The Babes of Horror Movies: Make-up Inspiration

People who know me, knows that I likes me them horror movies! My boyfriend is stuck with the tedious duty of watching them with me and letting me squeeze his hand and burrow my face into his shoulder all the way through every jump scare, freaky monster, and demonic possession out there in this high energy genre of film that is often underrated artistically. Pulling off what is called a “B movie” takes a lot of talent… And I am grateful for this genre for scaring the bejebers out of me. It makes my life seem less scary…

But did you ever notice that horror is loaded with foxy ladies? Let’s dissect my favourite leading ladies of horror and how to possibly achieve some of their gorgeous, babe-alicious make-up and hair looks:

#4 Ana de Armas in Knock Knock

Ana de Armes is a Spanish actress that is just gorgeous, with her big innocent eyes, and cute baby face. Most recently seen in the thriller Knock Knock with Keanu Reeves, I thought she stole the show in her skimpy out fits and cute blondie ways.

Here she is stealing the show in a glamourous sparking body con dress. I love her short blonde hair and black lined eyes.
Here she is stealing the show in a glamourous sparking body con dress. I love her short blonde hair and black lined eyes.
she looks great with less make-up, more than anything else. Recreate by doing neutral eyes paired with a dark magenta lip.
She looks great with neutral eyes.  Recreate by doing neutral eye shadow,paired with a dark magenta lip. Heavy mascacra and false lashes add drama to already big eyes.

#3 Emma Stone in Zombieland

Emma Stone is known for being a Hollywood glamour queen, but before she made it big, she was in a small little horror comedy called Zombieland.  It was so funny, and so fun, and quite scary at times, I loved this movie.  Emma stone was so cute in it, because she really knew how to rock a darker brunette hairstyle that was both edgy and soft at the same time.

I loved Emma Stone's hair in this movie. The side swept bangs and bouncy wavy hair made her darkly lined eyes that much more feminine!
I loved Emma Stone’s hair in this movie. The side swept bangs and bouncy wavy hair made her edgy black lined eyes that much more feminine!

#2 Katrina Bowden in Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil

I loved Katrina’s performance as the damsel in distress and romantic lead in this hilarious horror comedy about college kids going to the backwoods, and learning that hillbillies are not as scary as them preppy young selves.  So funny.  And Katrina was so foxy with her tousled wavy hair, and minimal make up.  I think she is following that trend in South Korea of just rocking really nice dewy skin.

You can't have a B movie without a hot babe of some sort. And Katrina Bowden fits this bill. But her performance was also super funny.
You can’t have a B movie without a hot babe in her knickers. And Katrina Bowden is up to task! But her performance was also super funny.
Nice wavy hair like this can be achieved with a curling iron and rollers. Pair it with little to no make up for Katrina's look.
Nice wavy hair like this can be achieved with a curling iron and rollers. Pair it with little to no make up if you dare for Katrina’s look.

#1 Amber Heard in The Ward

And my number 1 pic has to be Amber Heard who is no stranger to being a siren in horror movies.  She was Mandy Lane in the slasher All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, but I want to focus on her make-up and hair in her lesser known movie The Ward.  This movie has great twists and turns, I do recommend checking it out.  If not for Amber’s strikingly gorgeous look and portrayal of a disheveled young blonde, then for the mysterious intrigue that happens in it, as it is set in a psych ward full of disturb young women.

Amber Heard's character does a lot of worrying in this movie, but look and the simple pastel palette that is used on her eyes and mouth.
Amber Heard’s character does a lot of worrying in this movie, but look at the simple pastel palette that is used on her eyes and mouth, and accentuated eye lashes.  It is a pale, ghostly and drained palette that mirror her state.
It doesn't look like a lot of make-up, but it is. To get this look, you need disheveled hair, dark lined brows, and a neutral lip. I think it is a youthful make-up.
It doesn’t look like a lot of make-up, but it is. To get this look, you need disheveled hair, dark lined brows, and a neutral lip. I think it is a youthful looking make-up.
My attempt at achieving the same look. Pastel eye shadow, with darker lined brows, shadow lined eyes, and fake lashes. finish with pastel lip colour/nude.
My attempt at achieving the same look. Pastel eye shadow, with darker lined brows, softly lined eyes, and fake lashes. finish with pastel lip colour/nude.  Hey I’m not Amber Heard, but I tried!  🙂

Glamorous Eye Make-up for the Holidays and Parties

So the holidays have long gone, I am glad.  For some reason, end of the year festivities always make me sad.  Just so much obligation to buy presents, go to church, see family, go on vacation, eat, drink, party…etc. It’s just too overwhelming for me for some reason.  At least during this time, I was able to host two parties…and try out a glamorous make-up look that is dramatic, and formal, but still fun and pretty.  I like it because the use of colour is minimal, it relies more on the shape and boldness of the eyeliner.

