimmering highlight shadow on bottom lid and inner eye corner and brow bone under the brow. Blend lightly with a blending brush. Dark mauve pink for the crease, and cool true pink shadow for the main lid area, Blend.
  4. Black eye liner tight lined to the upper lashes. Smudge the pencil line with charcoal gray shadow to widen and smoke up the line. Use the same gray shadow for bottom lid line (just the outer edges)
  5. Double coat of mascara. Falsies if desired! Spray with a dewy setting spray for moisturizing to take away any remaining powdery look!

Ice pinks are so subtle. But hopefully my shiny color palette is visible here.

So which look is the most glam and fitting for me? I like all three and am happy to have been able to try out these looksduring these sad times of having no reason to get dolled up and be glamorous. Hang in there…beauty will reign supreme again some day.