NEW Revlon Photo Ready Eye Art Review

Now first things first, understand I am a self proclaimed glitter junkie when it comes to makeup. So when I saw so many people hype these up on Youtube I have to say I was curious. Then I spotted them in my local Bed Bath and Beyond Harmon Section and I just HAD to snag one for myself. But ohhhh boy was I in for a surprise....

The color I deemed most beautiful is pictured above, Peach Prism. This product is double ended, one side containing a cream shadow & the other containing a glitter liner. The packaging is exactly the same as Revlon's several collections of dual ended nail polishes, if you are familiar with those.

The directions on the side of the product say LID + LINE + LASH, indicating this to be a 3 step eye look. While I love that concept, I have to say no mascara or eyelash product is included in this item... so maybe they should have left the LASH part off. Never the less, starting with the part of the product designed for the lid we will examine the cream shadow. The product is in my opinion not a cream at all, it is very thin and watery (in a good way) instead. The texture performs exactly as a liquid to powder formula. This type of formula I am very weary of as I have never really had a good encounter with it in eye shadow form. But, I gave this one a shot and I am glad I did. This shade is a beautiful peachy rose gold and will look absolutely stunning on all skin tones. It is very metallic, yet not glittery at all so it bounces back light on the eye in a very subtle and flattering fashion. The applicator is a doe foot and I applied it directly to the lid and then blended it out with my finger. To my surprise, this was not difficult to blend and lasted perfectly on my lid all day with zero creasing.

The glitter liner side of the product, the LINE step on the packaging, well it is a whole other story. I was so excited about the beautiful colors in the glitter and it is opaque enough for my needs as you can tell in the swatch below. It compliments the cream/liquid shadow beautifully, I really can not commend Revlon enough on the color pairing. Which is why I was even more disappointed when this product did not work for me. In fact I hate it. I don't say that often about a product, but I don't see how this glitter could work for anyone in any context. The problem is not the glitter particles itself, but the gel binder that contains them. I typically wear glitter liners on the center of the lid, or along the inner tear duct. However in both locations as soon as this sets it becomes tacky, and very uncomfortable. Not only that but it does not stay one. Within a matter of minutes the product separates and begins to peel away. This looks almost like when you get lash glue on your fingers and it beads and peels off. Absolutely terrible. My other gripe with this is if you are truly intending to line your lids with this then the applicator is way too large of a brush tip. There would be no precision found there. If you are looking for a good glitter liner from the drugstore I highly suggest the ones from Essence which I adore, and are much cheaper at around $3.

Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5

While I love Revlon as a brand, this product just was not worth it to me. I will keep it since I do love the cream shadow side, but I will not be repurchasing or picking up other colors. Overall, I think there are better alternatives at the drugstore and I would skip out on this release for sure.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

www.youtube.com/mckenziepmann
instagram: @gnomebusiness
twitter: @mc_gnomeski
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamalizarin

FIN

Sephora Natural Resources: Everyday Eye Brush Set

Hi guys! I am back to discuss yet another set of brushes. I have no shame, you must know besides lip products these are my favorite to review for you guys. Not only that, many times brushes come with a heavy price tag and I hope that my opinions can help ya'll make a smart investment. Today we are reviewing  The Everyday Eye Brush Set from Sephora. The Sephora single "pro" line of brushes with the metal ferrule are my all time favorites to date, so I wanted to see how one of their more affordably priced brush kits would compare. 

The kit itself is beautiful and compact. It comes in this lovely faux leather case, with a creamy iridescent finish. The case does close with a magnetic closure and the Sephora emblem shines on the front and center in metal plating.

This is what the kit looks like once open, it does have a flap that comes down to protect the brush heads (which I have flipped up in picture). As well as a side pocked full of their brush cleansing wipes.

Brush It Off Cleansing Brush Wipes: Rating 3 out of 5

The brush cleansing wipes I find most convenient for travel, as they come in individual sachets. They can clean several brushes very quickly before having to switch over to another wipe. To clean your brush you just simply swish it over the surface of the towelette and watch the color drain from the brush. This being said, the solution itself is not up to par with my favorite Japonesque Makeup Brush Cleanser. However, it is good and will do in a pinch. I find myself packing these sachets in an overnight bag of for a weekend out of town for personal use. If I intended to use these for my clients it would be entirely too wasteful. Also, the cleanser definitely does not replace a deep clean for your brushes.

