Making Up Is Hard To Do: The End Of Evening & Bridal

Well, that's another course done!

Evening & Bridal, unlike Makeup Artistry Fundamentals, breezed past in a flurry of various makeup looks. Seriously, it went by so fast, I was slightly dumbfounded at the end of my last class on Wednesday night.

If you follow me on Twitter, then you'll know how much I fretted and worried over my final exams. Hair and makeup in 90 minutes is a lot of work and for someone like me, who isn't a proficient hairstylist, it was a cause for concern. 

This is the look I did for my Evening Makeup final. My model is the utterly gorgeous Missy, who I've been friends with for about a decade now. 

I was feeling quite confident about this look because I had done it twice on her already: once during a practice run and another for a show. The last time I did this look, I was pressed for time and did the makeup in under 20 minutes; so I knew exactly what to do. On the exam itself, I finished just in time and was pleased with how it turned out (and with my instructor's repeated murmur of: "ugh! This is gorgeous."). 

For this look, I simply curled her hair and backcombed the roots for a more voluminous style. For the makeup, I did a dark, smoky eye with a bold red lip. I used the Estée Lauder Pure Color Blush in Wild Sunset that I reviewed recently on her cheeks and it looked absolutely fabulous.

Each student got to choose which look she wanted to have photographed by a professional and I chose this one. The photographer showed me some of the shots in her camera and they look really good! I can't wait to show that to you guys!

This was the look I did for my Bridal exam. I wanted to go for something more glamorous and was originally going to go with a red lip; but since I went with red for the last exam, I decided to switch it up.

Both practice sessions for this look didn't go well. I went overtime on the first one and for the second, I stopped right at 90 minutes but hadn't done her lashes or styled her hair (beyond curling). My problem was that I was spending way too much time curling her hair. So I decided that I was going to focus curling the front parts of her hair really well and just rush through the back parts by curling bigger chunks of her hair... It worked! Not only was I able to finish all of her makeup, but I still had ample time to style it in a one-shoulder style. I really wish I had remembered to take photo before Missy removed the pins and the hair accessory so you could all see how it looked.

As for the makeup: This was what I did for the second practice session. I actually don't remember what I did in the first session, but it certainly wasn't this :p. I did a flick on her eyes but decided against that on the day. I told myself that I'll just line her lash line with pencil and smudge/smoke it out. I did do that during the exam, but I wanted a more solid definition, so I ended up doing a flick anyway.

I'm really proud of this look (described by my instructor as "very Eva Longoria"); partly because I seriously though I wouldn't be able to pull off everything in 90 minutes, but mostly because it finally earned me a perfect mark. *victory lunge*

So what's next for me? 

Well, I'll be taking the Fashion & Photography course, which starts in September. I also have a few definite gigs lined up: a graduation ceremony, a maternity photo shoot, an engagement photo shoot, and two weddings between now and the end of July. There's a possible wedding in December, as well (the wedding itself is definite, it's my participation that's up in the air :p). I also have been approached by a few others for other work, but those are not set in stone. 

I'm also considering taking some more hairstyling classes in the future so that I can do both hair and makeup for clients. Our course only had two classes of hairstyling, which is really not enough for me. I'm not exactly comfortable doing hair for people at this moment, so hopefully I can eventually learn how to do all sorts of updos. 

I'll be starting up a website as soon as I have a few photos that I can upload; I've already decided on a domain name and the web platform I want to use, so I'm really excited to have that set up. Also, my friend Missy, who is also a talented graphics designer, has designed business cards for me, which will go to print after my website has been set up. Exciting times up ahead!

It's funny how when I first started this journey, I wasn't really sure where it was going to take me... To be honest, I was slightly nervous that this venture would prove to be a massive waste of time. But now that I have Evening & Bridal under my belt and these upcoming gigs to look forward to, I find myself really excited to see how this career will go.

Anyway, once my website is up, I'll be sure to let you guys know. I'm excited to share that with you guys! And if you've actually read through this ramble of a post, then I thank you! Here, have some cute puppies for your trouble. :D

Have a great weekend, lovelies!

