Halloween Series: 'Va-va-voom Vampire' Make-up look

This is the final addition to my Halloween Series! I have really enjoyed doing it but I am also aware that the make-up looks I have done previously are quite time consuming. Therefore, I wanted to post a make-up look that is simpler, quicker and with products that are more accessible and have a sexier finish! My gorgeous friend Amy kindly agreed to model this look for me... so, let's jump right in!

STEP ONE

I cleansed and moisturised Amy's skin with my Garnier: 'Micellar Cleansing Water' and Simple: 'Vital Vitamin Day Cream'. Once the moisturiser had soaked in I applied Rimmel: 'Lasting Finish- 25 Hour' foundation all over her face. I then used Collection: 'Lasting Perfection' (Fair, 1) concealer under her eyes to help with brightness and Maybelline: 'Cover Stick' (Vanilla, 02) on any blemishes or redness. I then set this with Rimmel: 'Clear Complexion' powder and added a slight contour under the cheek bones, on the temples and upper forehead with Accessorize: 'Baked Bronzer Duo' (this was only for sculpting, not to 'bronze'). I didn't apply any blush to the cheeks because I still wanted a more ghostly, pale look about the skin. I still added some highlighter onto the top of the cheek bones and brow bone, as this look is still supposed to be a bit glam!

STEP TWO

I applied several layers of Maybelline: 'Color Tattoo' (Metallic Pomegranate, 70), which is a plum coloured cream eyeshadow. I blended lots in-between each application. Not only is it absolutely beautiful and easy to blend but it also increases the longevity of powder eyeshadows (which means they won't budge as easily if you're dancing the night away)!

STEP THREE

I then grabbed my trusty Urban Decay: 'Naked 2' palette. I applied 'Tease' (a muted purply-mushroom shade) onto the outer corner and crease and blended this in to the cream eyeshadow. I then added 'Busted' which is a shimmery dark brown shade onto the same area and blended. I also popped it on the lower lash line, but focusing on the outer corner for a 'wider-eyed' effect. 

STEP FOUR

Once all of the other colours were nicely blended I added to the sexy smokiness with 'Blackout', a matte black shade. I folded a piece of tissue in half and placed the edge against the eye to create a straight line (the outer corner of the eye to the end of the eyebrow is always a good guideline). I wanted there to be a defined wing, but still softly blended. Like the dark brown, I applied the black to the outer corner of the lower lash line and blended them together.

STEP FIVE

Then I moved onto eyeliner. I applied black, pencil eyeliner onto the water and tight line, I also brought the soft pencil onto the lash line and slightly below, once again focusing on the outer corner, and smudged it. After that, I picked up my Collection: '24 Hour Felt-tip Liner' and drew a reasonably thick line on the top lash line, flicking it out on to outer corners.

STEP SIX

I then applied several coats of Maybelline: 'The Colossal, Go Extreme Volume!' mascara to her naturally, long, curled lashes (the lucky bugger). And that was the eye make-up complete!

STEP SEVEN

LIPS TIME! I applied Sleek: 'Cherry' (No.790) all over the lip, using a lip brush for precision and then straight from the stick for colour intensity. 

STEP EIGHT

I then applied Rimmel: Starry Eyed (No.128), using a lip brush, onto the outer corners of the lips and blended the deep red and purple together. I went over this quite a few times so all of the colours were vibrant but still nicely blended.

STEP NINE

I then picked up a small paint brush and some fake blood and dripped the blood from the corners of Amy's mouth. We were going to use some fangs but we had a bit of a disaster, so feel free to add them but it still looks vampire-like as it is!

That's the finished look! 

Here are some more photos for you...

I hope you have an amazing Halloween and my 'Halloween Series' has helped you out! 

Speak soon!

Isabel x

Halloween Series: 'Spookily Sweet' Cocktail

I'm rather fond of a little tipple... the sweeter, the better! I love making cocktails, I'm no expert (well I am at drinking them!), but I love creating concoctions! I first made this cocktail a couple of years ago and it is one of my favourites. Not only does it taste AMAZING... it is also looks awesome! 