The kit contains a total of 5 eye brushes, each of a different cut and all synthetic fiber. I will now rate each one for you:

All Over Shadow Brush: Rating 3.75 out of 5

The largest brush in the kit, the all over shadow brush is quite larger that most shadow brushes. It is a C-shaped brush and is not completely flat. It does contain very densely pack bristles. This brush (as the rest of them) is soft but not as soft as I would prefer like my favorite Sephora pro line brushes. However it does do a good job at packing a base color shadow all over the lid, as well as applying brow bone shadow. I found this actually especially useful in my Halloween looks because I was often applying shadow to a large area of the face, and I needed the color payoff to be intense and have a more precise edge. Because this brush is so dense it really does a great job at picking up a lot of product at once and getting a hefty pigmentation pay off.

Small Shadow Brush: Rating 3 out of 5

The small shadow brush I was a little less impressed with. I do not consider this to be a small shader at all, in fact its size seems quite like a standard shader from most brands. The quality of the bristles are the same as the brush previously mentioned. However, this brush is only slightly c-shaped and less dense than the all over shader. To me this is just an average shader brush. Not bad, not great.

Rounded Crease Brush: Rating 4 out of 5

The name of this brush is curious to me as it is most certainly a tapered crease brush, not a rounded crease. Never the less this was one of the stars from the kit for me. The bristles for what ever reason, seem much softer than the two previous brushes mentioned. They are also longer and less dense which is typical of a blending type of brush. The smaller tapered size of this brush is perfect for immediate crease work and exact blending.

Angled Shadow Brush: Rating 4.5 out of 5

This brush was my absolute favorite from the kit. Like the rounded crease brush its bristles seem much more softly cut than the others. The slightly fluffy angled shape makes this brush ideal for smoking out the lower lash line and outer-v work. I have also loved this brush for blending out my nose contour. I am very impressed with this brush all around great job Sephora!

Flat Liner Brush: Rating 3.5 out of 5

This brush was just decent for me. I find the name peculiar once again because this brush is most definitely an angled liner brush, instead of flat. It does an okay job of lining the eyes, you can get a smooth and consistent wing with gel liner. I will say though it lost points from me because it is not as precise as several of my other liner brushes. The tip is slightly to dense, yet not really dense enough for brow work in my opinion.


Overall Kit Rating: 3.75 out of 5

This kit is great for a beginner in my opinion, looking for an affordable kit to start their eye brush collection. It would also be great for someone looking for an affordable travel eye brush set as well. The price range on this kit comes in at $39, which to me is very affordable for 5 brushes. If you are someone who has an extensive brush collection or your are used to luxe brushes such as the Pro Line... then this kit is not for you. I do think this could be a great gift idea however for the young beauty lover in your life this season.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

www.youtube.com/mckenziepmann
instagram: @gnomebusiness
twitter: @mc_gnomeski
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamalizarin

FIN

Last Minute Halloween Costumes

Well hello loves and Happy Halloween!! This is my favorite day of the year, which is why I have done an entire halloween series on my channel. So if you are still struggling with some costume ideas, here are all of my halloween tutorials on my channel this year! Hope it helps:)

Don't forget to subscribe to my channel to make sure you see any new content from me and thumbs up any videos you like. It helps me out a lot! xo

1. Halloween Jack Skellington Makeup Tutorial

This goes out to all those Tim Burton fans out there! Jack is one of my all time favorite characters so I had to put my spin on it!

2. Halloween Mummy Makeup Tutorial

This is a perfect last minute costume idea! So affordable, and it is also the easiest to achieve.

3. Halloween Sugar Skull Makeup Tutorial

This is just a couple shots of the look, since it won't let me insert the actual video for some reason. However, you can view the tutorial by clicking the link below. This is my twist on a traditional sugar skull. Any colors can be switched out to fit your outfit!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS7zj9fW1MU

4. Halloween Fawn Makeup Tutorial

This one is for all of you animal lovers out there, or those looking for something with zero creepy factor haha. I truly loved this look and I know you will too!

5. Halloween Vampire Makeup Tutorial

Who doesn't love fangs and a bit of fake blood!? I mean really...

6. Halloween Black Swan Makeup Tutorial

This is my slightly impressionist take on the black swan makeup! Throw on a LBD and a crown and you are done!