I Heart New York! (Warning: Photo Heavy)

Well look who's finally back with a blog post!

Firstly, I must really apologize for my absence these last few weeks. Life was kicking my butt prior to leaving for NYC, so I decided to take a bit of a break to just focus on what needed to get done. Unfortunately, that meant blogging needed to be put on the back burner for a little bit. But hopefully, I'll be getting back into the swing of things very soon.

In the meantime, I thought I would regale you all with some stories from my amazing trip.

This trip was definitely very spur of the moment; my friend Kim and I literally did not book anything until the Tuesday before we left! Still, everything worked out for the best, and we were able to spend 4 glorious days in beautiful New York City.

Friday morning was spent lugging my suitcase around NYC (up and down subway stairs, too!), checking into the apartment, buying groceries, freshening up, and eating breakfast. Then we headed to TKTS to buy tickets for our first show - Seminar with Alan Rickman.

After we purchased, our tickets, we took the subway to the NYU area to meet up with none other than Xiao of Messy Wands! We ate at this amazing place called Ippudo (it's so amazing, people start lining up to eat there half an hour before they even open) where the employees like to yell... A lot... They were very enthusiastic about their yelling!

I'm so glad I was able to meet Xiao! There was a lot of laughing and fangirling involved and we had so much fun that night!

Me and the "fiancée"

The most amusing tip box sign I've ever seen

After helping Kim's friends with Godspell lottery (more on that later), we headed to the John Golden Theatre on 45th Street for our show. 

It. Was. UNBELIEVABLE!

When Alan Rickman walked out onstage during the second scene, the 3 of us girls literally clutched each others hands! His stage presence is incredible and he was so intense in one scene in particular that I felt like I was holding my breath. It was so personal, I felt like I was intruding on a very private conversation and I thought that I should probably walk out to give them privacy or something :p.

The other actors (Lily Rabe, Hamish Linklater, Hetienne Park, and Jerry O'Connell) were also fabulous. I especially loved Lily and I think I have a girl crush on her now. The writing was hilarious, too!

Yes, that's Alan Rickman. Yes, he stood right in front of and looked right at me. He's quiet, but very nice in person. We mentioned that we came from Canada to see him, which he was appreciative about. Then he asked us where in Canada we were from; we answered with Vancouver and he said he loved Vancouver (come to Vancouver, Alan!!!). So if you're at stage door, let the performers know you're from out of town, they will love it!

"1, 2, 3 - Wait... Why am I counting?" 

If there's anything Xiao now knows about me, it's that I can be unintentionally hilarious :p.

Kim went to see her family in Long Island on Saturday, so I roamed around Times Square and the Theatre District until the matinee show of Sister Act. It was during this time when I was mistaken for a New Yorker by a fellow tourist. Not only that, she also said I looked like "a young star going to work."

... She became my favourite person ever after that exchange...

Sitting on the red steps in Times Square

Inglot! 

"We'll start with the riding crop..." My fellow BC/Sherlock enthusiasts will get this :)

Fell in love with this show!

Sister Act was amazing! It was so funny and the songs were so fun and catchy! I think I was stupid-grinning through the whole thing. So many amazing voices on that stage, too <3.

After Sister Act, I lined up at TKTS again because Kim and I wanted to watch Seminar (again). It was here that I realized that I basically lose all eloquence when speaking with a good looking man. Must work on that ASAP. :p

Seminar the second time around was actually even better. Alan Rickman's monologue was INSANE on Saturday night! Way more intense than the previous night; in fact, he was practically growling! O.O

Stage door'd again

<3 :)

Jerry O'Connell was so lovely at stage door! He offered to take a photo with me (I feel awkward asking performers for photos, so I never do), which was so nice of him, and even crouched down while I tiptoed so we could even out our height difference! :p

I raved about Sister Act enough that Kim wanted to go see it, too. So we watched a matinee performance on Sunday and it was just as amazing as the performance on Saturday. Gosh, I love this show! 

