Post Exam And New Job Haul - AKA I Splurged And I Don't Have To Feel Guilty

So this bitch now has money due to her new job - as a baker at Sainsbury's, unglamorous and my arms are covered in burns, but moneeeyyyyyy. As a result, this here haul. It's a small one, cos I don't plan on being ridiculous, but these are things I've wanted for a while, that are a little pricier, that I can now afford. 

From Left to Right: Mac False Lashes in 43, Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Liquid Lipstick in Don't Pink of it!, Benefit's Porefessional and Mac Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NW20.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Liquid Lipstick in Don't Pink of it!

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Liquid Lipstick in Don't Pink of it!

This applies really beautifully, the doe foot applicator making it very easy for precision. It's super pigmented and feels pretty great on, like, it's not moisturising and it's a bit sticky, but it doesn't feel crusty, which is nice. I tend to wear it in conjunction with Mac's Boldly Bare Lip Pencil to give it depth - and I over-draw my lips with it too, cos I think it looks hot. This is my go to colour at the moment and I love it.

Mac False Lashes in 43

These lashes are just lovely, they're real natural, being a dark brown colour rather than black and being Mac, they have a super thin, clear band, which is more comfortable (I slept in these babies). They just add a touch of thickness and length, which is great. I'm only wearing liquid liner here, and that was only to disguise the inner corner of the lashes. They're more expensive than the lashes I would typically buy, but I think they're worth it.

Benefit Porefessional

This is what my skin looks like normally, I know, it's horrible.

This is what Porefessional does to it. I've got pretty oily skin, so it mattifies it, which is great. It also smoothes my pores, which I need, and is a great base to a foundation. I also slept in this and it held, which is great.

Mac Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NW20

Mac Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NW20

Mac Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NW20

I love how this feels on my skin. I really don't like how liquid foundation feels on my skin, but because my skin is not great, I feel I have to for coverage. This foundation negates that need. The coverage and wear-ability is great (guess what, I slept in this too). This is perfect for summer, being light on the skin, but also providing the coverage I need. I am so happy with this investment.

And, yes, I'm wearing a blanket. Having the heating on in Summer is for rich people.

Cruella De Vil Makeup - Cos I Started Watching Once Upon A Time And It's Great

So, Once Upon a Time is an amazing show. I was finding season four a little so-so, up until they decided that the second half of the season was going to be about the sassiest bitches in fairytale land. Maleficent, Ursula and Cruella De Vil. Now, Cruella isn't an evil witch, she's just a bad person, period, and I sort of love that. Her style is also flawless, and considering I haven't driven a car since I passed my test two years, I imagine I would drive much like she does. She's a bit of an idol for me, and I love how the show portrayed her. Thus, this make up.

For this look I wanted to go somewhere between Once Upon a Time Cruella and the Disney version, with a touch of drag, cos that obsession has not gone away. You will need a glue stick.

To start with, those brows. First, brush the outer half of your brows upwards, making sure they are all in a uniform direction. Then, take a glue stick the dries clear and work it over that half the of the brow. Keep adding glue until the texture looks smooth, you can use water to smooth is a little (just dip your finger in the water and run it over the glue). Now set this with a loose, translucent powder. Next, cover this with foundation and leave to set.

For the colour, I started with a black eye shadow by Inglot and a fine, angled brush. I wanted the brows to be thick and angular, so I started by defining and exaggerated inner brow with the shadow, taking the line down the bridge of the nose a little ways. Then fill in the brows up until the arch, going beyond your natural arch and creating an exaggerated curve. Make sure the tail is nice and fine (I use an assortment of cotton buds and make up wipes to achieve this). With the shape established, I went over it with liquid liner for intensity and sharpness.