 If you want to learn how to make this glass of yumminess... keep reading! 

YOU WILL NEED

Ingredients 

200ml pineapple juice

80ml cranberry juice

1 shot of coconut rum

1 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp red food colouring

1 tbsp water

Equipment 

A glass

Shot glass

Measuring jug

Metal spoon

2 plates

STEP ONE

Put the water onto a plate and dip the rim of the glass in it. Pour the sugar and food colouring on to the other plate, mix together until all of the crystals are dyed red. Dip the rim of the glass into the sugar until it is coated like the image above. 

STEP TWO

Pour the pineapple juice into the glass.

STEP THREE

Then add the coconut rum.

STEP FOUR

Place the spoon up-side-down, leaning it against the side of the glass. Slowly pour the cranberry juice down the back of the spoon a little at the time. Stop and then turn the glass and repeat (this is so it is evenly distributed).

FINISHED

Drink up and enjoy!

Speak soon

Isabel x

Halloween Series: Half Pin-Up, Half Skeleton Make-up!

I wasn't originally going to do this make-up look, but one of my closest friends (who is at uni so I can't actually guide her in person) asked me to help her out as she wants to dress up as a skeleton this year. I documented the process and was just going to send the images to her but I have actually surprised myself as to how well it went, so I thought I would share it with you guys too! I did some research on Google and YouTube to gather some inspiration and then asked my rather gorgeous friend, Alex, to model this look for me... 

Keep reading to find out how I did it!

STEP ONE

Alex arrived at my house wearing some very natural looking make-up so I decided to take advantage and not 'start from scratch' as it were, considering half of the face in this look is supposed to be 'pretty'. She was just wearing Rimmel: Lasting Finish, 25 Hour foundation (100 Ivory), Collection: Lasting Perfection concealer (Fair, 1), some Rimmel: Clear Complexion powder and a light pink blush (which I added to later on) and Rimmel: Scandal Eyes Volume Lash mascara. But if you are doing this from scratch just add a simple base, you don't want to detract from the skeleton!

STEP TWO

I used a white eyeliner pencil by Barry M to sketch out the design, firstly sectioning the face half way and then drawing around the areas that would be black.

STEP THREE

Once all of the outlines were drawn, I filled in the gaps using a white face paint by Snazaroo. I applied a few layers of paint, allowing each layer to dry in-between, to create a greater coverage.

STEP FOUR

I then picked up my Collection 24 Hour Felt-tip Liner and carefully filled in the 'bone structure'. I originally applied black face paint but I found it too fiddly so switched to the eyeliner pen, but if you're confident enough then the face paint would probably last longer on the skin. 

I started to apply some shading and then realised I hadn't filled the nose in!

STEP FIVE 

I then filled the nose in, it sounds gross, but make sure that the nostril is covered as well!

STEP SIX

Then it was time for some shading! I just used my MUA: Winter Forest palette and dipped my brush into the grey tones, so, 'Dove Grey' and 'Slate'. I applied these shades to the outer most areas of the face and along the jaw line to add more definition. I then wanted to emphasise the shapes I had made previously so added some shading there too, with lots of blending!

STEP SEVEN

I left the teeth till last because... well... I was dreading doing them! I picked up a tiny weeny paint brush, dipped it into some water and then into my 'Blackout' (matte black) eyeshadow from my Urban Decay: Naked 2 palette (you could use black face paint but because I was scared I thought I would be able to remove the eyeshadow a lot easier than paint if I needed to!) I firstly darkened the centre of the lips so they appeared thinner and then made tiny brush strokes upwards and downwards and then rounding the edges...to make them look like teeth. I would advise having a visual aid to copy from. I got rather annoyed and stressed out at this point but I believe it all came together nicely! 

STEP EIGHT

I then went back in with the grey tones. I applied a small amount underneath each tooth, and blended the grey into the previous application. I also added a bright pink lipstick onto the 'pretty' side of Alex's face. This not only made the 'Pin-Up' look more complete but it created a vast contrast to the mono-chrome look on the other side (it also went with Alex's hair!)

