SPOTLIGHT: The Transforming Power of Make Up (Part 2)...

In September of 2014, I cast a whole heap of my insecurities aside, and posted some information and photos of how I use make up to transform myself each and every day, some days involving a lot more effort (and ingredients) than others - the article is here. Last year I started to take more of an interest in lip products, then took yet another giant leap as far as self-confidence is concerned, and decided to upload a photo of my lipstick choice every day on Instagram. Since then I've had some comments from a few gals asking things like why I extend my lippie beyond the outline of my lips, or suggesting I don't conceal my cupids bow. Well the harsh reality is that my lips have been ravaged by two things - time, and around 50 years of cold sore attacks. Combine those with the freckles I've had since I was a young 'un, plus some major pigmentation issues (hypo and hyper), and the result is that I don't have any real lip outline any more, and consequently no distinct cupids bow. There's a pretty ghastly pic below of my lips in all their natural glory gory, and I thought that showing how I "create" them every morning might give some hope to other gals who like me, sure ain't perfect, but with some inexpensive products and a bit of practice, it's possible to disguise those things we're not so happy about...

The above pic is without any makeup at all, but you probably guessed that ha ha. It's pretty clear why tinted lip balms or sheer make up products in general are of absolutely no use to me whatsoever - I need coverage, and I need it big time!

In this next pic, I've applied my foundation, and taken it almost completely over my lips. I've also reverse outlined my lips with a life-changing little crayon I spotted in Coles - CROP Natural Concealer Pencil in Light. It's SO good because it's a snap to work with, and hides just about anything... 

Next step is to set my makeup with Australis Ready Set Go Finishing Powder - this also softens the appearance of my pores and lines by mattifying the skin, and in general, fuzzing out my imperfections, including those on the edges of my lips. After that I outline my pucker with either a lip liner, or in the case below, the same lip pencil I used for the finished look - Maybelline COLORdrama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil in the shade Berry Much. This stage is always a work in progress, and I clean up as I go, sometimes adding more strokes of the concealer crayon, or removing stray bits of colour...

So here's the end result - not perfect by any stretch, a bit lop-sided to say the least, but I think you'll agree it's a million miles from where I started ♥ You'll notice that I softened the sharpness of the cupids bow I drew initially, and generally tidied up the whole outline. I tell you what, if they ever stop making cotton buds, I'm finished lol!

And here's the products I used...

This took me around 10 minutes to get my lips to a camera-ready stage, but if I'm not taking photos, I can do it in three ♥

Take care of you,

kats xxx

HOW-TO: Lipcolour mixing & matching

Despite having an embarassingly massive quite extensive lipstick collection, there are times when I just can't lay my hands on the colour I want. I get dressed, do my makeup, and then one of two things happens: a) the lipstick I had in mind to go with my outfit is worn down to a pathetic stump that even a lip brush can't resurrect (no idea why didn't I bin it the last time I used it), or b) not one of the vast array of colours on my bench is exactly the right shade.

But because I simply HAVE to match, I make precisely the one I want using a lipliner, a lipstick and a gloss. Here's what I manufactured the other morning...

I wanted a pinky mauve - easy peasy (or so I thought) as I have at least 10 pinky mauves in my kit, but not one of them had enough oomph to balance the bold top I was wearing. So I started with a Nabi lipliner in a shade called Dark Fuchsia, and applied it all over my lips. These pencils are available from most of those bargain "dollar" stores for around $3. I love them because the deeper shades especially leave behind a great stain.

Next I swiped Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Lavendare over the top. This is quite a deep purply hue, absolutely gorgeous colour, but way too intense on its own (even for me!).

To tone it down, I added Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lip Gloss in Lambada. This is one of my all time favourites because it's so moisturising & shiny, and smells like a tropical fruit cocktail.  Here's the final shade, the spot on hue I was after :-)

When I first started doing this lip colour concoction process, I used to swatch the various shades on the back of my hand to make sure I was on the right track. But because I do this so often, and consequently have a good idea of what does what to what (!), these days I just apply and go :-)

It may seem like a bit of a business, and of course you have to keep re-applying all three throughout the day, but I don't mind the extra effort to end up with a match that I'm 100% comfortable with.

So ladies, are you a stickler for a matching lip shade?  Do you mix things up a little to make the colour you want?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

HOW-TO: Spring Flowers EOTD...

Yippee Spring is here! I’m doing tra-la-la happy dances now that she’s arrived – one of my absolute favourite times of the year, when the temperature starts to climb and the days begin to grow longer. I always feel more energised after the Spring Equinox – I think it’s the promise of heaps more daylight, and an end to the winter woollies (at last!). Which also means it’s time to pop the top off the fake tan bottle, and spruce up my tootsies ready for those open-toed shoes…

It’s also the time for blossom trees and garden beds to let loose their colour and fragrance, hence my multi-hued EOTD inspired by Mother Nature’s blooms. Because it involves several colours, I’ve included steps & photos, so here we go…

Step 1

Tightline the top lashline - this time I used bhcosmetics black liquid liner

Step 2

I stroked an essence white kajal pencil all over the top lid as a base, and patted it smooth – makes colours really pop!

Steps 3-8

Next I added the pigments one by one using a fine angled liner brush – these fabulous matte shadows are all by Sugarpill: Buttercupcake, Acidberry, Poison Plum & Dollipop.

Steps 9 & 10

Then I applied the same shadows towards the crease, but changed the sequence - started with the purple followed by pink, yellow and green, so that I ended up with a mottled effect. (This doesn’t show up too well on my eyes because I have hoods, but I do it anyway so that when I look down, everything still looks pretty).

Step 11

Using a larger soft brush, I blended the colour joins using a sparkly sheer white shadow from the Innoxa Gorgeous Grey palette.

Step 12

Time to line the lower lashline with MNY Master Precise Liquid Liner, plus some MUA pearl #9 blended over it to soften it down.

Step 13

Because the lower line was bolder than the (now) pastel shadows, I lined the top lashline also with MNY Master Precise Liquid Liner to balance it out. This is starting to look a bit more like me :-)

Step 14

I cleaned up the waterline and added some essence white kajal to cover the blotches.

Step 15

Curled the lashes, then applied two coats of Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara, and finished with one layer of Maybelline The Falsies.

Step 16

I decided that the colours were too pale and there was more sparkle than I intended, so I dabbed a bit more of the matte pigments over each segment, and pushed a fine line of MUA #9 into the crease.

So here’s the finished Spring Flower look:

Hope you like this EOTD, and it gets you in the mood for Spring. And please do let me know if outlining the steps is helpful :-)

Take care of you,

kats xxx