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Monday, January 31, 2011

MUD Makeup Designory

MUD Logo

Makeup Designory(MUD) is a line of cosmetics that a lot of people still haven't heard about. It was a line created by professional makeup artists nearly a decade ago in California. They also have an accredited makeup school offered in California as well as Hawaii under Bella Torre Academy (where I graduated from). They offer a 100 hour course which upon completion you get your own certificate that certifies you as a MUD makeup artisan. The course goes over the basics of makeup, theory, fashion, bridal, natural, as well as some film training. Its great for anyone who just wants to learn more about makeup, or if you are interested in becoming a professional makeup artist.

I use a LOT of their products whenever I go to photo shoots, fashion shows or weddings, not only because it came with my tuition, but I have my favorites from their line which I think are worth buying. Their prices are a little more affordable than MAC and they have great quality.

  • Eyeshadows
Their eyeshadows glide on so well, they are highly pigmented and they blend easily!

Favorite Colors: Spanish Gold, Dulce de Leche, Galaxy and Cajun Spice

Price: $13.50 individually and $10 refill


  • Lipsticks
Creamy and long lasting! I love how their lipsticks are so moisturizing and they have great color. However, the only downfall is their selection which only consists of about 10-15 colors =(

Favorite Colors: Mai Tai and Just Peachy

Price: $15


  • Cream Foundation
The good thing about cream foundations is that it is easy to mix. Usually cream foundations feel a bit heavy but the MUD ones feel so light and natural, almost like you aren't wearing anything! Great for photos but definetly use the primer either mixed in with it or before application.

Price: $26 individually and $12 refill


  • Face Primer
This face primer mixeds great with the cream foundations. When you use it directly on the skin, it creates a nice clean palette for foundation application. This is a good for makeup artists who need a primer thats versatile.

Price: $26


  • Loose Powder
Great variety for all skintones! Buttercream and Zero are great for lighter skintones and Desert is great for medium to dark skintones. They dont create a white powdery look but just melts into the skin to set foundation and any cream products perfectly.

Price: $21


  • Powder Blushes
Color is fantastic! They have many colors to choose from and they blend well together. The great thing about it is that you can buy the empty palette and create a custom blush palette with 10 different colors.

Favorites: Bubblegum, Poppy, Glow and Lemon Cream

Price: $16.50 individually $13 refill


You can buy these products online at: www.mudshop.com
Here is a look using all MUD products, most from their Sunkissed Glamour Kit that they offered during the Summer but some are still available to buy individually.

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Products Used on Model:
  • Cream Foundation in YG2 and YG3
  • Face Primer
  • Color Creme Blush in Tulip
  • Bronzer in Sunshine
  • Loose Powder in Buttercream
  • Eyeshadows in Pixie, Cajun Spice and Dulce de Leche
  • Cake eyeliner in Black
  • Volume Mascara
  • Lipstick in Just Peachy
  • Lipliner in Natural
  • Lipgloss in Shine

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

How To: Basic Smoky Eye

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Smoky eyes are the most common and widely used look for fashion and for a night out with the girls. There are many varieties and ways of creating a smoky eye effect, but I will give you my rendition of how to acheive a basic smoky eye using just a few products that you might already have in your makeup stash!

#1) You want to start with your eyes for this look. Since we are using dark shadows, there is the possiblity of having fallout under the eyes which will ruin your foundation.

#2) Prime the entire lid with a neutral color that is close to your skintone (you can use a cream concealer if thats what you prefer) this will ensure that your eyeshadow will not crease and will stay put longer.

#3) Take a black cream and apply it onto the lid up to the crease (it doesnt need to be perfect because you will blend it out later). I recommend using a concealer brush for cream products instead of bristle brushes so the application is smoother. If you do use a bristle brush, make sure its stiff, small, and thin so you dont get it all over.

#4) With a small eyeshadow brush apply black eyeshadow right on top of the black cream shadow. This will emphasize the color and seal the cream shadow.

