The Search For The Perfect Eyeliner : Benefit's They're Real

Please forgive the red eyes, it was 6am.

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas!

And so continues my quest for the perfect eyeliner. Now when it comes to makeup, we know I'm not a snob, expiration dates and importation and all that doesn't faze me at all. So I would have been massively intrigued by the They're Real eyeliner...had I not gotten the Maybelline version that had came out in Asia somewhere (judging by the packaging) months beforehand.

I kind of knew the script with this one, and to be honest, the application is okayyyyy. The Benefit one is definitely better applicator wise than the Maybelline one, and it lasts ALL day. It was only a sample size I got, and I would get the full size after trialling it. It was really easy to apply, if you're a beginner it might take some practice but easier than  a liquid and it's super black and not at all patchy. I don't know how it manipulates as so far, I've not had to, which probably speaks volumes about how easy the application is.

As far as gel eyeliners go, it's the best I've tried, but perfect eyeliner it is not. That is, my search for the perfect eyeliner involves being able to get it off without removing my eyelid at the end of the day.
 The picture on the right is my full look for that day, please forgive the Instagram filter, as I said, it was 6am and I was running out the door!

I also said I would give you an update on the Poundland makeup range at some point. I'm wearing both the lippy and the blusher I got in this photo, the lipstick application sucks, but I paired it with MAC Nightmoth and still managed to get the beautiful duochrome. The blush takes some building but is a lovely wearable daytime pink. Perfect if you like just a subtle flush.

My Poundland Makeup Post

The Search For The Perfect Eyeliner : B Dramatic

Makeup 101: The Glitter Cut Crease

Hi everyone!  Can I just point out...3 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!! I'M SO EXCITEEEED!

Okay, back. So hopefully everyone's having a wonderful festive season so far, and today I'm bringing you a look I wore to my college Christmas party, and I thought I would take photos along the way so that hopefully you can wear it too!


Before you begin, make sure you prep your eyes with your chosen primer. You can use concealer if you like, here I've used the Too Faced Shadow Insurance. I've also placed some Scotch tape along past my lower lashline to help create a super sharp wing.

Then, I've used a soft black eyeliner to draw in my guide for my cut crease. I have slightly hidden eyelids, so I've actually drawn my crease just above where my actual crease is, so that it still shows when my eyes are open. Also, if black is too harsh for you, you could use a dark brown.

Next, use a small soft brush to blend that eyeliner out. Use a small amount of black eyeshadow to help the blending. Blend blend blend. Blend more. And again. No harsh lines allowed. 

So I was using a silver/rainbow glitter, so I used a silver eyeshadow underneath. You don't have to use an eyeshadow at all, but I think it helps. I used a flat, dense brush to press this up to where I've laid down that black liner and shadow. Try not to go over the black, but if you do, don't worry, just use the smaller brush you used first to blend it out.

Now, take a glitter glue i.e. Too Faced Glitter Glue, or Urban Decay Bondage and use your finger to press that over the silver/colour of your choice shadow and then use your finger to densely pack that glitter on top of the glue, again, try not to go over the black. I've done my eyes before the rest of my face here so I don't have to worry about fallout, I'll just wipe it away before I do my foundation etc.

Now, use a liquid eyeliner to draw your wing. Liquid works best here, especially the non-pen type because it just glides over the glitter and doesn't drag it around. 

Take the tape off and use a cotton bud dipped in makeup remover to tidy up your wing if you need to, then I smudged a tiny amount of black eyeshadow into the bottom lashes to balance everything out. I then added some mascara and false lashes and woohoo! Party ready!

Please tag me @pintsizeheroine on Instagram if you try this or any of my other makeup tutorials, I'd love to see them!

N x

Makeup 101: Highlight and Contour!

Hello folks!

Sorry I've been MIA again. Who decided to be a jeweller at Christmas? Jeezo. I've been rushed off my feet trying to get everything sorted before I finish college for the Christmas holidays so I'm sorry I (once again) haven't been able to post!

I'm back with another makeup tutorial today, this time for a highlight and contour.

Behold! My starting face! Now, because I use powder products to highlight and contour I always apply my primer, foundation, and concealer first, this allows for easy blending. If you want to use cream products then I would definitely advise contouring before powder.

I start off by applying a concealer just a shade or 2 lighter than my skin to the high points of my face (forehead, nose, chin, sometimes cupid's bow) and under my eyes and buff this in using a flat top brush. This will create the illusion of light on your face once your contour has been applied.

Sah pretty.

Buffin' Buffin' Buffin'

I then apply a dark brown to the hollows of my face which are under my cheekbones, under my jaw and the temples of my forehead. Now, I don't usually contour my temples as I have a really small forehead, I don't need to, but I've done it in this photo so you can see where this would be applied. Also, if you struggle to find your cheekbones, suck your cheeks in through your teeth to make a fishy face and draw a line towards the corners of your mouth and stop at least three fingers' width away. When you're satisfied with your placement, blend upwards. Think you've blended enough? You haven't. Keep going.