Later that night, we decided to try our hand at the Godspell lottery... For those who are unfamiliar, most (if not all) theatres will reserve the front row seats for lotto. You have to enter your name and email address and are then given a ticket stub. After all entries are received, a staff member will pull up X amount of tickets and if you "win," you get to purchase up to two tickets at a ridiculously good price. I paid around $64 for two tickets, which is less than one ticket bought at TKTS. 

I must say, I was incredibly surprised by Godspell. I saw the first few minutes of the film and wasn't intrigued by it. But I went along because my friend wanted to ogle Hunter Parrish (who wouldn't, though?). The show was fantastic! The cast's energy was amazing, the songs were so catchy, and it was much funnier than I expected it to be. I would gladly watch it again and again, actually.

After Sunday comes Monday (after which, comes Tuesday), which meant we were leaving #SadFace. So we took the time during the morning and afternoon to just roam around the city. We walked to 60th, through Central Park, up to the Lincoln Center, and back to the apartment before heading to JFK.

Tangent: I'm no animal rights activist, but some of these horses looked so sad and defeated, 

I just wanted to free them! </3 :(

If you are ever in NYC, you *need* to go to Serendipity 3 on 60th and try their Frrrozen Hot Chocolate. It is so flipping' good! <3

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten that this is a beauty blog!

Of course, I couldn't leave New York without getting a few things... Well, technically I could, but... Ah, never mind...

So excited about these latest purchases! I'll be testing them soon and I can't wait to share my thoughts with you guys!

Anyway, that is my ramble of a post about the city that I luuurve <3. I hope I haven't bored you all too much!

Happy weekend, lovelies!

Making Up Is Hard To Do: A Look & Some Highlights

Practice sesh #2 was with another good friend of mine. I hadn't seen Pat in a while, so I asked if I could do her makeup and I'm glad she said yes!

Like with Missy, I was originally going to do a daytime look; but Pat asked for something smoky instead, so of course, I obliged. She offered to bring some of the eyeshadows she owns, including the original Sleek MakeUP palette, and I agreed as I wanted to have a wider range of shades to choose from. The teal and navy eyeshadows sucked me in, so I ended up using those. I'm so glad I went with blues, because they made her hazel eyes really pop.

I was slightly disappointed that I didn't have to mix any shades for her because I would really like more practice on that, but it definitely made life a bit easier. From this session, the two things I need to work on are concealing dark under eye circles and lining brows. Though, in my defense, we haven't covered brows in class yet, so this was my sad attempt at filling someone else's in. As for concealing, I always find that my initial mixing of shades makes the under eye circles look kind of ashy.

Products Used:

Make Up For Ever Face & Body Foundation - 

Make Up For Ever 5 Camouflage Cream Palette - Shade 5 (Professional Corrective Shades)

Make Up For Ever Sculpting Kit

MAC Blush - Pinch O'Peach

Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish - Soft & Gentle

Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Palette - Original 

Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow - Black 4

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes  Eyeliner - Matte Black 0L

Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara - Very Black

Make Up For Ever Lip Pencil - No. 51

Burberry Lip Mist - Camelia Pink

Hope you guys like this look! I'm really happy with how this turned out and I'm starting to feel a little bit more comfortable in my own skills. Huzzah!

Makeup Artistry Fundamentals Thoughts...

• I am now six classes into my course and there are only four more classes left. Right now, we're focusing on day looks, (which is why I always mention how I initially wanted to do a day look, but ended up doing an evening one instead :p). Ah well, might as well get a head start on the next course, no? :p
• Last week's class was the best I've had so far, in terms of the actual practical aspect. I paired up with a classmate that had acne, so it took me a lot longer to do her base, especially since I was using Face & Body; but I got there... And it looked really good, actually. I forgot to bring my camera, so you're just gonna have to take my word for it :p. But her skin looked quite flawless and I was incredibly proud of myself. I really liked the finished look, too, and so did my instructor. I've been doubting myself this month, but after seeing the final look, I truly felt like I could do this for a living.
• I definitely want to get different foundations. I mean, Face & Body is great for people with good skin. But for my classmate with acne, I must've applied more than 5 layers on her face. Why bother with that many layers when you can get a more pigmented foundation and just apply 1-2? I think our kit would be better if they added an extra HD foundation and took out a Face & Body.
• I get that this is just the fundamentals course, but I wish I could get more feedback from my instructor. I always try to preempt him by stating all the things I think I could've done better, but he just goes, "no, that's good. Great job." Then he walks away... Haha!
• Washing your brushes every week is kind of a pain. I know I should've been washing it every week for personal use anyway, but I'm lazy, yo!