Now, skin. I started with Benefit's Porefessional to prime, I then applied Bourjois's 123 Perfect Foundation. I then used Sleek's Cream Blush in Newport Peach on the apples of my cheeks, as I wanted the cheeks to look quite rounded. Now, contouring is a big ol' deal with this look. Cruella's cheekbones are quite something, to say the least. For this, I took Sleek's contour kit and a medium sized, flat brush, which is smaller than my typical brush, because I want the contour to be a bit more intense. I contoured my cheeks, extending the line further than I typically would, and curving it under my cheek a little, making my cheeks look more rounded and defined. I blended this out using a larger, angled, fluffy brush, but went in again with the smaller brush to keep the definition. I also contoured my nose, under my jaw and my temples. I then highlighted my cheekbones, the tip and bridge of my nose, my chin and above the arches of my brows using the highlighter in Sleek's Contour Kit. I finished by setting everything with Mac's Prep and Prime Transparent Finishing Powder.

For lips I used Sleek's Matte Me liquid lipstick in Rioja Red.

Now, these intense ass eyes. I started by priming with Two Faced Shadow Insurance. I then took a stiff pencil brush and an Inglot black eye shadow to define the cut crease, making sure the outer edge has a sharp edge and that the inner corner blends into the brow. I blended it out with a fluffy brush the best I could, considering the glue stick. I then used Maybelline's Color Tattoo in Light in Purple over my lid as a base. Over that I used Collection's Glam Crystals Glitter Liner in Rock Chick as a base for Stargazer's Glitter Shaker in Onix, which I patted over the top. I then used Nyx's Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk on the brow bone and the waterline, setting it with a white eye shadow from Inglot.

For under the eye, I took the angled brush with a black eye shadow, creating a sharp line under the lashes and then creating a sharp, exaggerated tear duct. I then applied spiky false lashes under the eye and super thick lashes on the upper lid.

And there we go. All done. I promised a mental look. Next time I'm thinking a haul post, cos this bitch wants to go shopping.

Women Of Shakespeare - Juliet, Something Neutral For Once

So this look has been sitting on the back burner for a while, as you can tell from the colour of my hair. And by that I mean I wore this look Christmas shopping. I've been busy. Really busy actually, as I had my last of four exams today and I started my new job three weeks ago. It has been a seriously intense month and I am so happy to see its close. BUT, positives; I have a job and thus more money to buy make up and now I have a Summer to read books and paint my face, so upsides.

Juliet is possibly Shakespeare's most identifiable heroine. Most people I've met had to study Romeo and Juliet in school, those that didn't would be familiar with the story anyway - it's iconic. And Baz Lurhmann's film is pretty darn amazing, so there's that.

Juliet is a thirteen year old girl who's beauty puts the moon to shame, which, I personally feel, is hard to bring to life. However, I attempted it. Now, Romeo uses a whole lot of light metaphors when talking about Juliet; she is pale and glowing - so skin is a big deal with this look. With the rest of the look I wanted to look youthful, natural and girly. I take a pinch of salt when it comes to natural, and I'm not sorry about that.

First off the skin. I used Benefit's Porefessional to prime, because my pores are just horrible and this product disguises that. I then used my typical foundation, which is 123 perfect by Bourjois in Vanilla. I then contoured with Sleek's contour kit because I was going out and it makes my face look better. If I were not leaving the house, I would cut out the contour to make the face look rounder and more youthful. But with my face, even with contour, I'm getting that anyway. I then used Sleek's cream blush in OC. Now, highlighting. I used MUA's Shimmer Highlighter in Pink Shimmer, which I feel works well for this more girly look. I applied it to my cheekbones, my chin, my cupid's bow, the tip and bridge of my nose and above my brows because I wanted to glow brighter than the moon. I finished with Mac's Transparent Finishing Powder, because I have oily skin.