I use a nude coloured blush to contour as I'm so pale, but a good idea is to get a powder foundation a few shades darker than your skintone. I hate using bronzer to contour as it can look so orange but if that's what you like then you can use that too. I'd say bronzer works better if you have a darker skintone. Ghosts like me need not apply,

Then, if you like, take a shimmery highlighter and apply this to the very tops of your cheekbones just under your eyes to catch the light when you move your head.

To complete the look, apply your blush of choice just in between your highlight and contour and blend together. 

MINION!

Please let me know if you try this for yourself! 

N x

First Impressions : Poundland Makeup Range!

Okay, so I was really skeptical about trying this, but then my mum pointed out that I had been waxing lyrical about a Makeup Revolution lipstick that only cost £1 so I figured I might as well give it a go!

The range is called Makeup Gallery and it has everything from foundations to nail polishes. The items I selected to try were : a nail polish in Silver Treasure, a Colour Moisture lipstick in Plum Pout, a blusher in Candyfloss, an eyeshadow in Galaxy Grey and an Intense Colour and Shine Gloss in Pixie Pink.

First impressions are...mixed. 

The nail polish has a great brush, flat and thick with tiny particles of rainbow glitter and larger silver glitter pieces, but as with most glitter polishes you don't get much of them. 

The lipgloss is a beautiful neon pink colour that goes opaque with one swipe but the consistency is kind of sticky. I don't mind that so much but I know some people don't like that.

The blush is really pretty neutral pink, the swatch doesn't show up much so I think I'll need to try this one out on my face to see what happens. 

What made me want to try all of this in the first place was the lipstick in Plum Pout, look at that duochrome! I don't have anything like it in my (rather excessive) collection. It is very moisturising but quite sheer, so again a face trial is probably needed!

Lastly I decided to try one of the eyeshadows and my first impressions aren't massively positive. It seems quite chalky and crumbly but hopefully I can work with it over a primer. 

These are obviously just first impressions so I'll be trialling these over the next few weeks and I'll be back to let you know what I think!

Will you be trying anything from this range?

N x

Makeup 101: Ombre Lip

Hi guys,

I'm back with another makeup tutorial, and today's look is a super wearable take on the ombre lip. I use this to mix shades of lipstick that I don't always necessarily think I suit or to add a little something extra to my daytime lip looks.

Step 1:

Apologies for the ridiculous picture, it was the only way I could show what I meant! Start by outlining your lips in a pinky nude colour (either with a lipliner, or a lipstick on a brush) and fill in the corners.

Next, fill in the centre of your lips with a peachy nude tone and blend into the lipliner, finish with a gloss if you like and you're done!

Let me know if you try this look!

N x

Makeup 101 : Smokey Eye

Hi folks! 

Extreme apologies for not posting the last week or so, I had a competition to prepare for with only 5 days notice so I have been the busiest guy ever! So, I thought I'd make it up to you guys with my first ever makeup tutorial!

One of the things I get asked about most is a smokey eye, so I thought I would show you how to do a really wearable, not too dark or complicated eye with a pop of shimmer.

One of my first tips when choosing what colours to wear is to go for a palette or a quad if you're not sure, this means you'll have colours that will definitely match and most quads now have little instructions on the back to help!

The quad I've chosen is the Maleficent palette from MAC but this contains all permanent shades if you like the look of them! 

Step 1 :

Apply your chosen primer (I use TooFaced Shadow Insurance) and buff a medium matte brown shade over your crease, using a fluffy brush here I've used Brown Down from the Maleficent palette with a MAC 217 brush. 

Step 2: 

Next, take a slightly different matte brown, I've used Concrete here as it's a little darker and more grey toned than Brown Down, and using the same brush, lightly blend that into the outer corner of your eye and crease, covering approx 1/3rd of your outer eyelid.

Step 3:

This is the part most people are scared of : black. Take a matte black shadow, and with a super light hand, blend that into the very outer corner of your eye. Keep blending until you have a nice gradient of colour but make sure you keep to the outer corner as this will create the most dimension. 

Step 4:

Now take a flat, dense eyeshadow brush, I used the double-ended eyeshadow brush from Urban Decay and press a shimmery gold shadow on the eyelid up to the crease. I've used Goldmine from MAC here, but Half Baked from Urban Decay is also a nice one. If you're not into shimmer then a pale matte shade would also work for this step. 

Step 5:

This step is entirely optional, but I like it for adding a little bit of grunginess. Take the same matte black eyeshadow on an angled liner brush and run this along your bottom lashline, then smudge with your blending brush. 

Add some mascara and you're done!

I hope you liked this tutorial and if there's any you'd like me to do then please let me know and I'll give it a shot! 

N x