Happy Monday, lovelies!

Practice Makes Perfect (And A Spending Ban?)...

Greetings, lovelies! You know what Friday means -> WEEKEND! What's everybody's plans? Mine is to relax and do some much-needed writing. I know, I'm wild!

Anyway, if you read Wednesday's post, you'll know that I've been in desperate need of makeup application practice. Sure, I'm pretty good at applying my own, but that's because I know my face quite well (and so I should). But I want to be able to make everyone's face look as good as I want it to, so that means I need to get more practice working on faces other than my own.

So first up is my lovely and talented friend Missy! I've known this girl since we were kids- well... I believe I was 16 and she was 15. Anyway, she's the one who designed my banner and she's also a crazy-talented dancer/choreographer/designer/singer, etc!

I'm quite happy with this look, actually! I was originally thinking of doing something very natural and "bridal" with her, but I soon changed my mind when I looked at my palette. And I'll be the first to admit, I'm not very interested in creating natural looks. I like dramatic, I like colours, I like bold! So of course, I went with that :p. Hope you guys like this look! I know I do :).

Anyway, since my goal is to improve, I thought I'd list out all the things I could've done better:

• Colour matching - I've said it before, I'll say it again. I don't have a very good eye for colour matching. I don't have a lot of foundations in my kit so mixing is definitely something I need to do. I tested MUFE HD Foundation in 120 on Missy's jaw and blended it down to her neck and it looked like a very close match, so I decided to just use the one shade. However, as I got closer to finishing the look, it looked too pale. I warmed her up a bit with some bronzer, but I really would've preferred an exact colour match. Has this happened to anyone else? Where you test a foundation shade and it looks exact but the colour seems to change once you've put it on?
• Eyeshadow placement - I need to remember that not everybody has a lot of lid space like me. When I first applied eyeshadow on Missy, I took it too far up, which left me very little room to blend. So I had to clean off some product off the top and blend it some more. Her right eye ended up looking much better, though.
• Fixing messes - Missy's left eye teared up a bit after I curled her lashes*, which messed up the eyeshadow a bit. I wiped any wetness away, but the eyeshadow wouldn't stick to the lid afterwards. I tried a few times, but it just wouldn't apply properly. Finally, I cleaned it off (again) with eye makeup remover, patted it dry with a cotton pad, and then applied some HD powder on the area. The eyeshadow applied much better after that, but it still wasn't as perfect as I would like.
• Curling lashes* - Because I suck at it! >.<
• Concealing - I really want to be able to achieve a completely flawless face. I definitely still need work on mixing the right concealer shade.
• Lining - I lined (someone else's) eyes for the first time today! So I definitely could use more work, but I have to say I did a pretty decent job for a first timer. My tightlining went much better than my "regular lining," though; and that, I did not expect :p.

Oh, and one last thing I've learned: I either need a) make friends with photographers or b) get better camera equipment, because I want nice photographs of my work...

*Runs to check VISA bill*

Making friends with photographers it is! 

No seriously, I know I'm not a pro, but my camera absolutely did not do her base justice. I didn't have good lighting and my camera really isn't that great. I promise, her foundation looked much more even than what you see on the photo! >.<

In other news...

I've decided to go on a SPENDING BAN! (dun-dun-duuuunnnn)

With my makeup kit + my laptop + buying various other things which shall remain nameless (until I review them >.<), I have really been spending way too much. So I decided that I shall join the ranks of Tracy, Larie, Liz, Monica & Makeup Morsels... And I shall be successfuuuuul!

At first I was a bit worried that I'd have nothing to write about; but I figured if I spread out my reviews over a longer period and do more makeup looks, I should be fine. I haven't yet decided if I want to finish the ban at the end of May or the end of June. I'm leaning towards June because my birthday is in April, which means I'll be giving myself a respite from the Spending Ban, but only by using gift cards/birthday money. Think I can do it? I hope so!