Now, eyes. I primed with Two Faced Shadow insurance to start, I then almost exclusively used the shadows from Sleek's Au Naturel palette, the only exception being Mac's Cork. I took a fine, angled brush with Cork and drew a line just above my crease and then winging it out at the end, dipping a little down to the outer corner to create that triangle shape. The colour will drag, so apply with short strokes that build upon each other. Doing the crease like this will make the eyes appear a little bigger. I then darkened this line with Bark from the Au Naturel palette using the same brush. Then take a clean blending brush to soften this line a little. I then took Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk and applied it all over my lid, inner corner and water line, blending it in with my finger. I then applied Honeycomb from the Sleek palette over the top of this, all over the lid. In in the inner corner I applied Nougat and blended it onto the lid, right up to the exaggerated crease.

 I then used Bourjois' Pinceau Liquid Liner to apply a very thin winged line, again, to make the eyes appear bigger. I applied a touch of Bark under the eye, using an angled brush and finished with mascara and some wispy false lashes (Demi-Wispies by Ardell if I remember correctly.

Then, to finish, the lips. I applied a red lip gloss by Barry M to the upper lip, I then rolled my lips together a little for the basis of the ombre on the lower lip. I then dabbed a little more colour on the centre, blending it out with my finger.

And here it is, a moderately natural look. The next look will not be, I glued down my eyebrows and everything for that one.

Adore Delano Drag Makeup - The Newest Time Sink In My Life

So a dear friend of mine introduced me to a little show called Rupaul's Drag Race, and, well, now I'm sort of obsessed (I may be watching it whilst writing this). The show is camp, glitzy and right up my alley (cos makeup, fashion, puns and the camp, all the camp). I am simply in love.

One of my favourite Queens of all time is Adore Delano. She is so damn funny and her lips! I live for her lips. This here is my interpretation of her look. It's a fairly tame one, cos I'll be damned if I'm gonna really go for those brows, I am too lazy for that shit. Nonetheless, I had a lot of fun with this look.

Lets start with the skin. Drag Queens wear a whole lot of face products, mainly because they are men painting to look like women, but also a lot of them are performers, so they need makeup that stays through sweat and looks good under harsh lights. That means heavy and matte.

To start I applied a primer all over my face, as my pores are pretty awful and need covering - I used Pore-fessional from Benefit, which I got as a free sample from a magazine and actually need to buy a full thing of, as it's pretty great. Then I used my usual foundation, which is 123 Perfect by Bourjois. It's a matte foundation, as I have oily skin, it's also a long lasting one, so it fits the bill.

Next is the contouring, which is a big deal for drag. I used a Sleek contour palette and a large, angled, fluffy brush to apply colour in the hollows of my cheeks, under my jaw and at my temples. I then used a smaller fluffy brush to deepen the cheek and then to contour my nose. For the nose I blended a thin line down either side of the bridge, joining up the lines under the tip of my nose. You don't want to darken the sides of the nose too much, because it can actually make the nose appear wider.

Then there is baking. Baking (also known as cooking) is where a product is left to settle into the skin before being blended in. I used this technique to emphasize my cheek contour. I took a translucent powder - Mac's Prep and Prime Transparent Finishing Powder - and patted it underneath my contour using a makeup sponge, you want to create a really sharp line. Then you leave it for five minutes or so, I tend to leave it on whilst finishing off my eyes, or something like that. Then I just blend it away whilst finishing my skin with the same powder.

Now highlighting. So, you still want it to be matte, but also to be noticeably there. For this purpose I used a matte, white eye shadow from Inglot. I used a small fluffy brush to apply the colour to my cheekbones and under my eyes - Kim Kardashian style - then on the tip and bridge of my nose, on my cupid's bow, the top curve of my chin (to hide my butt chin) and above the arches of my brows, blending upwards. I then built a little more colour on my cheekbones, as I want them to be highlighted the most.

Now for the eyes. Start with a primer - I use Two Faced Shadow Insurance. Now, the liner is the main focus of this look, so the shadow is fairly minimal. I used an Inglot eye shadow that is three shades of a warm brown in one pan. I started with using the medium shade in the crease, blending it towards the nose. I then used the darkest shade to darken the crease. I then used the lightest shade on the lid. Next, I used Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk on the waterline and in the inner corner, I used a white eye shadow by Inglot to set this.