7. Halloween Witch Makeup Tutorial

My Take on a traditional green witch. I tried to make it less cartoonish:)

8. Halloween Mermaid Makeup Tutorial

This was by far the most popular video on my channel in this series. I hope you enjoy this metallic, glittery beauty as much as the crowds did!

9. Halloween Tribal Makeup Tutorial

This was requested by my subscribers! This would be awesome if you turned it into a tribal vampire or zombie as well!

Well guys I hope this helped those of you in need of some last minute inspo! I will return to my regular scheduled beauty program on Monday! Don't forget to like and subscribe!!

www.youtube.com/mckenziepmann

instagram: @gnomebusiness

twitter: @mc_gnomeski
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamalizarin

FIN

Beauty 101: How to Get the Perfect Lip

There is a new episode in my Beauty 101 series live on my youtube channel! This one is all about my tips and tricks to get a perfected lip. Whether you love to rock nudes or bright colors, everyone needs this in their arsenal. Check out the link or video below.

Don't forget to subscribe so you get notifications of new videos from me in your Youtube Feed! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD8T4qApcyg

As always thanks so much for stopping by and make sure to check out my youtube channel for tutorials and other fun beauty videos! xo

www.youtube.com/mckenziepmann

instagram: @gnomebusiness

twitter: @mc_gnomeski
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamalizarin

FIN

Target Up & Up Brush Review

Hi everyone! I am back again with another brush review!! I heard about the Target Up & Up brushes from MrsLolaLynn on youtube and decided to give them a shot. I have had these for about a month now and have both spot cleansed and deep cleansed the brushes so I could give them a proper review. These brushes are very affordable and all synthetic fibers. The lot of these brushes were purchased in two seperate "kits" and one single. Let's get on with it!



1. Up & Up Complexion Kit $11.99 (excuse the powder brush in the photo)

-Rating 4 out of 5 stars.

Pros: This is a great kit for anyone looking for affordable face brushes or someone who is starting their personal makeup bag from scratch. It consists of aangled blush brush, foundation brush, setting brush, and concealer brush. A complete face kit for 11.99 is hard to beat. I have broken my review into each individual brush below, but all are very soft and so easy to use. The brush ferrules remain sturdy and secure even after washing and daily use. Also, I have not experienced shedding from any of the brushes in this kit.

Cons: My only gripe with these brushes as you will be able to tell from the photos, is that when they are washed up, while the makeup residue completely is cleaned out some of the stains remain. This does not bother me to much for my personal use, because I know they have been thoroughly cleaned. However, because of this I would not use these in my freelance kit. I don't want any clients with a weary set of eyes on my brushes!

-The Angled Blush Brush

Pros: This brush is just as incredibly soft as all the others in this line. The shape is wonderful for apply blush and bronzer due to its angled contour shape. The soft bristles allow product to be blended easily.

Cons: This brush is quite dense, so it can apply a lot of product at once. That being said, it is so soft that the product can easily be blended away. This brush also has the slight staining factor.

-The Setting Brush

Pros: I am going to sound like a broken record here but once again SO SOFT. The small, slightly flared shape of this brush makes is perfect for setting under eye concealer.

Cons: The brush is set up like a "fluffy" paddle brush, so I find it slightly less effortless than my elf blush brush for setting the under eye. This being said, it still gets the job done right. Once again. this brush stains as well.

-The Concealer Brush

Pros: The small paddle shape of the brush head makes it great for carving out the lip line or brow.

Cons: Other than the staining, I do not like this brush for undereye concealer or even to cover blemishes. Not because this is a bad brush, just because I prefer something like a miniature kabuki (buffing) style concealer brush.

-The Foundation Brush

Pros: Even though paddle brushes are not my favorite method for applying foundation, this one does a great job. An even application of foundation can be achieved using the cross hair motion. Also if you have a lot of peach hair on your face this type of brush application is your friend, blending straight down with lay down the little hairs and make them less noticeable than a buffing brush would.

Cons: Only the stains.

2. The Powder Brush $6.99

-Rating 4 out of 5 Stars.

Pros: Optimal size and density for all over powder application. This will give you a medium coverage application of powder, which is perfect for my everyday routine. The brush is impeccably soft and blends powder products like a dream.

Cons: Only the staining factor mentioned previously.

3. Medium Shadow / Smudge Brush Duo $4.99

-Rating 4 out of 5 Stars

Pros: Both brushes are the perfect density for applying shadow to the lid and outter v area. The smudge brush also works great for blending out the lower lashline.