Wish me luck!

Making Up Is Hard To Do: History Of Makeup & Skin Analysis

It's been four weeks since I started classes for Makeup Artistry and I've been having such an amazing time!

Last time, I wrote about my struggle with the Seasonal aspect of Colour Theory, but I think I've gotten the hang of it. I also aced my test! Which isn't saying much, actually, since it was probably the easiest test known to mankind :p. We were supposed to have another test last night, but it was postponed to next week for some reason.


History of Makeup

We had a rather fun assignment on the History of Makeup, actually. We were all to pick an era to write about and I chose the 1950's. As I wrote in my "paper," I absolutely adore the understated glamour that is 1950's makeup. The strong brows, the winged liner, the statement lip; so simple, yet so elegant. I think it's probably my favourite look.

I also love the dresses! I was in a performing arts company that did a Hairspray number a few years ago and I enjoyed twirling my dress around way too much. If I could wear dresses like that every day, I totally would...

History of Makeup was actually quite interesting and I would've happily spend another class learning about it. It was a pleasure to read and hear about trends from decades past and even what lengths women would go to to achieve a certain look. I'm not going to go into detail because that will be the topic of my next article (which will be posted tomorrow *ahem*), but it was definitely fascinating!

But back to the 50's... Can I just say that researching photos for this assignment has been way too much fun? I cannot get over how beautiful the stars of that decade were! Seriously, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn had absolutely perfect faces!

Skin Analysis

We touched briefly on skin analysis during last week's class. It's simple enough, really; at least on paper, it is. I'm sure I will become more knowledgeable with experience, but the thought of using my own products on a client kind of worries me. So many people have reactions to so many ingredients nowadays. I guess I'm just a bit scared of using something that will cause a reaction or cause the makeup to not perform as well as it needs to.

Ahh, well! If there's one thing this series of posts will tell you about me it's that I worry about pretty much anything :p.

I've also successfully colour matched and applied foundation on two of my classmates so far. Our makeup kit only comes with 5 foundations: 3 Face & Body's (definitely not my favourite) and 2 HD Foundations, so I'm constantly having to mix them up to get the right shade. 

The first classmate I did base on is 18 years old and has the skin to prove it. The only issue she has is a few dry patches here and there and dark under eye circles. I can't say I concealed them well enough, but my instructor says I did =/. Did I mention our classroom has rather harsh, fluorescent lighting? Definitely don't like this. Apparently it casts a green hue... That can't be good for applying makeup, can it?

Last night, I was able to apply foundation on another classmate, as well as contour and blush. She also has rather nice skin but the texture was a bit rougher and she has some redness on the cheeks and the forehead. Again, I don't think I was able to conceal the redness as well as I would like (I have a feeling mastering the art of concealing will be a struggle for me). It was rather hard for me to see how products looked on her right away because she would get all flushed, which would change the colours a bit. But once her skin calmed down, it would look better. 

Still, I'm pretty proud of myself so far! I've booked "appointments" with two of my friends this week because I want to get more practice in applying makeup on different skin tones and skin textures. It's times like these I wish I lived close to my fellow Lipstick Bandits... I'd love to have a go at their gorgeous faces!

<Tangent>

Have any of you watched Downton Abbey? I absolutely love this series! After watching (and re-watching) the second season of Sherlock, I needed another British Television fix. 

This show is basically about the Crawley's (an aristocratic family who live in North Yorkshire) and their plethora of servants. The acting is superb and you really find yourself rooting for certain people and wishing for the demise of certain others (*cough* O'Brien and Thomas *cough*). Though I must say, Carson, Mrs. Hughes, Mr. Bates and Anna have a special place in my heart :). 

Anyway, you guys simply must watch this show! If not for the acting and plot, do it for the costumes:

Aren't they divine? 

</Tangent>

What's your favourite era for makeup looks?

