Hey, beautiful! As you know, I've been getting more and more into makeup recently, especially with all the fun looks to experiment with for fall. I'm also nowhere near a makeup artist. I'm a 15 minutes max in front of the mirror before I run out the door kinda girl. But, when I'm shooting photos for the blog, I'm always willing to spend more time having fun and experimenting with new products, new combinations, and new looks. I went to the MAC store in Uvill last week, and took up a guy's time with questions, shade testing, and makeup help for like an hour...I felt so bad for him. BUT, in the end, I got a bunch of great new stuff that I'm excited to share with you guys!
Honestly, I can't even put into words how much I love MAC. Their products never let me down, their service is always so personable, and they are always willing to help. They have awesome events and their employees are really great about explaining things when you need help, helping you find your perfect shades, and they are honest about their products too. I always find it refreshing when someone is willing to admit the products they really aren't a fan of, so you get the best stuff they have to offer. When I was there last week, I had him help me pick out a shade of blush that would compliment my complexion, a shade of bronzer for this fall, and a pressed powder that I could use for contouring. I also picked up setting spray, cream eyeshadow, my first real, fancy makeup brush, and...you know I didn't leave without a new shade of lipstick!
I'm finally learning the art of contouring and highlighting, but the dummies version - since I'm not going to buy a 15 pot contouring palette and get ready in the morning, then spend an hour washing it all off at the end of the night. My makeup routine even with this new stuff takes me about 10-15 minutes. Since I'm finally learning, I thought I would share my contouring for dummies knowledge in a vampy makeup tutorial! This one still only took me about 20 minutes with all the extra stuff I wouldn't do on a normal day. Here we go!
1. Start with a cleansed and moisturized face - always! You can use primer if you like, but that's a step I skip. If you like primer, I've heard that the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer is incredible.
2. Put on your liquid foundation whether it be BB cream, CC cream, actual liquid foundation, etc. I apply mine using a beautyblender.
3. Put corrector under your eyes. I'm using Bobbi Brown corrector in 'light bisque'. Honestly, I only got this because Essie Button (aka Estee Lalonde) swears by it and I'm kind of obsessed with her blog and youtube videos. And she's right, it makes a huge difference for those with dark undereyes (mine always look like death). I just apply with my finger, as close to my lash-line as possible, and using as little as possible so it doesn't get cakey under my eyes. Can you see the difference with the eye that has corrector?
Note: Keep in mind that corrector is meant to brighten the undereyes and make them look lighter, it isn't to cover up zits or dark spots, that is what you'll use concealer for.
4. Once both under-eyes have corrector, use the beautyblender (or your tool of choice) to apply concealer under your eyes and on any zits or dark spots you wish to cover up.
5. Now that foundation, corrector, and concealer have been applied, I like to move onto my eyes so that my liquid makeup has a few minutes to dry. If you want your eyeliner and shadow to be precise, you can apply tape diagonally from the corner of your outer lids to the corner of your outer brow. I didn't have Scotch tape so I was stuck with masking tape, and yes, I know I look ridiculous. I was trying to make alien fingers with my hand but I realize now that I just look even more stupid...
6. Right now, I am in love with MAC Paint Pots. They have some great colors, the consistency is amazing, and your eyelids don't get oily like they do with mineral shadows sometimes. They are a little spendy, but the pots go a long way, you barely need any to cover your lid. The shade I used for this look is 'stormy pink'. It's a pink and purple toned silver shade that is great for fall! Just dip your finger right in, and apply directly to your lid. I apply and thin layer across my whole lid, and apply a second layer on the outside of my lid and in the crease.
Tip: You can also get neutral colors (groundwork and painterly are two good ones) to use as an eye primer. You can top these shades with mineral shadows so that they stay longer during the day.
7. Now that your shadow is applied, grab liquid liner! I am using MAC fluidline in 'blacktrack'. It is a gel-like consistency that you dip an angle brush in to apply. A really thin angle brush is essential if you are using liner with this kind of consistency. Mine isn't great, so I dampen mine and shape it before using so my line is more precise. Start on the outside of your lid at the tape, and work your way in.
8. Peel off the tape to reveal perfect liner, no makeup remover needed.
9. Now for the harder part (but come to find out, it's really not that hard). Below is a little guide of where to highlight and contour. White is for highlighting, and black is for contouring. The goal with contouring is to create shadows on your face, heighten your cheekbones, and give your face the illusion of structure where you don't have it. Once you're done, if you tilt your face, you should see the shadows and glistens of where you've created this illusion (like one of those hologram bookmarks you had as a kid). For all highlighting, contouring, and blushing, I use MAC brush 129. It is a tapered brush. All their brushes are made from real hairs, and they're super nice! I absolutely love mine.
