A quick FOTD tutorial: stained coral pink lips and soft lids

Shared a simple FOTD on Instagram and Dayre and was requested to do a tutorial on the look, so here it is!

It's really all about bright "stained" lips, and the eyes are kept quite soft so that the lips can be the focus. And I call them stained lips because they're quite translucent and soft, like you applied a strong color and then blotted it away a bit. It's not ombre lips where the lip color is a different tone in the center or between the upper and lower lips. 

You can do this with pretty much any strong lip color  that you don't want to apply full-on. The only color that wouldn't work for this sort of look would be those dark, almost-black purples. Those would sheer out quite grey and deathly because there isn't enough red or pink undertones in them.

Because we're working with metallics, it's always a good idea to prime the lids well. A good base catches onto shimmery pigments and brings out the intensity and shine.

For the shadow color, try any beige-golden champagne tone like MAC Naked Lunch, Tan pigment, The Balm Mary Lou Manizer highlighter if you are pale, etc. I'm using that bronze-beige pigment which is from the now-defunct brand I Nuovi. But this sort of color is easy to find.

Good brown transition colors like MAC Omega, etc are great. I used a Body Shop shadow called 215 Coconuts About You, which is affordable and a fantastic taupe transition color for the socket. If you have small lids or eyes and apply a shimmery beige all over, it can make your eyes look flat and smaller than they really are, so it's important to add definition back.

Here I simply applied a stroke of Mary Lou Manizer frmo The Balm down the center of my lid with my finger. This way of having a darker shade, and a lighter shade helps to re-establish that 3D contoured look of the eye. 

I used Benefit They're Real mascara and Innisfree Gel Liner pencil in No 9 for the final bit of definition around the lash line. Again, this just helps to add some strength back to the eyes. Pale soft colors can really wash out your features. 

The final effect you want is that of gleaming lids. As if your eye lids were slightly wet/dewy. You don't want the focus to be on the color of your shadow or the strength of your eyeliner.

Next the lips! I'm using OCC's Lip Tar Stained Gloss in New Wave, a bright neon warm pink. And the trick to a long-lasting stained lip is to have layer of nude pencil (I used Make Up Store Nude Beauty) beneath as a base.

This step is optional but I actually often apply a taupe/grey pencil (a brow pencil is perfect) right along the outer edges of the lip to expand them slightly. This works better than using a nude or a colored lip liner, in my opinion, because what you want to do is create that "shadow" that appears on the edges when someone has naturally curved, pouty lips.

The actual color I dab on evenly with a finger, and remove any access. You are aiming to stain the lip liner beneath and create a rose-buddy, soft effect. Not apply a thick coat of color. (That's a nice look too but that's not what this tutorial is about.)

Then to finish I wanted a blush that had similar rosy, warm, and tawny tones in it, so I went for Givenchy's Le Prisme blush 22 Vintage Pink.

Merry Xmas Kiss! Coral Glitter Lip Tutorial

FUN, FUN, FUN and insanely bright! Image taken with flash photography, using MAC Force of Love lipstick and Lime Crime Aries glitter.

I was initially going to do a pure-swatch post for all 13 of the Lime Crime Zodiac Glitters, but figured it might be more fun to actually show you what I’d use each type of glitter shade for.

A note on buying Cosmetic-Grade glitters

Let me first state that these glitters were sent for review. Buying cosmetic grade glitters from makeup brands can be very expensive (upwards of $12-20 for a small jar; MAC being the most affordable comparing weight vs price, and Make Up For Ever the most expensive, with Lime Crime in-between), and they’re not something I recommend for regular use.

I tend to purchase my glitters from glitter distributors and wholesalers like TKBtrading or Coastalscents.com. That said, they don’t always have all the funky shades, and if you are only using a bit each time on special occasions, don’t want to fool around with messy bags, or checking which ones are cosmetic-grade (i.e. fine enough to be eye-safe and non-bleeding in sealants and solvents), then brands like MAC, Lime Crime and Make Up For Ever do offer some nice (but pricey) options in more convenient packaging.

Art and nail supply stores sometimes do have micro-glitters as well, so definitely check there and see if they have more affordable alternatives. Just be careful not to use them in the eye area if they aren’t super fine. For the lips, they might feel less comfortable but they’re fine otherwise.

