theNotice: a beauty blog

I warned you that there’d be a lot of this black smokey eye this month, but I promise — this is the last post focusing on it! I really loved the look, though, and I wanted to share a step-by-step how-to before leaving it behind and moving on.

It’s a really high-impact look that’s surprisingly easy to do, so keep reading for all of the tips & tricks that’ll give your smokey eye that extra oomph.

(Holy crap, I just realized that contouring is like a push-up bra… for your face. I never anticipated needing to use these words, but: I have to tweet this.)

A smokey eye tutorial with an extra edge

[ What does it even mean to "have edge;" is "edge" actually a thing that you can have? And if it is, is your worth determined by the number of edges you have, or is edge a singular entity of varying size? Is this all just a muddy anecdote having to do with metaphorical sharpness? ]

Start off the look with a black cream base, applying it quickly (before it sets) but not worrying too much about the edges. I used an Annabelle SmudgePaint in Glitzy Black, LE this fall — the creamy texture and solidly-setting formula make it a great choice for a smokey eye, and the intense black-plus-shimmer shade made it perfect for this look.

(Make sure you get it through your lashes, too, or the final look will end up more crazy than classy.)

You’ll need to follow up with a shimmery black powder eyeshadow (or a black eyeshadow and a shimmery one, separately,) so I swatched a few different products and picked the most intense.

From L-R, below: (1) NYX Eyeshadow in Black + FaceFront Artistic Pigment in Silver Fox; (2) the black from Clarins’ Mineral Eye Quartet in Graphites; (3) FaceFront Pressed Eyeshadow in Printed + Artistic Pigment in Silver Fox; (4) MAC Pigment in Dark Soul.

I could have gotten a better shimmer density with Dark Soul, but MAC pigments are so finicky to work with — and I didn’t want the look to be all bark with no bite, you know?

I ended up using NYX’s black eyeshadow (ridiculously buttery and pigmented, for the price) layered underneath FaceFront Silver Fox, but we’ll deal with the shimmer in a minute. First, just take the black eyeshadow overtop your cream base, using it to give shape and blend out the cream liner’s harsh(er) edges.

From there, pull the black eyeshadow through your lower lashline, take a step back and re-evaluate: it’ll change how your eyes are weighted, visually, and I often find I have to go back and add height to the eyeshadow on my lids at this point.

Follow up with black liner along your waterlines (if you used a shimmery base, swap it out for something with a cream finish), then move on to filling your brows. Pick something with a bit of a cooler tone, and don’t be afraid to mix a bit of grey into your usual shade to get the right shade!

Keep reading! »

I’ve always been a fan of more glamorous Halloween makeup looks; the sort that let you stretch your artistic muscles, but don’t necessarily translate into a character.

So, for this month, I put together three looks that are too over-the-top for everyday wear, but could totally pass at a Halloween party — without necessitating a trip to the local costume store. You’ve already seen the first of the three (last Monday’s vampy statement lips,) but I hope you enjoy this one, too.

Don’t miss the full lace makeup tutorial on She Said Beauty, and keep a lookout on theNotice for the secrets behind this smokey eye (later in the week).

I started the look with a basic black smokey eye; dramatic and glittery on a creme base (Annabelle SmudgePaint in Glitzy Black) and paired it with sculpted cheeks, fresh skin, and (perhaps most importantly) a nude-but-not-too-nude lip: in this case, Have A Lovely Day!, the MAC Casual Colour that I’m so in love with.

Then, for that extra bit of Halloween, I added a lace mask to the look. Rather than pinning actual lace to my hair, I’ve used Sweetart, an easy lace appliqué from the FaceLace range.

I was a bit iffy about the range at first (you want me to pay how much for a piece of lace??), but they might just be worth checking out. The masks stick directly onto the skin, making them less finicky than pinned-in fabric lace, and the flexible vinyl both wears comfortably & holds up to repeated uses.

Keep reading! »

…your favourite limited edition gloss to brighten up a hard week.

My “bad day lipgloss” is Annabelle Le Gloss Lip Shine in Bitten, from the etheREAL Holiday 2010 collection. It’s a gorgeous, non-sticky blue-red with a completely shimmer-free finish (which is harder to find than you’d think!)

The Le Gloss line has just recently been discontinued entirely, and I hate to see it go — not only were they scent-free and comfortable, but they stayed right where they ought, too. Not even a super-pigmented shade like this one bled into the lines of my dry lips, which was more than a little impressive!

What’s your go-to lip gloss for when you need a bit of a pick-me-up?

Man, I haven’t done a blue smokey eye in ages. I’m pretty sure I went with a winged shape (cat-eye makeup, winged smokey eyes, whatever you want to call it) last time, too, which just goes to show how predictable (read: boring) I am.

This time, though, I thought I’d play around a bit with shape. In the image below, you have the same look in three different ways, changed with nothing more than a dry q-tip and a couple brisk buffing motions. At left is the most wearable, basic shape; on the far right, the most winged, dramatic effect. (The full-face shots are with the eye on the right.)

I can’t believe it took me this long to try my MAC Casual Colour — I spend most of the summer bare-faced, but I’m really regretting it in this one instance. I’ve used Have A Lovely Day! here, and I’m absolutely smitten with both the colour and the formula: it’s comfortable, looks natural, and still manages to tone down my own lip colour without ending up all strange and milky.

I’ve used Senna Fantasy in the inner corners, here, then taken Annabelle Lagoon (soon to be discontinued) through the lid. The outer wing is mainly Annabelle B-Ray, darkened further with a basic matte black eyeshadow.

Don’t miss this blue smokey eye tutorial on She Said Beauty.

Products used

EYES – colour : Annabelle Mono Eyeshadow in B-Ray and Lagoon, Senna Eye Shadow (Glow) in Fantasy, NYX Eyeshadow in Black.

EYES – basics: Annabelle Smoothie Jumbo Eye Pencil in Licoriche, Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara in Extreme Black, Ellis Faas Eyeliner in Black, MAC Eye Shadow (Matte2) in Blanc Type.

LIPS AND CHEEKS: MAC Casual Colour Lip & Cheek Colour in Have A Lovely Day!

SKIN: Hard Candy Glamoflauge in Light, theBalm timeBalm in Lighter Than Light, and Marcelle Face Powder in Translucent.

Because Selina Kyle is a BAMF.

In a few more words, though: here’s a quick look (tutorial + more photos here) to make up for the fact that I’ve been AWOL recently. Soft red lips, matte neutral eyes, and (what else?) smudgy winged black eyeliner.

While editing these photos, I realized that I look rather… displeased with the entire world in them, which — not intentional, I promise. (Okay, maybe a little bit intentional. It has been so hot in Edmonton this season; I am so, so ready for the fall.)

Honestly, though? This look isn’t exactly prototypical DC superhero — you could get away with wearing it in pretty much any scenario (no ass-kicking or taking of names required). Take the edge off a red lip by applying your lipstick quite sparingly, and then blotting it down with a fingertip for a really soft, lived-in edge.

(Alternately, wear the lipstick full-force for a more dramatic, evening look, or grab a classic-red gloss–with shimmer!–for something a bit more fun.)

Alright. I’m sure you’ve had enough of my boring face for the time being, so I’ll add in one last note and then leave you be!

Black liner through my sparse lashes is my #1 makeup tip for looking just… better, without making it obvious at all that I’ve actually got anything on, and this liner does a fantastic job of it. More awake, larger eyes, more expressive, you name it — liner in my actual lashline (not above it, and not below it) is a makeup trick that I rely really heavily on, and this super-creamy, super-black Annabelle Smoothie pencil has been my pick of the month to do it with.

Keep reading! »