STEP NINE

 I then added a small beauty spot and some winged eyeliner onto Alex's lash line. The prettiness contrasted well with the quite horrible looking skeleton!

FINISHED!

You could do a complete skeleton face, just by mirroring the look onto the other side... this means that it is also more wearable for guys too!

Here are some more photos...

I hope this has helped!

Speak soon!

Isabel x

Halloween Series: Zombie

I love prosthetics so it only seemed right to include them into my 'Halloween Series'! This is my brother, Olly... He was going to a theme park for 'Fright Night' and asked me to do his make-up, so I thought I would document it as it may inspire you! It is rather gross, but I love it! 

Keep reading if you want to re-create this look!

STEP ONE

I prepared Olly's skin by simply moisturising it. Once the moisturiser has soaked in, I grabbed a red lipstick that had blue/purple undertones- I used Sleek: 'Cherry' (No.790). I applied this into the hollows of his neck and face and around his eyes. It is supposed to look sore, but is ultimately a guideline. 

STEP TWO

Using a reasonably small brush (for precision), I applied a dark brown shade from my MUA: 'Winter Forest' palette, called 'Truffle' to add more depth and definition to the areas I had previously applied the lipstick. I blended this with a lighter brown, 'Chino' and some grey tones, 'Dove Grey' and 'Slate'. I focused the darker shades closer to the bone structure to emphasise the shape- making them more prominent and skeletal. I added the same colours on to the eyelids as well as around the eyes and the outside of his face.

(You could stop here but I wanted to make it even more disgusting!)

STEP THREE

You will need some liquid latex, rigid collodion, 'bruise' coloured body paint for this next section... I just bought mine from Amazon. The body paint isn't as crucial, you may be able to use matte eye shadows. 

Okay, so first up is the liquid latex! When I was playing around with it the other day I ended up ripping out loads of my arm hairs, like when you pull a plaster off... it hurt! So, with this look I wanted to try something different so I didn't hurt Olly and just to see if it worked out better...and I think it did!

I applied a layer of liquid latex onto his neck and added tissue on top (I split the tissue into layers so it became as thin as possible). I ripped the tissue up into small sections and strips then kept adding layers until I was happy with the thickness and felt confident enough that I wouldn't cut Olly's neck! I also made sure that some pieces of tissue where raised higher than others and also crumpled some up to add more texture.

STEP FOUR

I left the area to dry for a few minutes and then grabbed a pair of small, sharp nail scissors and cut through the tissue, making sure I had some tissue flapping, this is 'skin' (EW)!

STEP FIVE

I then used some foundation to make the tissue more skin-like, Rimmel: 'Lasting Finish', 25 hour (100 Ivory). 

STEP SIX

This was the fun part! Using my Mehron: 'Bruise Wheel', I applied the deep red shade all over the 'wound' and 'skin', making sure I got into all of the creases. I found that the best way to achieve a more realistic look was to use a make-up sponge, but cut into the top so it had little bumps and holes and then dabbed it onto the skin. I then applied the mustard yellow and sludgy green shades to create a bruised effect up the neck and collar bone. I went over some areas with the dark brown and black but making sure the red was the most dominant colour, so the 'wound' looked fresh and sore. I then popped the sponge down and picked up a rather small paint brush to add detailing into the holes. I used the black inside the 'wound', focusing on the outer most part to add depth, then the brown and red... blending them together as much as I could without the colours mixing too much. I kept building  on the intensity, basically improvising as I went along! Once I was satisfied, I added fake blood, putting lots inside the 'wound'... letting some drip. I then just applied some around and about the hole, and that was it! 

(You could stop here, but I also purchased some rigid collodion so I wanted to use it!)

STEP SEVEN

As rigid collodion dries it tightens the skin, making it 'go in on itself' slightly...therefore appearing like a scar. I just applied this above the lip and onto Olly's cheek.

FINISHED!

Here are some more photos!

Speak soon!

Isabel x