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Quick fun side-note on Astrology and signs:

I’m not big on Astrology, but I remember an Astrologer friend once told me that our personalities aren’t dictated by our birth signs but a “moon” sign. (If I got the name/term wrong, forgive me!) So as an example, while I’m born an Aries, my moon is in Libra, and I actually behave like a Libran. 

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ARIES

Aries Strength Keywords:

- Independent
- Generous
- Optimistic
- Enthusiastic
- Courageous

Aries Weakness Keywords:

- Moody
- Short tempered
- Self-involved
- Impulsive
- Impatient

To read more, visit Zodiac Signs Astrology!

For the Lip Look today the colorful glitter I’m using today is none other than the first of the zodiac sign; Aries! This is a pinky-coral glitter with bright green and gold duochrome flash. Of course, to get the most dramatic effect, I had to pick a neon-pastel coral pink like MAC’s Force of Love. Mac Viva Glam Nicki is very similar but slightly creamier. Both shades will pop in flash photography because of the neon color pigments in them!

Swatch above was created using just glitter and a little petroleum jelly, so I would not change the color in any way with a colored base.

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Step 1: First apply a super-bright coral pink. No special prep and no lip liner. 

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Step 2: Next using a synthetic concealer brush, I picked up the glitter and gently pressed it over the lip surface. Don’t rub it around because you don’t want the lipstick to end up coating the surface of the glitter particles and turn everything dull. I covered the entire top lip, but kept only to the middle portions of the lower lip for a dimension when the head is turned. 

That’s it!

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A note on Aries glitter (or coral glitter in general):

The fastest way to bring out colored glitter is to use a base or shadow that is a similar color to it. But being a translucent coral shade, a neutral or black base (if you wear it on the eyes) would mask the nice coral base-tone and only bring out the green and gold reflections, so it’s a bit of a waste to wear it that way.

Over coral lips though, this type of glitter shade is fantastic, because it won’t change the color of your lipstick OR show up as obvious dark flecks, and the lip color plays up its coral tones beautifully. You’ll get to see both the highlight shades (green and gold), as well as the base color.

Weekend Lip Shade: Barry M Sunset Lip Paint Review and Swatch!

Swatches (L-to-R): NYX Indie Flick (matte), Barry M Sunset, Revlon Kiss Me Coral, NYX Haute Melon

I mentioned my Barry M haul a couple of days ago, and I've tested all of them in the last couple of days. Of the lot, I have to say #151 Sunset is probably my first recommendation, although I do really like most of the others as well.

Coral Lipsticks (L-to-R): NYX Haute Melon,Revlon Kiss Me Coral, Barry M Sunset, NYX Indie Flick (matte)

The shade itself is a true vermillion-coral creme (think Disney's Ariel) that I enjoy for its opacity, and ability to make the skin glow. 

You can wear this with deep-bronze, dewy skin for the super-hot "Summer-vacation" look, or you can matte your skin and paint on kitten flick liner for a retro pin-up look. 

Barry M Sunset is very opaque and saturated compared to the Revlon and NYX, while retaining its sheen very well. (I'd say it has a similar texture to an Amplified Creme lipstick.)

Barry M Sunset stays on well through drinks and talking, and I find you get more applications out of firmer, more pigmented lipsticks like these. (You know how you seem to go through some tubes of glossy lipsticks so fast because they are too soft and creamy?)


Visit my TUMBLR for the tutorial featuring this lip shade!

The Weekend Mouth: Barry M Lip Paint in Sunset, with NYX Cinnamon Blush and black accented eyes.

Featured Lip Shade: NYX Haute Melon!

MAC Melon pigment on lids with NYX Haute Melon on lips

I love hot blue-based pinks for summer because they look so striking, but I do occasionally stray towards the corals.
And one of the most beautiful corals I have found recently is NYX's Haute Melon, a bright raspberry coral which is more flattering than the usual yellow-based corals shades.

NYX Haute Melon lipstick

The texture is slightly sheer and extremely creamy, with no shimmer.

Best thing is, it's under US$2.

L-to-R: Revlon Kiss Me Coral, NYX Haute Melon, Nyx Matte Indie Flick

As you can see, Haute Melon is softer, glossier, sheerer, and slightly more pink (below). It's extremely wearable and forgiving if you're afraid of corals, and it's also REALLY affordable. (Of course, if you want a REALLY fiery coral that is going to pop when you take pictures, get NYX's Indie Flick Matte Lipstick.)

Click here for other products used in the look!