For the brows I used a small angled brush and a black eye shadow. Adore's brows are amazing, so I couldn't fully replicate them. However, the gist is very dark, very angled and big on the front part. I used the shadow to create a boxy shape for the front part and a very fine tail.

Now the liner. I used Rimmel's Glam Eyes Liquid Liner, some people would use gel liner, not me, I hate that stuff. I've tried, I really have, but it does not work for me. If it works for you, use it, but I'm sticking with my liquid liner honey. Now, you want the liner to have a sharper angle at the outer edge than you would typically do, and go longer, and thicker. Start at the outer corner of the eye and draw a line towards the brow. Then draw a line on the lashes and then keep building that line until it basically fills the mobile lid. Join the line up with the outer line, creating a curve rather than a straight line.

For underneath the eye start with the exaggerated tear duct, making sure the point is very sharp. Then draw a line very closely underneath the lower lashes. Draw a line out from the outer corner, leaving a large V between the two lines, this basically going to be a horizontal line from the outer corner. Now thicken the line, taking the outer flick as a starting point. To finish the eyes, mascara and the biggest lashes you own.

Now those amazing, amazing lips. I wanted to go matte red, because a matte texture will help disguise my natural lip line. Now, I started with a No 7 Lip Pencil in Fire. I started by drawing a line just outside of my natural lips, I then built on this, not straying too far away from the actual shape of lips, whilst straying very far from my actual lip size. I then used the liner to fill in my lips. I then applied Sleek's Pout Paint in Pin Up over this, but I'd actually recommend using a lipstick. To finish, I patted a translucent powder over the top to mattify the lips, using a small flat brush, for precision.

 And there we are. A drag makeup look. I had to open the door to a pizza guy wearing this, he looked a little shocked, to say the least. Despite this, I sort of want to wear this out. Maybe I'll skip the lips.

Women Of Shakespeare: Lavinia - My Final Project For My Special Effects Course

So, I'm finally getting around to making this post (uni work getting in the way, and all that). This is the look I did for the final session of the Special Effects Make Up Course I did at the National Theatre. It was suggested to us that we do character make up, and being the good English student I am, I decided to do a Shakespeare character. Now, this look stems from the fact I happened to be writing an essay on Titus Andronicus (my favourite play) and I thought, damn, that would be great inspiration for a special effects make up look, with all the horrible murders and everything.

I chose to portray Lavinia. She is the daughter of Titus, who in the middle of the play is savagely raped and mutilated - her hands and tongue being cut off. For the rest of the play she remains on stage as a constant, silent reminder of the savagery committed. It's potent. In adaptations of the play she if often shown spitting out blood after being discovered, visualising her mutilation. This was the starting point for my idea - I wanted blood all over her chin, real gross. I then had fun from there.

For this look I used Kryolan's 4 Colour SFX Wheel, GM Problood, GM Wound Filler and gelatin. 

After considering the obvious blood dripping out of the mouth, I wanted to add a little more narrative to the look. Lavinia has also been savagely raped and I wanted elements of that present in the look. I started with thinking that she would have a cracked lip, from being forcefully kissed, adding to the source of the blood. I then thought that I could put a cut and a bruise on her forehead, as if she had been thrown on the ground and her head hit a rock. To finish, I wanted to put some cold sore looking things around her mouth to imply sexually transmitted diseases. And thus, my Lavinia look was formed.

 Photo taken by Ellie Kurttz for the National Theatre, Youth Programme

To start, I put some gelatin (the vegetarian kind) all over the bottom lip, using a coffee stirrer (a wooden stick-thingy) I created a groove in the middle of the lip. I then waited (and waited) for it to dry. I then used the dark blue in the Kryolan Colour wheel to darken said groove. I then filled it with wound filler.