Tip: Since contouring powder or cream is generally several shades darker than your skin tone, you want to make it look as natural as possible. The key to doing this is not having too much on your brush. Once you've lightly dipped in, hit the handle of your brush on your wrist, this will knock any excess powder off the brush tip, voila!
To contour my face, I use MAC pressed powder in 'dark plus'. I lightly apply this starting where my cheekbone meets the top of my ear, sweeping on the hollows of my cheekbone, then slightly upward at the end. I also hit the top of my forehead, and the sides, blending into my hairline to make it look more natural. Under the jawline is another important place to create structure. Whatever is left on the brush, I use on the outsides of my nose, but I don't pick up any new powder for this part.
Tip: Since you are trying to heighten your cheekbones, make sure when sweeping powder that if anything, you are always sweeping powder up to your cheekbones, not down. You don't want an excess of dark powder awkwardly sitting by your nose!
To bronze my face, I hit the spots I have contoured, as well as a little bit more of my forehead, my neck, and my chest. Who doesn't love a little glitter? I use MAC bronzer in 'refined golden'. In the photo below (pressed powder on left, bronzer on right), you can see that the pressed powder is matte while the bronzer has little specs of shimmer.
Tip: When applying bronzer, think of places that during the summer, would get sun-kissed. This will look the most natural. Don't over-apply, you don't want to look like you got a bad tan!
To highlight my face (I don't actually have highlighter), I use a liguid highlighting pen for large areas like my forehead, creating the shape you'd imagine a sun's horizon to have (a half circle starting between your eyebrows, and rays working diagonally upwards and outwards). I use a matte white eyeshadow under my brows, and a shimmering white / cream colored shadow for the top of my cheekbones above my contour, as well as my cupid's bow (tip of the mouth), and under my lip.
10. After highlighting and contouring, apply blush. I recently realized how much I used to over-apply blush, and how less is more. MAC artists help me choose a light pink shade that was subtle, shimmery, and good for my skin tone. It is mineral blush in shade 'dainty'. Since highlighting and contouring has already created a bronzed look on your cheekbones, you just need to apply blush lightly to the apples of your cheeks to give yourself a natural, pinky, glow.
11. For a fun, fall look, I decided to apply false lashes. I've had these for awhile and honestly had no idea what the heck to do with them. If you don't know how to apply lashes and need some extra help (like I did),
here is the tutorial that helped me the most. I have Urban Decay Perversion lashes 'Bait' because they were the same price as all other lashes, but they included the glue! You'll need some tweezers, the lashes, lash glue, and lots of hand steadiness.
Tip: Apply glue from the outside of the lashes inward, holding the center of the lashes with your tweezers. Let the glue get tacky for about 15 seconds by waving them in the air. You'll see the glue change a purpley-blue tint, this means they are ready!
Application: Press the lashes onto the center of your lid as close to the lash line as possible first, and work outward from there, using the tweezers (or your fingers if this is more comfortable), to press these firmly onto your skin. Careful not to get the glue stuck to your real lashes, because the glue is strong and you'll probably pull out your lashes, and trust me, it does not feel good. The glue will dry clear, but fix any imperfections by covering with liquid liner. Some people like to use mascara to connect real lashes with the fake ones, I chose not to do this so that I can reuse my fake ones, and it looked just fine.
12. For this look, I wanted really dark, vampy, fall lips. I lined my lips with MAC lip liner in 'Nightmoth' (MAC lip liner is out of this world amazing), and MAC lipstick shade 'Sin'.
Tip: When applying liner, try and create a natural shape at your cupid's bow. Apply your lipstick after lining your lips, and fill in spots you wish with more lip liner after!
13. Last step, guys! If you want your makeup to set, stay longer, and appear more luminous and natural, I suggest using setting powder or setting spray. I really love this setting spray from MAC. It's not super expensive, it'll go a long way, and just one spritz does the trick. It has a little bit of a cooling effect, and it smells lovely! I close my eyes, and spray once about a foot away from my face. I fan my face for about 5 seconds, and I'm good to go for the rest of the day. I've heard the Urban Decay all-nighter setting spray is really great too.
The finished look
Wearing some colors can bring out different shades in your makeup (ie. a red shirt may bring out more red tones in my lipstick, or wearing purple might bring out more purple tones in my eyeshadow), so I went all black for this one.
The products
The highlights and contours
Here is a little video so you guys can see the true effect that contouring and highlighting had on my face when I was done, because you can really see the shadows it created on my cheekbones and under my jawline.
I hope you guys found this tutorial helpful and enjoyable! I would love your feedback, if you want to see more makeup tutorials, or not.
What are your fall makeup favorites? Do you have a favorite makeup brand? It's clear what mine is ;)
Xoxo
