Fun Makeup | How I used "regular" Makeup Products to create this #Halloween Skull #Makeup Look

I'm so excited to share how I created this Halloween Skull Makeup look! Firstly, I'm happy to tell you that I didn't have to purchase special "Halloween makeup" that we typically find in the month of October. Secondly, I did this without having to spend $ on buying new makeup just to create this Halloween look, I used what I already had at home :)

The best rule of life is the K.I.S.S. rule (Keep it Stupidly Simple)! This can pretty much apply to any aspect of life. I wanted to apply this rule to creating my latest Halloween look. I wanted to show that I did not have to spend $ on buying "Halloween" makeup products, rather using what I already had to get the look I wanted. So, there you go...the K.I.S.S. rule!

Thee Best Halloween memories I have are the ones where I created either a DIY Costume or a Makeup look. One year I was an aging woman, which I used eyeliner to create the aging effect, 80's girl following that, and one year it was the "Robert Palmer" makeup look (Sidebar: If you don't know what this is, you MUST look this up right now!) This look was created using the borrowed (aka secretly took my mom's) Charlie Red Lipstick and black eyeliner! It totally worked!

I did the Skull last year and with practice and doing it on repeat, each year this look will get better and better! Here is the breakdown of the products I used and the order in which I did as well!

Skull Makeup Look Products (Everything was on hand):

1. NYX Cosmetics Wonder Pencil  in 02 (Milky Nude Pencil)
2. Giorgio Armani Face Fabric (DC) in 0.5 (This is the lightest shade & I wear 5, just to give context)
3. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 5 (I wear shade 8)
4. NYX Highlight and Contour Pro Palette
5. MAC Pro Longwear Eye Liner in Definedly Black
6. Laura Mercier Caviar Stick (Eyeshadow Stick) in Tuxedo
7. Quo Vinyl Liquid Liner in Black
8. Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette
9. Giorgio Armani High Precision ReTouch (Concealer) in 2

The reason I didn't want to use white makeup for the skull is that anytime I have ever seen a Skull in books or at the museum, they were decayed looking, with almost a beige like tone. Rather than use the Halloween White shade, for me what worked was using a really light shade of foundation! It works out well. :)

BONE SKULL CREATION:

DETAILS:

SHADOW & DIMENSION CREATION:

A really important tip I wanted to share, is to really take your time on the Bone "skin"creation. Be sure to layer the foundation evenly and take your time blending it on the skin. This will give you a great base for the rest of the Skull Details.

Last but not least, have fun when creating wild makeup looks like this one I did for Halloween. Be mindful that it doesn't have to cost a lot of $, just a bit of time, inspiration and creativity!

Enjoy!

Fun Makeup | #12DaysofChristmas Makeup Looks | Day 3: Holiday Glam

A classic red lip will never cease to amaze paired with a shimmering highlight! Today brings Day 3 of the 12 Days of Christmas Makeup Looks by me @MakeupbySand! This look is called Holiday Glam! This look is my fave so far, because it pairs a classic red lip with a touch of gloss with a gorgeous glowing highlight! Check out the details below!

Products Used:

Face

• Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk #6.25 Foundation
• Giorgio Armani #100 Bronzer & #507 Blush
• Urban Decay Naked Palette 1 - The 2 shades were mixed together: Sin and Half Baked

Eyes

• Urban Decay Naked Palette 1 
• Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Cocoa 
• Coastal Scents 28 Neutral Palette - Warm Brown Shade
• Giorgio Armani Eye Pencil in #4 & Eyes To Kill Mascara
• Maybelline Line Stiletto

Lips

• Giorgio Armani Rouge D'Armani Lipstick in #409
• Dior Lip Liner Pencil in Rouge Dior
• Giorgio Armani Lip Gloss #608 (A small dab on the centre of the bottom lip)

I love how this look gives glamour! From the power red lip with bronzy/gold/champagne eyeshadows and that GLOW, this look will be a hit at any festive party! It suits EVERY skin tone  and you can play with different tones of the red lipstick to suit your comfort and confidence level!

Happy Holidays!

What's in my #Makeup Kit? | My Top 5 Must-Haves

Over the years of being in the industry, I have built my Kit to include a number of amazing products from amazing brands. Out of all the products that are in my kit, there are a few key items that I will ALWAYS use and keep restocking them in my kit!