Cons: These stain just like all the others. Also, the smudge brush is much larger in size than a typical smudge brush. If you have smaller eyes this could be an issue.

Overall, I really love these brushes for my personal use as I have stated. Even though they are clean I would not want to put a stained brush on my clients face. All the brushes are so soft and generally work very well for their intended purpose. They are very affordable and easily accessible to anyone in reach of a Target. All the ferrules remained sturdy after washing and use, and I have experienced zero shedding. Overall, I give the line a 4 out of 5 stars mostly due to the stain factor. I really hope this helped you guys out! Please let me know any other products you would like to hear my thoughts on!

As always thanks so much for stopping by and make sure to check out my youtube channel for tutorials and other fun beauty videos! xo

www.youtube.com/mckenziepmann

instagram: @gnomebusiness

twitter: @mc_gnomeski
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamalizarin

FIN

Makeup Geek Brush Review

Hi Guys! As Makeup Geek has been so hyped up all over social media, and I was in the market for some affordable brushes, I thought I would order a few to review for you guys! I have had these brushes for a month now, and incorporated them into my daily routine as well as my Youtube tutorials (link below!). I have also both spot cleaned and deep cleansed the brushes in order to give a proper review. These brushes were all sold seperately, not in a kit, on the Makeup Geek website. All Makeup Geek products including their brushes are cruelty free which I love! This means that all the brushes are composed of synthetic fibers. I have an array of 5 eye brushes and one face brush to discuss so let's get started!

1. Makeup Geek Angled Contour Brush.$8.99

-Rating 2.5 out of 5 stars.

I was looking for a more affordable alternative to my sephora collection contour brushes which I love, and I had high hopes for this little guy.

Pros: The size and angle of the brush head is fantastic. It fits right into the contours of the cheeks for a precise contour.

Cons: The brush hairs have been cut very bluntly on the ends making for a very coarsely textured brush in my opinion. This to me is a major deal breaker. A rough texture can irritate acne prone skin, sensitive skin, Rosacea, or other skin conditons. Not only that but I find that this brush is not ideal for beginners as it is considerably dense so it picks up a heavy amount of pigment. This in combination with the coarse texture can make things difficult to blend.

2. Makeup Geek Bent Liner Brush $6.99

- Rating 5 out of 5 Stars.

Pros: Everything! This brush is a must have! It makes doing liner both on myself, and someone else a breeze. I absolutely love this brush. The hairs are soft and stay closely formed to a point for precise application even after washing. The bent contour of the brush really makes applying gel or cream liners an ergonomic experience.

Cons: I can not think of a single one. Great Job Marlena!

3. Makeup Geek Pointed Crease Brush $7.99

-Rating 3.5 out of 5 Stars.

Pros: The shape of this brush is lovely for outer v work and immediate crease application. I have also loved using the pointed dome shape to "roll" shimmery pigments over the lid. I found using it in this way applied even my shimmery Lorac Pro shadows with minimal fallout.

Cons: While not as coarse as the angled contour brush, this one still falls short for me on the softness of the bristles. I expect eye brushes to be supple and gentle as possible on the delicate skin of the eye.

4. Makeup Geek Soft Dome Brush $7.99

-Rating 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

Pros: The bristles of this brush are very lightweight and soft, especially when comparing to others in the line. This long flexible shape is perfect for blending out crease work and creating soft gradients of color. Of all the brushes, this one feels the most like a natural hair brush.

Cons: While this is the soft one of the bunch, I did not give it a full 5 stars because compared to some other synthetic bristle brushes I have it still is not quite to optimum texture. However, this is a very good brush and I would definitely order another for my collection.

5. Makeup Geek Pencil Brush $7.99

-Rating 3 out of 5 Stars.

Pros: This is a tiny pencil brush!! I love how small this is and was not expecting it to be quite that size when I ordered it. It is half the size of the head on my Sephora Pro #24. This makes it perfect for those of you with smaller or asian eyes that need a detailed brush to smoke out a lower lashline. I also loved using this to create a precise cut crease application of shadow.

Cons: Once again the bristles are quite blunt, making for a more coarse texture. This can be a little troublesome especially for my delicate lower lashline area.