Making Up Is Hard To Do: Intro's, Colour Theory & Makeup Kits

I remember a few years ago, my brother and my mom both suggested I go to school for makeup artistry. I was a bit taken aback, to be honest; I really never thought that a) it was something I could do well and b) it would be a viable way to make a living...

But then, I started blogging and watching makeup artists on YouTube create and recreate different looks. I was inspired, to say the least. As I continued to blog and exercise my own creativity through the various looks I've done, I gradually fell in love with makeup artistry.

It took me a few years to finally take that step. I was really nervous about taking this road; in fact, I still am! It's always a bit daunting when you deviate from a current path, no? But last Summer, I decided that I was done putting off my future and I was finally going to enrol in some classes.

As I've become more familiar with the beauty industry, I realized that there are so many avenues one could pursue as a makeup artist. I think that's part of why I love it so much. Yes, you're basically painting skin, but there are so many different experiences that go along with it. Each job is different from the next and for an artist, that is priceless! Going into this class, I decided that I really wanted to do editorial (for the creativity) and freelance bridal (for the money), with a smattering of tv and film (for the gorgeous actors experience).

Hopefully, you'll join me on my journey to becoming a makeup artist! :)

Here's how my first two classes went...


Intro to Makeup Artistry Fundamentals

I thought it was really interesting how a lot of my classmates are in non-creative fields. A fair number of them aren't exactly sure what they would like to do with their knowledge of makeup artistry, but I think it's so cool that there's such a huge range of professions represented in the class. It also proves how important it is to have a creative outlet.

In this class, we talked about the different products and tools makeup artists use and the differences between them. Nothing completely new to most of us in the class, but it's always nice to hear what a professional makeup artist has to say about certain products. Also, I really love hearing our instructor's stories about his previous jobs. I think one of the most valuable things I'll take away from this class is the little tidbits that you don't find in a handout or curriculum. All the things my instructor has learned along the way have been filed in my brain and written down on a notebook so I can refer back to it later on. After this class, I became even more excited for the next 9 weeks. I can't wait to actually get started on the practical stuff!


Colour Theory

I knew from the get-go that this was going to be my toughest class. I understand the colour wheel, but there's this part of the lesson that involved seasons. Depending on somebody's hair, skin colour/undertone and basic overall colouring, one can either be a Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn. The confusing part is that while I think of seasons according to makeup trends (Spring = cool, Summer = warm), it actually is contrary to what I would presume (Spring = warm, Summer = cool).

Apparently, changing one's hair colour or tanning oneself up can turn you from one season to another. For example, if you're a Summer and you dye your hair dark brown, you instantly become a Winter. But what if you also tan yourself up? Are you then a Winter or a Spring? What determines your season? BAH! /flails

Then, there's the fact that I apparently cannot tell if someone has olive undertones or not. I don't have that problem with light or dark skins, but skin with medium colouring? Forget it! There is an Asian girl in my class who is darker than me and she's considered a Winter (winter = cool), while I'm considered a Spring (warm). I just don't understand -_-'...

I just hope I don't completely flunk my Colour Theory test.


Now for what you really want to see...

Yes, you're reading that right. Our kits are from Make Up For Ever.

This bag is pretty awesome! Very professional looking.

I love that there's a lot of space for all your products and tools.

Ta-daaaaah! <3

There are two removable compartments that are velcro'd to the bag.

We received 9 brushes. 

A waterproof black liner, 2 lip liners and a Glossy Full Lip Gloss were also part of the kit,

Aren't they glorious? Previous classes didn't get such a nice selection. We got some pretty vibrant colours, whereas past classes only got neutrals. I'm actually missing #75, which is a BRIGHT pink, though I should be getting it in the next class. 

I'm really excited to get my hands at these foundations! The concealer palette is also quite fantabulous.

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to actually do makeup on people! I've only ever done makeup on people with similar colouring to me; but there's a wide range of skin shades and undertones in my class, so I'm quite eager to do makeup on them.

That said, what I'm really excited about is seeing where this path will lead me. Two years ago, I never would've thought that I would be going to school for makeup artistry, who knows where my life will be two years from now? Ahh, life! 

Have a good weekend, lovelies!