I was inspired by these photos I found on tumbler:

Tian Yi! she is the Asian model in this pic. I think the fashion world needs more diversity in it. :)
Elsa Hosk and Tian Yi! She is the Asian model in this pic. I think the fashion world needs more diversity in it. 🙂
Ana de Armas, channeling all kinds of pretty!
Ana de Armas, channeling all kinds of pretty!

Notice how these two photos have bold black liner on top lid as the main focus?  For my holiday party look I combined the looks above…the heavily retro, overly dramatic eyes of the models and meshed it with the classic gorgeousness of the simple cat eye of Ana’s make up.  And this is what I got:

IMG_3515 (2)
I wanted something bold, but still soft…
I did this one with more of a point flicked up...but still bold...
I did this one with more of a point flicked up…but still bold…

How I got my Dreamy Party Look:

  1. Do your make-up foundation as usual.  If it is a fancy party, you can put on more foundation or concealer where you need it. Line your brows.
  2. Pick a neutral eye shadow.  I find the more bold the liner, the more neutral the colour should be.  That keeps things elegant and not garish.  I used a gold pearly colour on my lids, but a nude with shimmer, or sparkle shadow would also work if you want a bit more glam.
  3. THIS IS THE SECRET: line your top lid with black eye shadow with an angle brush.  Get the general shape you want.  At first you will see how the eye shadow doesn’t give you the graphic look you desire.  It gives you softness, a soft thick even line.  Now part two: get out your liquid liner/pen and trace along the edges of where you put your shadow for bold edges, kind of outlining the shape.  You will not be able to see where the black shadow line ends and where the liquid liner begins, I promise.
  4. Add blush and fake lashes for extra oomph!

Notes: Why do two kinds of liner?  That is a good question. Liquid liner is a devil to wear on the lid.  It can be thick, crusty and just cakey and crackly if you wear it in large quantities.  As a little swipe on your lid to do a cat eye, just liquid is fine, but for thicker lines, the coverage is not as smooth as pencil or shadow lining.  So to get the best of both worlds: smooth colour and graphic edges, a lot of girls do this trick of just outlining the edges of shadow/pencil lines with liquid liner to give it shape and definition.  Give it a try today and see how it helps keep graphic eye make-up from being too heavy or harsh.

Tip:  I like to use a pen liner.  I get one with a pointy tip that makes nice fine lines and is dark and intense in colour.  Pen liners resemble markers, so it is like drawing on your skin and eyes.  But the control you get from the pen is so much more than what you get from liquid brushes…

 

 

Halloween done easy, simple and cute!

I have been known to make a big thing out of Halloween costumes.  I participated in cosplay in the past as well as hand crafting my kid’s costumes every year.  There is nothing more fun than making a whole costume from scratch! But this year, I wanted to give myself  break.  No dyeing white pajamas green (my kid was the Riddler once), no fantastical complicated face make-ups (I was a sugar skull one year), and no accessorizing to the nines like I had in the past.  Just a really low-key, modest costing, costume requiring only store bought bunny ears. Boring? Not at all. I am going to don the ubiquitous rabbit costume this year, but as generic as this costume can get, I still wanted to make it cute, special and classy in my own way.  Halloween bunny costumes can get so garish and trampy looking…so I have to reign it in with my own version.

The reason I choose the bunny rabbit as a costume is that my boyfriend already owns a tail coat, a top hat, and a cape.  All he needs is a magic wand, and he’s a Magician.  And in the spirit of being an enthusiastic girlfriend who likes couple costumes (kinda), I decided I will be his white rabbit that he has pulled out of his hat.  So yes, we’re taking on the couple costume this year and walking down that road in dating.  Ha ha.  But really this is just going to be fun.

Materials for Costume:

  1. 1 set of store bought bunny ears: You could make your own, but it’s so much easier just to buy one for 5 bucks.
This is the only item you really need to buy, since making it may be difficult! Super fuzzy and cute!
This is the only item you really need to buy, since making it may be difficult! Super fuzzy and cute!

2.  1 Fluffy, furry white sweater/top–There was a faux merino wool trend last winter, so you can find one easily still and probably have one!

3.  White bottoms, tanks, pants, skirt…etc.  Just stick to clothing that is the colour of your bunny!

Optional: Extra furry material.  I lucked out this year and found a furry hat to cut up and make into a puffy tail, cuffs and neck tie. Can’t have a bunny without the fluffy tail!

It happened that I already had a furry merino sweater. So turning into a bunny was sweet and easy!
It happened that I already had a furry merino sweater. So turning into a bunny was sweet and easy! I did make the tail though!

Material for Face Make-up:

Being a bunny is great, because you don’t need to spend a lot on stage make-up and prosthetics.  Just use a good foundation, powder, shadow and line your eyes the way you would do a regular beauty make-up and add whiskers! Tip: Draw your whiskers not at your nose level, but slightly below, because that’s where the whiskers are on a real bunny!

This the the finished product! I feel that it was so simple, but still fun. And my boyfriend looked dashing as my magician.
This the the finished product! I feel that it was so simple, but still fun. And my boyfriend looked dashing as my magician.