Morning After a Night of No Sleep Makeup Look

My Dearest Beauties,

Whether you didn't get enough sleep because you were out partying or because you had too many things on your mind, makeup is an amazing tool we can use to make ourselves look pulled together and as if we got the ideal seven hours beauty sleep. Unfortunately, we have to wake up the next morning and either go to work or uni, or even just run our daily errands, but I know from myself that looking ghostly affects my mood a lot (plus the lack of sleep). Think of it as a pick me up!

You wake up with a dull complexion, extra dark under eye circles, and sometimes it goes as far as your skin breaking out. If you were out partying the smoke and alcohol dry it out completely and it looks extra dull.

I was inspired to give you my tips after a night of less than three hours of sleep that made me think it would be interesting to actually think of my makeup routine for those days when I feel like that.The aim is to add radiance to your skin, cover under eye circles and break outs, make your eyes look awake, finally boost your confidence level and even change your mood.

Face washed with cold water to tighten everything and letting the moisturizer sink in.

Face

I start by using my everyday moisturizer to give my face life again. I drink my coffee and let it sink in and work with my natural oils. I also apply some EOS lip balm to start preparing my lips for lipstick. I then go in with L'oreal Paris Le Teint Accord Parfait (equivalent to the american true match). I dot it on the center of my face and smooth it, using my fingers, out onto the edges so that I end up with no makeup lines. This foundation has a truly undetectable and satin finish. You can go really thin and cover everything or layer it for a full on look. Once I even out my face I go in to cover dark circles, and you guessed it, I am using Benefit's Boi-ing because on days like these I only use ultra trusted products. To give my face life, I apply Dali's bronzer  with my index fingertip as a highlight on the tops of my cheekbones (I find it is too glittery, shiny and light to use as an actual bronzer). This adds a little shine to my face so that I do not look so dull. Then I go in with Dali's blush on the apples of my cheeks, I blend the highlighter on the top of my cheekbones really well with the blush I added on the apples of my cheeks. Think of blending till you look like you were born with a natural flush. My tip for that is using a clean blush brush so that you blend without adding any additional product. Notice: I didn't powder! I want my skin to look extra natural and radiant. Plus this foundation gives me a really demi-matte finish which I powder only around four hours later.

Face Procucts

Eyes

When your eyes are extra swollen and have huge bags and dark circles; the best thing to do is go light on the eyes but use something effective. Think, all matte eye shadows. You want to recess the swollen lids while still adding some definition. I start by smoothing Benefit's Stay don't Stray eye primer with my ring finger tip to make my eye shadows last longer and appear more vibrant. For that, I use this NYX palette, I just apply the darkest shade (similar here in the color betrayal) of the palette all over my mobile lid and under my lower lash line (don't go too thick, we don't want to look like we got punched in the eye). I use a flat Ecotools brush to apply the color and blend it with a fluffy eye shadow H&M brush. Then, I go in with Dali's white eyeliner on the lower water line, this covers the redness and makes my eyes look wide awake. I curl my lashes with Tweezerman's lash curlers and apply L'oreal Paris Lash Architect 4D mascara. As a last note, I use the same shadow to fill in my eyebrows (it is a matte cool toned brown that is good for eyebrows).

Eye Products

Lips

I have a love affair with these Rimmel Apocalips lippies. They are the perfect marriage between a lip gloss and a highly pigmented lipstick. These are perfect with color pay off and have an amazing shine that lasts and lasts and lasts. I cannot say enough about them. Go for a peachy nude like the shade Luna, because it will make your face look a bit tan. But, you may also choose to go for a fun bright color for an instant pick me up with the shade Apocaliptic. I am obsessed.

Lip Products

Eyes Close up

Complexion Close up

What are your thoughts on this look? What do you usually go for to change your mood after a really bad night?

Much love,

Samar 

Diffused Eyeliner Look

My Dearest Beauties,

Today, I bring to you a very easy way to fake eyeliner and to get a variety of looks from one single very well pigmented black eye shadow and a pair of brushes. I am using NYX eyeshadow in Black ES01 and a dual brush from H&M, that has an angled brush on one end and a smudge brush on the other end.

This look can be worn as soft or as strong as you prefer. It is all about building layers of color. If you are not an expert with eyeliner or simply don't have the patience for a perfect liner look, you can always refer to this method. It is so versatile that you can wear it soft for work in the morning and very strong in the form of a smokey eye at night by just adding and blending in some more layers of shadow.

I started with a flesh toned color all over my eyelid. This will not only make your eyelid a uniform canvas but it will also make the other shadows blend more easily.

Then I simply drew a line with the angled brush from the outer corner of my eye up, as if I were to join it with the end of my brow. I do the same on both eyes. I then push whatever product is left very close to my top lash line.

Once you have done that go ahead and flip to the smudge brush and blend this line inwards to the center of my eyelid and crease.

This is optional but you can add some to your lower lash line. Join the lower lash line with whatever you have done on the top. Don't forget to blend.

That is the finished look. And I said before you can make it stronger by just repeating the same procedure all over again until you get the intensity you are looking for.

What do you think of this way of faking eyeliner? Tell me in the comments below, if you like it and if you would try it! By the way, excuse my baby hair that just decided to be rebellious.

Much love,

Samar