Check out the list below:

1. Ardell Lashes + Duo Lash Glue
2. MAC SkinFinish in By Candlelight or Soft & Gentle
3. Urban Decay Naked Palette
4. Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheers in #2, #10 & #11
5. 88 Original Coastal Scents Eyeshadow Palette

Ardell Lashes: There are tons of beautiful lash companies out there that are making stunning lashes. Ardell in my opinion, give tons of options for Natural, Full and Dramatic Lashes. I can pick and choose from a variety of Lashe styles that can work for any client. I also love that their price point is about $5 and you can get them from Walmart!! The Duo Glue is a must and works the best in my opinion. My fave lashes are in the Natural category in #105 and #117.

Ardell Lashes in #105 & #117

MAC Skinfinish in Candlelight or Soft and Gentle: I love the rosy and peachy gold glow that these particular products give. They look good on EVERY skin tone which makes it perfect for any client that you may have. It goes on smooth and you can place it for a specific highlight or "strobing" look. It also looks gorgeous paired on top of a Liquid Highlight for added glow for Photos.

MAC Skinfinish in By Candlelight

Urban Decay Naked Palette: This was the one that made everyone an addict! Hands down one of the easiest eyeshadow palettes to use for Bridal! It gives you tons of options for Smokey Eyes, Neutral Smokey and Classic Bridal. The shades are beautiful on all skin tones! A mix of semi-matte, sheen and pure shades.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheers: My secret weapon! This product is the most versatile product in my kit. Fluid sheers are a liquid highlighting product. It gives you the ability to add glow as an after effect, tones and colour corrects foundation, allows for a glowy look when mixed into your foundation and is EXCELLENT as an eye primer to make shadows last. It works beautifully with the MAC Skinfinish noted above.

Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheers in #2, #10 and #11

88 Original Coastal Scents Eyeshadow Palette: I love this palette, one of the larger palettes I have! The colours give you a million options especially for dramatic and more creative makeup looks. The colours are very pigmented and last!

88 Original Coastal Scents Eyeshadow Palette

Check out the product links above and see if you want to include at least one into your own personal or professional makeup kit. Be sure to comment below if you have any products that you currently use that you love!

Beauty Look | EOTD: Neutral Winged Liner

This look is very fun to create. I normally wear a thinner liner and I do a kitten liner which is a smaller and softer version of the full Winged Liner.  For this look, I wanted to showcase how easy it is to take a neutral eye makeup look and amp it up with the liner.

Check out the look details below:

Products Used:

• Eye shadows | Urban Decay Naked Palette 
• Lid: Sin w/Virgin on top
• Crease: Buck Mixed with Smog
• Inner Corner: Sin
• Corner/Outer Crease: Creep mixed with Gunmetal
• Brow Bone: Virgin
• Waterline/Lower Lashline: MAC Smoulder Black Eye Pencil
• Lashline: Gunmetal and Creep
• Liner: Vasanti Cleopatra Liquid Liner
• Mascara: Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara

Next time you have a soft or neutral looking eye makeup, try making your Liquid Liner the focus and it will make your eyes pop!

FOTD - Halloween Inspired - Lady Darkness

Halloween is just around the corner and if you are strapped for time or not sure what to do for a costume, here is an easy look that takes no time. To complete this look, I used my regular beauty products that I would use for any of the glam or everyday looks that I do.

The white face makeup that was used was the only product that was purchased, but the rest of the products I already had had at home to create this look.

Check out the products that I used:

• White Face Makeup - Base 
• Grey Ghoulish Shadows - Grey & Black Waterproof Eye Pencil
• Ghoulish Accents - Grey & Black eyeshadows
• Lips - Grey Waterproof Eye Pencil
• Blood - Burgundy Lipstick, Vaseline and Black Liquid Eyeliner.
• Black Hood - Black Shawl

Pretty straightforward, I used the white makeup to cover the face, then I used the makeup to create the shadows and the creepiness to the face.  Any of the natural angles of my face, I added the grey and blended out with my fingers.  Once the lips were greyed out, it totally completed the face.  The last touch was the blood on the lips and eyes, which I used the end of the eyeshadow to apply.  The products were mixed on the back of my hand.

Total Time: 15 mins.

Hope you enjoy this ghoulish look!

Always Smile :)  - Sand

EOTD - Get NAKED for TIFF2013!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!... Not first day of school as drummed into our heads by that amazing office supply commercial...and no it's not Christmas time just yet...  It's TIFF Time!