6. Makeup Geek Crease Brush $7.99

-Rating 2.5 out of 5 Stars

Pros: I am not really sure to be honest. This brush puzzles me quite a bit. (see below)

Cons: This is probably the brush I reached for the least out of the entire lot. I think I am more confused by its intended function than anything else. My expectation for this brush from the name crease brush, was for it to be great for blending out immediate crease work. However while the slightly shorter tapered shape of the brush head fits nicely into the crease area, the bristles are quite stiff and I find it actually applies product white patchy. This is not ideal for the crease, where you definitely want to make sure everything is blended evenly. I am honestly quite perplexed. I really wanted this brush to work for me, but I can't seem to find a proper use for it.

This round of Makeup Geek Products was quite hit and miss for me. I will still put almost all of these to use in my collection and get my money's worth from them. They are all synthetic fibers and wash up perfectly. NONE of the brushes shed at all which is great! And they also feel very sturdy. None of the ferrules came loose or felt wobbily and all the finishes stay looking brand new! I would say that the must haves from this selection are with out a doubt the bent liner brush and the soft dome brush. The others I think you can probably skip in my opinion. I love that Makeup Geek is cruelty free and that Marlena works hard to make sure her brushes are affordable to all us makeup junkies. There are a couple other face brushes I am interested in trying, but until then these are my thoughts!

As always thanks so much for stopping by and make sure to check out my youtube channel for tutorials and other fun beauty videos! xo

www.youtube.com/mckenziepmann

instagram: @gnomebusiness

twitter: @mc_gnomeski
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamalizarin

FIN

how to wear: duo-chrome smokey eye. [ day-time edition ]

Are you one of the many who run screaming at the word duo-chrome, terrified of disco ball eighties makeup? DONT! This look is all about using duo chrome products in an updated, wearable fashion. This look sports a soft shimmery smokey-eye that is daytime appropriate and will flatter a wide range of skin tones and eye colors. I hope you enjoy and as always feel free to swap out any products for those already in your own collection.

the eyes:

-As always begin by priming the eye area with an eye primer or base of choice. (Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer)

-Apply a shimmery cool toned cream shadow to the lid. (Maybelline Color Tattoo #Seashore Frosts)

-To serve as a transition shade for our other shadows, blend a matte peachy shadow through the crease. (Tarte Mattenificient Palette #Peach For the Stars)

-Using a pencil brush, deepen the outer v and the immediate crease with a deep matte plum shade. Also deepen the outer third of the crease under the lower lid. (Tarte Mattenificient Palette #Two Plums Up)

-Next, blend this plum shade out all along the lowers lashline with a duo chrome taupe shadow. (Prestige Long Term Relationship Shadow #Bewitched)

-Highlight the brow bone with a matte shadow a few shades lighter than your skin tone. (Tarte Mattenificient Palette #Sand Out From the Crowd)

-With a black liquid liner, create a very thin line along the upper lashline. (NYX Two Timer)

-Also, line the waterline with a nude eyeliner to brighten the eyes. (NARS Larger than Life Eyeliner #Rue Bonaparte)

-For some added shine, apply a shimmery duo-chrome purple pigment to the lid. (Makeup Forever Star Powder #942)

-Apply a few coats of black mascara to top and bottom lashes. (L'oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions #Carbon Black)

-Apply a full, but lightweight pair of lashes for some day-time drama. (Kiss Tapered End Lash #Pretty)

-To hide the lash band and soften the black liquid liner, use a flat definer brush to apply some matte black shadow close to the lash line. (Tarte Mattenificient Palette #Don't Stand Black)

the cheeks:

-Opt for bronze cheeks with a flush of dolly pink. (Sephora Los Cabos Bronzer & Milani Baked Blush #Dolce Pink)
-To coordinate with my eyes, I applied just a touch of the duo chrome pigment that is on the lid to the tops of my cheekbones. (Makeup Forever Star Powder #942)

the lips:

-Skip the lip liner, and go for a sheer, rosey-plum blown out lip. (Dior Addict Lipstick #Fashion Week)

other products used:

-Coverfx Mattifying Primer
-L'oreal Truematch Foundation #W4
-Lancome Effacernes Waterproof Concealer #Porcelaine
-L'oreal Truematch Concealer Crayon #N678
-MAC Prep + Prime Pen #Radiant Rose
-NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil #Dark Brown
-Milani Brow Shaping Clear Gel
-NARS Light Reflecting Setting Powder Pressed #Translucent Crystal
-Urban Decay DeSlick Setting Spray

That wraps up today's look. I hope this encourages you to try out some daunting duo-chrome products that may be out of your comfort zone. They don't have to look like a glittery hot mess! If you enjoyed this look please give it a thumbs up and share with your friends, it helps me out alot! To keep up with new looks and upcoming projects please follow me on my social media links listed below. As always if please tag me in any pictures of your recreations so I can see! Thanks for your support! 

instagram: @gnomebusiness

twitter: @mc_gnomeski
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamalizarin

FIN

a look: pool side inspired.