  Photo taken by Ellie Kurttz for the National Theatre, Youth Programme

I then followed similar steps to create a cut above one of her brows, again darkening it with the Kryolan Colour Wheel and filling it with wound filler. (Look at that coffee stirrer action).

  Photo taken by Ellie Kurttz for the National Theatre, Youth Programme

I then mixed some crushed rice crispies in with my gelatin mix and applied it to one side of her mouth, globbing it all about making it look as gross as possible.

  Photo taken by Ellie Kurttz for the National Theatre, Youth Programme

Next I used the Kryolan Wheel to add bruising to the cut forehead, starting with the purple, and blending out with the yellow. I then used a cotton bud to dribble in some fake blood.

  Photo taken by Ellie Kurttz for the National Theatre, Youth Programme

I then sponged some colour on the gelatin next to the mouth using the wound filler. I used a large holed sponge to make it look patchier.

  Photo taken by Ellie Kurttz for the National Theatre, Youth Programme

Next I mixed some fresh gelatin and put thin layer on the other side of her mouth to simulate boils. I waited for each layer to dry, then adding another until they looked suitably globular.

  Photo taken by Ellie Kurttz for the National Theatre, Youth Programme

Next, I used the purple colour in the Kryolan Wheel to darken her temples, cheekbones and under her eyes to make her look all sick and tired.

  Photo taken by Ellie Kurttz for the National Theatre, Youth Programme

Next I powdered over the gelatin that looked like a skin infection to make it look dry and cracking.

 Photo taken by Ellie Kurttz for the National Theatre, Youth Programme

I then used the colour wheel to add shading to pussy boils (ewwww). I finished with the blood. Soooooo much blood. Hence the towel to catch all the excess. I literally just dribbled it out of the bottle, letting it flow where it may.

 Photo taken by Ellie Kurttz for the National Theatre, Youth Programme

And this is the finished look, as photographed by the professional photographer that was brought in, Doesn't she look like a pretty lady?

  Photo taken by Ellie Kurttz for the National Theatre, Youth Programme

  Photo taken by Ellie Kurttz for the National Theatre, Youth Programme

I was really quite pleased with how this look came out, I think I encapsulated the look of Lavinia quite soundly. My advice? Don't piss off the Queen of the Goths, she'll make you pay.

Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette - The New Love Of My Life

So for Christmas I got surprised with this absolute darling. And I'n being hyperbolic when I say surprised. When people were asking me what I wanted for Christmas, I would say general things, but in my heart of hearts I wanted this palette, but I knew it was too expensive to ask for. Then my brother and - I imagine more so - my sister in law, bloody well bought it for me. I was ecstatic, cos look at this thing. LOOK AT IT. Also, the Vice 2 Palette was one of my favourite things, so having another box of jewels disguising themselves as eye shadows is great.

The outer packaging is beautiful, as per usual for Urban Decay. Also the colour scheme is just gorgeous. I sort of want bed sheets that look like this.

 The palette comes in this fetching case, which I haven't yet used for anything else, but I really want to.

 The case is a metallic version of the outer packaging. It's sturdy, but suffers from fingerprints, as you can see.

 Much like the Vice 2 Palette, Vice 3 has a large mirror on a proper hinge, so it actually stays up and doesn't unbalance the whole palette (I'm looking at you Naked 3). Also, the bottom of the palette is a metallic green and it looks so good. Oh, and a make up brush, which I'm fairly sure is the same one as the Vice 2 brush. Synthetic, pleasant to use, not going to replace any of my typical brushes.

And here is my pretty box of jewels. Just pause a while and marvel. Take in alllllll the pretty. The palette has a great mix of colours, with various tones of neutral, matte and shimmery colours, dark shimmery colours and bright shimmery colours. You don't need any other colours to create a full look, there are blending shades, highlight shades, darker shades and those bright pops of colour which are the real fun.

