"Springing" for the Glitter

So Spring in fast approaching, and I am more than excited! Everything about it from the flowers to the smell in the air, to the fashion, and most importantly the makeup.

Spring makeup is fun in the sense that it allows for a a multitude of techniques to be used. It is cool enough too wear a shimmery tinted moisturizer on the skin, yet warm enough to do a full coverage matte application as well.

As for eyeshadows, we are capable of using literally ANYTHING! Glitter is typically a faux pas in the summer, due to the escalating heat, and sweat strands that are destined to ruin that remarkable work of art you just spent a half an hour on.. but luckily for us, summer isn't here yet, and we have full rein on whatever masterpieces we set out to create!

With that said, I spent the last couple of days creating looks that can be rocked allllll Spring long, and that are sure to be a conversation piece! So get ahold of some glitter and lets get started!

Our first look can be labeled "Glitter-Mania" if we feel that the shoe fits ;) This look was created using a variety of products beginning with MAC 3D gold glitter, Cranberry eyeshadow, and sculpted with Carbon in the side corner. White eyeliner was used beneath the eye in the waterline to make the eye pop, and Ardell false lashes were added to create a lush and whispy lash line.

This look can be worn at anytime of the day, but it is especially recommended for the evenings out on the town with your girls!

This next look was created with th sunset as my main inspiration. One f my favorite things about Spring is basking in the sun with flowery dresses and big beautiful bowl hats. This eyeshadow look is destined to work with at least a few of those outfits you have stored for the season!

We begin with using a cream base on the lid to help with adhesion, then add Ricepaper (MAC) as highlight. Drop Ricepaper down to the lashline, and with a blending brush add Chrome yellow (MAC), Orange (MAC) and Embark to the crease area. Finish the look off by adding white eyeliner to the waterline, and balck eyeliner to the top of the lid!

One of my favorite looks I created this week was very simplistic, but held its own in contrast to the other makeups. I chose to down play the eyes a bit and focus more on accentuating the lips. If you don't own it yet, get to your nearest MAC Counter and purchase So Chaud. It is one of my all time favorite reds, because of its striking appearance and almost mistakingly orange undertones.

This look would be great alongside a burnt orange tote, or with a pair of wicked wedges!

The last Spring look I created for the week was a nod to the Easter Holiday, so take a peek and follow these tips to create your own!

To give your eyes a pop of Easter fun, place an iridescent highlight on beneath the brow bone, then add a pop of plum to the lid. I used a Coastal Scents palette to achieve this look. Don't be afraid of using burn oranges, and mauve browns either! They are just light an airy as the soft purples and baby blues if used correctly!

Lastly, I want to share something super cool that took place this morning!

As I scrolled through the Facebook feed, I checked the Illamasqua Cosmetics blog, and there again was one of my makeup looks! I cannot tell you how amazing it feels to have appreciation of art come from such a great and influential cosmetics company! If that wasn't cool enough, I received a personal email from their Social Media Manager congratulating me on the triad of makeups that have made it to the blog! So amazing!

To check out the blog go to the Alter Ego Gallery!

Hope you all feel inspired to try some of these looks on your own! Find me on Instagram where I post many of these looks daily @makeupbybrittanym

Have a blessed weekend!

Week of appointments

This week has been filled with a ton of amazing ladies coming through the studio, and a ton of beautiful makeup exiting it. I wanted to show a couple of my favorites of the week and give insight into how to accomplish these looks on yourself! 

 This post we will breakdown the makeup application I did on Tara, an amazing gal from Southern California who wanted a defined and contoured look incorporated into her makeup application. To achieve this we used a pressed powder on top of a sheer liquid foundation. This creates a flawless look without all the bulk of full coverage foundations. Use a P80 Precision Brush from Sigma Cosmetics. It is great when applying concealer as well! 

For Taras' eyeshadow we used Vanilla, Folie, All that Glitters, and Carbon from MAC Cosmetics. 

I adore MAC Brushes just as much as the rest, but for the same application and half the price I recommend Sigma Makeup Brushes. Most cosmetic companies bulk order products from China, Japan, or other miscellaneous companies, slap a label on, and call it a day. So in essence you are paying for the label.. not so much the quality. Done get me wrong.. there is a difference between animal fibers versus synthetic, etc. However when speaking of MAC and Sigma exclusively, there isn't very much of a difference. 

In order to create that contoured smokey eye, I recommend using any flat panel brush and swiping the highlight (Vanilla) beneath the brow. Next use the same flat panel to pack All that Glitters onto the base of the lid. Using a blending brush, dust Folie through the crease lightly while staying precise in your application. Finally, use a pencil brush to pack Carbon onto the side corner. 

Lightly apply a blush or bronzer such as Warm Soul by MAC from the base of the eardrum to the apples of the cheek. This will help to create a contoured and slender bone structure.

I love Maybelline Great Lash more than words can say! Maybe its because my childhood nickname was "Maybelle" or maybe it's because thats the only mascara my Mother has ever worn.. whatever the reason, it is an amazing product that works extremely well! 

I hope this post helps all of you gals out there get inspired and try out your own looks! Feel free to post them on my makeup page for me to check out, I love seeing what you all come up with! Makeup By Brittany