#5) With a clean rounded dome brush or crease brush blend the black shadow up into the crease and just slightly over into the brow bone (be sure not to go too far up especially if you dont have a lot of lid space to work with).

#6) Take a matte neutral (or slightly lighter than your skintone) color eyeshadow and apply it with an eyeshadow brush to the brow bone just under the eyebrows. Blend into the black for a gradual rise in color effect (darker near the lash line getting lighter towards the brow bone).

#7) Tightline the upper and lower waterlines with a waterproof black pencil liner and also line the upper lashline getting as close to your lashes as possible.

#8) Taking a small angled liner brush, take that same black eyeshadow you used on the lid and smudge it across the lower lashline, this will also help to prevent the liner from running.

#9) This step is optional, but if you want to brighten the eyes a bit, you can use a shimmer white, silver, or gold eyeshadow in the inner corners of the eye using a small rounded dome brush.

#10) Curl lashes with an eyelash curler and coat with mascara or you can apply false lashes for a more dramatic look.

#11) Finish the eyes off by filling in your eyebrows following your natural shape with a brow pencil or eyeshadow. The golden rule for eyebrow color is to go two shades lighter if you have dark hair and two shades darker if you have light hair. You can use a wax or clear gel to set the eyebrows in place, but that is optional, only if you have some strays or untamed brows.

Suggestions to go with this look:
  • Pair it with a natural lipstick and/or gloss, try using a light beige or pink color
  • Cheeks should be neutral also since you want the emphasis on the eyes, try using a light pink or peach blush or even just a bronzer for daytime
  • For an added kick, you can use a blush with shimmer in it for a little glow or some sparkly lipgloss



Products I Would Recommend:
  • MAC Paintpot in Painterly or Urban Decay Primer Potion
  • MAC Paintpot in Blackground or Fluidline in Blacktrack
  • MUFE Aqua Eyes eyeliner to line eyes
  • Shu Uemura eyelash curler
  • Chanel Powder Blush in Tempting Beige
  • MAC Lipstick in Cream Cup
  • Loreal Voluminous Mascara

Red Carpet Fashion: Golden Globes 2011

The 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards aired on Sunday January 16th live on NBC and of course, the Red Carpet was a catwalk for the fabulous women to showoff their style and fashion. I know many people like to show their Best and Worst Dressed picks, but since I dont like bashing people, I chose 5 of my choices for the best dressed ladies of the evening, and let me tell you it was hard to narrow it down! Their hair and makeup also worked perfectly for their dress styles

#5 - Sofia Vergara
Sofia Vergara

#4 - Amber Riley
Amber Riley

#3 - Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde

#2 - Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis

#1 - Dianna Agron
Dianna Agron

Close Runner-Ups:

Scarlett Johnsson
Scarlett Johansson

Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie

Beauty Review: Nars Blush Bronzing Duo in Orgasm&Laguna

Nars Blush Bronzing Duo in Orgasm and Laguna

Brand: Nars

Product: Blush Bronzing Duo in Orgasm and Laguna

Description:

Orgasm - Pinky Peach with Gold Shimmer. This is a great shade for any skintone and can be layer to get the exact amount of color you want. The shimmer may be too overwhelming for some people because it could make you look a little shiny, but if you are the type that likes a bit of a glow, this is it! Best if applied with a soft rounded blush brush on the apples for a natural blushing look or along the cheekbone to add a wash of color to a bare face. If you notice that you applied to much, just get a kabuki brush and buff it out, or take some translucent loose powder and gently layer it over the Orgasm. This could also tone down some of the shimmer.

Laguna - Best powder bronzer I have tried so far! It looks awesome on fair and light skintones and has a natural look to it. It does have some sparkle, but not enough to be to overpowering. Great for contouring the cheekbones using a slanted contour brush or a rounded blush brush to get under the cheekbone. You can also apply it to the forehead, temples, nose, and chin for added warmth, or along the jawline to contour. It turns out amazing in photos so I use it in almost all my photoshoots =)

Price: $39

Where to Buy? Sephora, Nordstrom, Narscosmetics.com

Overall Rating: Perfect 10!