Truth is a pretty, pink toned neutral. It can work as a highlight, and also that close-to-skin-tone shade that you use to correct your mistakes.

It's a little chalky, so I would recommend layering it over a white eye liner if you really want it to pop.

 Undone is slightly darker than Truth and has a subtle silver glitter running through it. This is a great transition colour, especially for a lighter skin tone.

The glitter doesn't show up a huge deal, so this functions as a matte more than anything.

 Downfall is the perfect warm, brown, blending shade. I tend to start with this colour in the crease and then working from there.

 It goes on like butter, all of the shades do.

 DTF, like Undone, has a subtle glitter running through it. It's a lovely dark, matte brown.

I tend to use this shade to darken the crease. Again, the glitter doesn't show up too much.

 Dragon is one of those 'pop of colour' shades, and its great.

 It's real shimmery and pigmented and wonderful.

 Freeze is a more individual shade to me, I don't think I own anything quite like it, which is exactly what I want in an eye shadow.

Again, really shimmery and pigmented.

 Heroine is the kind of shade I always get drawn to. There's something about dark blues with glitter embedded in them that draws me in.

 This is the kind of shade I would always use with a sticky eye pencil, even though I haven't used one here (I just used Two Faced Shadow Insurance). The glitter isn't hugely prominent on the eyes.

 Brokedown is a great shimmery medium shade. It's perfect on the lid if you want something classy and more subtle.

Very nice and shimmery.

 Vanity is a gorgeous shade, but I often tend to stay away from purples, I can't really tell you why. Nonetheless, it's a lovely toned down purple.

 This colour looks great on the outer third of the lid paired with a peachy shade.

 Lucky is one of my favourite shades in this palette. It's a warm gold and evokes ideas of Egyptian-esque make up.

IT JUST LOOKS SO GOOD. Again, great as a subtler lid shade.

 Reign is a cold, darker, shimmery brown. It's one I haven't used a great deal and I want to experiment with it more.

It's beautifully pigmented, and would work well as an outer third of the lid shade.

 Bobby Dazzle is a shimmery, shimmery white.

This shade is a great highlight. I consistently use it in the inner corner as it just ties a look together.

 Alien is another shade I wouldn't typically use, but it is very pretty.

 It's a pale, shimmery pink, with a warmer sparkle. This will look gorgeous as a lid shade.

 Alchemy is another favourite of mine, cos duo-chromes are my jam.

It is a pink with a blue duo-chrome and looks like perfection on the lid.

 Bondage is a great colour to have, as a dark, shimmery, grape shade can create a really pretty smoky eye.

 This shade is great as a lid colour with a more defined crease, or a smoky eye. It's really sexy.

 Sonic is my darling of this palette. It is such an individual shade and looks AMAZING on the lid.

It is a warm, reddy bronze with a great shimmer. It's so great.

 Last Sin is a beautiful pale taupe shade.

 It's great in the inner third of the lid and possibly the inner corner.

 Angel is a darker, colder Last Sin.

This is wonderful as a lid shade if you want something a little colder.

 Defy is a lovely cold dark shade with a glitter running through it. It's perfect as a crease darkening shade.

 The glitter hardly comes across, so this works as a matte. Very useful shade.

 Revolver is a dark, dark blue with a whole lot of shimmer.

This shade looks great on the lower lash line and will look beautiful in a smoky eye.

All of the swatches are used over Two Faced Shadow Insurance, but I would recommend using a creamy eye pencil to get the best out of all the colours. They all blend nicely, but they all have LOADS of fallout, so just do your foundation after your eyes and have make up wipes to hand. It's the price to pay for buttery eye shadow.

I've been having a great deal of fun with this palette, and I would heartily recommend it if it's within your budget, because I believe it to be worth it. You get 20 great eye shadows that are all well pigmented, an amazing range of colours (from neutrals to brights and shimmers to mattes) and the palette itself is sleek, sturdy and well designed. It's just bloody great.