Okay so while you might think for the title, "Girrrlll I know you're not wearin all that to the pool. Well my friend, you are right. I was just inspired by the summery colors and breezy atmosphere that the pool implies. This look features a pale sea blue wash on the lid, a nude cheek and a peach lip. I love how bright and airy this looks, perfect for spring and summer. Plus, it is soooo easy. Enjoy!

the eyes:

-Start as always by priming the lid with an eye primer or base of choice. (Lorac Behind the Scenes Primer)

-Begin with blending a pale blue cream shadow all over the lid and through the crease. The one I used was actually duo chromed so in person it has a beautiful gold sheen in the light. (Maybelline Color Tattoo #Seashore Frosts)

-Pop a shimmery liner or shadow into the inner corner of the eye for a highlight. (L'oreal Silkissime Liner #Highlighter)

-Line the waterline with a nude waterproof kohl pencil to keep the eyes looking bright and open. (NARS Larger Than Life Eyeliner #Rue Bonaparte)

-Pack a matte shadow a few shades lighter than your skin tone under the brown for a subtle highlight. (Tarte Mattenificient Palette #Sand Out From the Crowd)

-With a pencil brush, blend a peachy matte shade under the lower lashes for a slight shadow. (Tarte Mattenificient Palette #Peach for the Stars)

-Instead of harsh dark liner, take a flat definer brush and pack on a dark matte chocolate shade along the upper lash line. (Tarte Mattenificient Palette #Dream in Chocolate 

-Throw on a couple coats of mascara to the lashes to prep for falsies. (L'oreal Shocking Extensions Carbon Black Telescopic Mascara)

-Apply a natural lite false lash. (Kiss Lashes #03)

the lips:

Go Peachy!

-Throw on a satin finish lipstick or crayon in a beautiful peach shade to the lips for a summery pout. (Flower Beauty Lip Suede Velvet Lip Chubby #Life's A Peach)

other products used:

-CoverFX Mattifying Primer

-L'oreal Truematch Foundation #W4

-L'oreal Truematch Concealer Crayon #N678

-Lancome Effacernes Waterproof Concealer #Porcelaine

-MAC Prep + Prime Pen #Radiant Rose

-NARS Light Reflecting Setting Powder #Translucent Crystal

-Sephora Los Cabos Bronzer

-Kardashian Beauty Radiant Ombre Blush #Sunlit Ombre

-NYX Automatic Eyebrow Pencil #Deep Brown

-Milani Brow Shaping Clear Gel

-MAC Mineralized Skin Finish #Lightscapade

 

I hope you all enjoyed this fresh and easy look today. Please tag me in any pics of your creations. Also please follow all of my social media platforms listed below:) Thanks for the support as always!

instagram: @gnomebusiness

twitter: @mc_gnomeski
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamalizarin

FIN

beauty rant: my breakup with winged liner.

I will proceed this by saying, take everything below with a grain of salt.

There are no rights and wrongs when it comes to makeup and your personal style. 

All photos are of me and my work to show that yes, I am guilty of this too.

Now let the rant begin.

While I enjoy a good cat eye as much as the next diva..

My relationship with winged liner ends here.

Well, maybe ends is not accurate (because I do love it). But, I am trying to make a point people.

Do you (like so many of us) find your self saying,

"Ahhh who cares it will look better once I put my liner on anyways."

Come on, those of us who have perfected the winged liner trick have allllll said this to ourselves.

Enough is enough. 

I was so angry when I noticed I was saying this, and decided to challenge my self by putting my wings down.

You should take pride in your work.

It should be tidy and well blended enough to stand on its own.

Please understand, liner is not a bad thing (while winged liner is going out of style at the moment btw).

Liner can be a great thing, whether its liquid, gel, kajal, or what have you.

But!!! Let it be a tool for you to add drama and dimension. 

NOT A CRUTCH.