TIFF, otherwise known as the Toronto International Film Festival is gearing up to launch today and over the next few days everyone and their grandma, will be star stalking, celeb loving, film watching, city dwelling, club hopping, last call loving, paparazzi loving film buffs.  :)

No matter what the reason will be for you to be downtown, here is a great look that you can wear that will make you "Selfie" ready to take that photo-op with the next up & coming celeb.

It's very easy to get swept away with the excitement of TIFF. I had the pleasure of working a very special event last year at a celebrity gifting lounge in the beauty bar at a very luxurious hotel. While I was at this event, I was very excited by all of the glamour. The event was top secret, therefore, you are expected to be professional and offer the utmost levels of discretion to whomever you are working on. Yet the minute a major celebrity walked into the beauty lounge, everyone in the room went silent, so much so, that you could hear a pin drop.  On the outside, I was as cool as a cucumber and appeared not affected, however, in my mind I was having the ultimate fan-girl moment, but no one was ever the wiser! ;)

Anyhow, I digress, here is the easy look that you can use with similar shades/dupes at home. I used the Urban Decay Naked Palette V.1:

1. Fill in the brows, I used Vasanti Dynamic Brow Duo in Cape Town.

2. Apply SIN on 1/3 of the inner lid and up into the crease. 
3. Apply SIDECAR on the rest of the lid. Sweeping the colour and blending it into SIN.
4. Apply NAKED & BUCK mixed together and sweep into the crease, blending very well.
5. Apply VIRGIN, the perfect shade to highlight under the brows onto the brow bone.
6. Using CREEP, start at the corner of the eye and sweep this shade into the crease.
7. Using Makeup Forever Eye Pencil in Black, apply to the inner waterline.
8. Use Vasanti Kajal Extreme eye pencil underneath the end of the lower lash line.
9. Create a cat eye with Liquid Liner onto the top of the lash line and winging out.
10. Apply 2 coats of Mascara, helps to open and define the eyes.
11. For added sparkle and pop, add SIN the inner corner of the eyes.

Here is the full look with a soft pink blush, using sin as a glowing highlight and a soft pink brown lip gloss to finish the lips.

A great look to rock for the FILM Festival and any other day to night parties that you may attend!

Always Smile :)  - Sand

Everyday Smokey Eye :) - Instagram Inspired Tutorial

I was inspired by Instagram and all of the beautiful collage photos by various makeup artists showcasing their gorgeous eye makeup.  I found these photos not only inspirational, but very easy to understand their "how-to" photos.  

I thought it would be fun to showcase one of my favourite looks to wear in the same fashion as well as including the step by step instructions.   Enjoy this post!

Instructions:

Step 1 - To frame the eyes, fill in the brows, I used Vasanti Dynamic Brow Duo in Cape Town.

Step 2 - Apply SIN on 1/3 of the inner lid and up into the crease. You want to press and pack onto the lid.
Step 3 - Apply SIDECAR on the rest of the lid. Sweeping the colour and blending it into SIN.
Step 4 - Then apply NAKED & BUCK mixed together and sweep into the crease, blending very well.
Step 5 - Apply VIRGIN, the perfect shade to highlight under the brows onto the brow bone.
Step 6 - Using CREEP, start at the corner of the eye, lightly pat and sweep this shade into the crease.
Step 7 - Using Makeup Forever Eye Pencil in Black, apply to the inner waterline.
Step 8 - I used Kajal Extreme eye pencil underneath the end of the lower lash line and smudged to soften.
Step 9 - Create a cat eye by drawing a thin line on top of the lash line and winging out.
Step 10 - Apply 2 coats of Mascara, helps to open and define the eyes.
Step 11 - For added sparkle and pop, add SIN the inner corner of the eyes.

Products Used:

• Vasanti Dynamic Brow Duo - Cape Town
• Urban Decay - Naked Palette (All Eyeshadow shades were used from this Palette)
• Make Up Forever - Aqua Eyes Waterproof Pencil 
• Vasanti Kajal Extreme in Intense Black
• Vasanti Conditioning Long Lash Mascara
• Mark - Get In Line Hook Up Liquid Liner

Finish the rest of your face as you like! This is a perfect dramatic yet wearable smokey eye that is great for the weekend or a glam night out!

Hope this post helps you re-create this sexy look.  Here is the finished look:

Always Smile :)  - Sand