If you feel naked walking out of the house with out those wings...

Girl... it's time. Put them down.

While I will definitely enjoy sporting the occasional killer wing,

I have taken this step out of my daily routine in order to challenge myself.

And I have to say, it feels good.

I dare you to try it.

Even just for a day or a week.

End rant.

Let me know what you think on any of my social media platforms (&follow!) below.

Please tag me in any photos of your looks with out winged liner.

I would love to see what you come up with!

instagram: @gnomebusiness

twitter: @mc_gnomeski
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamalizarin

FIN

far out: galaxy eyes.

Galaxy eyes. Tonight's look was inspired by the the beautiful colors of the starry night sky. If you are looking for something that will be sultry and pack a punch, this is for you. For those of you scared off by a dramatic eye and bold lip combo, this look would also look beautiful with a nude lip for a night out. I hope that you enjoy and try something new!

the eyes:

-Start as always, by priming the eyelids with your eye primer of choice. (Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer)

-Lay down a black cream shadow base over the lid with a flat shader brush or your finger. (Maybelline Color Tattoo #Stroke of Midnight)

-Apply a turquoise cream base along the outer 2/3's of the lower lash line and drag it outwards into a cat eye shape. (Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Stick #Tempting Turquoise)

-With an oval blending brush, apply a pink shadow through the inner tear duct and inner 1/3 of the lid and above the inner 1/3 of the crease. (KIKO Wet & Dry Use Shadow #219 mixed with Urban Decay #Coax)

-Now using a flat shader brush, press on a shimmer black shadow over the outer 2/3 of the lid. You may wet your brush with water, a mixing medium, or setting spray for a more vibrant effect. (Prestige Longterm Relationship Eyeshadow #Black Magic)

-With a flat definer brush again, pack on a shimmery blue-toned purple to the inner 1/3 of the lid and inner 1/3 of the lower lash line. (Urban Decay #Betrayal)

- On a fluffy blending brush, blend a matte black through the crease. Really concentrate this into the crease and lightly buff outwards for a blown out effect. (Sephora Pantone Palette Matte Black)

-With the same brush pick some of the pink shade back up and lightly blend out the outer edges of the matte black. (Urban Decay #Coax)

-Now highlight the brow bone with a shimmery pale pink shadow. (Urban Decay #Dope)

-On a pencil brush, apply a vibrant turquoise shadow to the turquoise shadow base along the lower lashline. (Sephora Pantone Palette Turquoise)

-With the same pencil brush, pick up a tiny amount of the matte black shadow and blend that on the middle of the lower lashline right below the iris of your eye. (Sephora Pantone Palette Matte Black)

-Now take a clean more precise blending brush, and spend a good  minute blending out the lower lashline and "tail" of the shadow to insure a beautiful gradient effect. 

-Apply a black waterproof kohl pencil to the waterline and the upper lashline. I chose to skip a winged liner and opt to line my natural eye shape, but either will work. (NARS Larger Than Life Eyeliner #Via Veneto)

-Prep your lashes for falsies with a solid coat of black mascara. (Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara)

-Apply a dramatic pair of lashes with a splash of color. (Katy Perry Color Pop Lashes #Blue)

the lips:

-Line the lips with a lilac or purple lip liner to keep the products from bleeding. (Jordana Easy Liner For Lips #Silver Lilac)

-Apply a highly pigmented purple lipstick. (Maybelline ColorSensational Lipstick #Violet Intrique)

-Top it all off with a purple gloss for some shine! (Milani Brilliant Shine Gloss #Berry Tempting)

other products used:

-Rimmel Stay Matte Primer

-Too Faced Amazing Face Foundation #Vanilla Creme

-Lancome Effacernes Concealer #Porcelaine

-L'oreal Truematch Concealer Crayon #N678

-MAC Prep + Prime Pen #Radiant Rose

-NARS Light Reflecting Setting Powder Pressed #Translucent Crystal

-NYX Auto Brow Pencil #Deep Brown

-Milani Brow Shaping Gel

-Sephora Los Cabos Bronzer

-Revlon Powder Blush #Oh Baby Pink

-Benefit Watts Up

As always thank you so much for your time! I hope you all learned something new and if not at least are inspired to try something new. Please leave any requests on any of my social media platforms listed below, and make sure to follow me for the latest updates if you're not already! 

instagram: @gnomebusiness

twitter: @mc_gnomeski
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FIN