The 2013 Oscars - My Favourites

With every red carpet event there comes a paparazzi frenzy over who was the best and worst dressed, the Oscars being no exception. Yesterday we got to catch a glimpse of Hollywood’s elite dressed to impress. Here are some of my hair, makeup and dress favourites of the evening.

A trend that stuck out at this year’s Oscars was the natural makeup look. A lot of stars seemed to be sporting this look and my two favourites where Charlize Theron and Amy Adams. Both women looked exceptionally stunning and flawless.

 

Charlize Theron

Amy Adams

Old Hollywood glamour also made a comeback at this year’s Oscars. Adele was seen rocking her usual classic liner however the stand out for me was Jessica Chastain who flaunted a bright red lip. Who said redheads couldn’t wear a red lip? Jessica’s old-school Hollywood glamour was complete with winged liner and a classic hairstyle.

 

Adele

Jessica Chastain

My absolute favourite makeup of the evening however was Jenna Dewan. She was positively glowing. She rocked a soft subtle smoky eye, a natural pink lip and flawless radiant skin.

Channing Tatum + Jenna Dewan

My favourite hairstyles of the evening belonged to Jennifer Lawrence and Nicole Kidman. Both women sported pulled back hair that was fastened at the nape of their necks. 

 

Jennifer Lawrence

Nicole Kidman



And finally my favourite dresses of the evening belong to Jessica Chastain, Charlize Theron, Sandra Bullock and Amanda Seyfried. With their perfect figures highlighted in these classic gowns all four women looked flawless.



Jessica Chastain

Charlize Theron

Sandra Bullock

Amanda Seyfried

Brushes Part 1 ... Why Clean Your Brushes?

Brushes are the tools of the trade for every makeup artist out there. They come in all shapes and sizes and are used for various techniques. Being a makeup artist myself I know the importance of cleaning my brushes. No one wants a pre-used brush near their face. Yet I see women time and time again using their own brushes over and over without cleaning them. When I ask them if they clean their brushes regularly the usual reply is, “Oh, do I need to? I’m only using it on myself.” I will admit when I was in high school I did the same thing, I had no idea about cleaning my brushes. So in today’s blog post I am going to go through why it is important to clean your brushes and later in the week I will be uploading a post on how to best clean your brushes.

Firstly, you want to clean your brushes because they collect bacteria. This is especially true if you are prone to acne. Not washing your brushes means that there is bad bacteria collecting in your brushes. Each time you use your brush you are putting that bacteria on your face increasing the likelihood of more breakouts.

Secondly, if you are not cleaning your brushes you will not reap the rewards of what that little brush is designed to do. A dirty fluffy brush isn’t going to give you a wonderfully blended edge. This is especially true if you’re trying to create a beautiful subtle look but said brush has been used the weekend before on your smoky eye, what you’re going to end up with instead is a mess. Cleaning your brushes is a must if you want to create a beautiful look every time.
Lastly, you should want to clean your brushes because they are an investment. Just because a brush cost you $5 does not mean it is not good quality (my favourite angled liner brush cost me under $5, score). No matter the price of the brush you should still look after it, after all you want it to last. Well looked after brushes can last you for years, maybe even a lifetime. Just think, all that money you are saving on replacing your brushes can be used to buy more makeup, yay!

Having a clean, soft, fluffy brush on your face is a wonderful feeling. Later in the week I will share with you a few simple ways to clean your brushes.

Sally Hansen 677 Shoot the Moon + Barry M 353 Ruby Glitter

As a makeup artist I am always on the hunt for new beauty products, whether it is makeup, nail polishes or skin care. However with my current income it makes it hard to continually buy full sized products to test out. It’s especially expensive if you have a reaction to the product you’ve just started using and have to find another alternative.
While on YouTube I came across one of Michelle Phan’s videos about her new company ipsy. I was disappointed to find that at this current time they do not ship to Australia. However I then came across an Australian equivalent called bellabox. For $15 a month you are sent out five to six beauty products. The great thing about this box is that sometimes you get sample size bottles and other times you score a full sized product. In the February box I received a bottle of Sally Hansen nail polish.

Barry M 353 Ruby Glitter + Sally Hansen 677 Shoot the Moon

Sally Hansen nail polish is something that I’ve been meaning to try out but just haven’t got around to purchasing. So I was super excited when I found a bottle in my bellabox. The colour I got was number 677 Shoot the Moon. This is a wonderful silver colour. Eager to test this polish out I proceeded to give myself a manicure. The colour is beautiful. Never one to paint all my nails the same colour, I started hunting through my polish collection for something that would complement this colour. Barry M’s 353 Ruby Glitter was the perfect accompaniment, a clear polish with chunky black and pink glitter. I applied two coats of this over the Sally Hansen and was rewarded with a fun and sparkly manicure.

 

Completed manicure
Sally Hansen 677 Shoot the Moon

Completed manicure
Barry M 353 Ruby Glitter

Valentine’s Day Cupcakes

Normally Valentine’s Day isn’t something I partake in. This year I wasn’t going to make an exception. I honestly find the whole thing a bit fake, the cards, the giant teddy bears, the overly expensive candies. It’s just another hallmark holiday.
However I did decide to whip up a little Valentine’s Day treat for my friends at work. There is nothing I love more than baking except for baking with a theme. My favourite type of cupcake is red velvet and what better occasion than Valentines to make them?
Here are a couple of pictures of what I whipped up and the recipe I use. Enjoy.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

60g unsalted butter, room temperature

150g caster sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
10g cocoa powder
20ml red food colouring
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
120ml buttermilk

150g plain flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon bicarb soda

1 ½ teaspoon white wine vinegar

 

Ingredients

·         Preheat the oven to 170C.
·         Line a 12-hole cupcake tray with patty cases.
·         Using an electric mixer on a high speed beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
·         Slowly add the egg and beat until everything is well combined.
·         In a small bowl mix together cocoa, red food colouring and vanilla until it forms a smooth paste.
·         Add the paste and beat until everything is combined.
·         Scrap down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is combined.
·         Reduce mixer to a slow speed and slowly add half the buttermilk, when well mixed add half the flour. Repeat this process with the remaining buttermilk and flour. Beat mixture until smooth.
·         Add salt, bicarb and white wine vinegar and beat on a high speed for a couple of minutes.
·         Spoon into prepared tray.
·         Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake springs bake when lightly touched.
·         Cool and ice.

Coming out of the oven

Simple Butter Frosting

250g butter, cubed, at room temperature

450g pure icing sugar, sifted

60ml milk

·         Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment whip the butter on a high speed until nearly white and very fluffy. Scrape sides frequently.
·         Gradually add spoonful’s of the icing sugar to the butter.
·         Once all the icing sugar has been added beat mixture until very pale and fluffy.
·         Gradually add milk and beat until smooth and well combined.
·         If desired add colouring and flavouring to the mixture, such as vanilla bean paste.
  

The Finished Product

 

 

 

Cupcake recipe from http://redvelvetcupcakes.com.au/

Illamasqua's Rubber Brights - Prosperity

Recently I have been obsessed with doing my nails. It’s not something I usually do because I’m not supposed to wear bright colours at my day job. However lately I haven’t been working much so I’ve taken the opportunity to experiment with different nail varnishes. This includes colours, finishes and glitters. So every couple of days I have been changing my nail colour.
 
Currently I am wearing Illamasqua’s nail varnish in the shade Prosperity. Prosperity is part of Illamasqua’s new Rubber Brights collection. These polishes were “inspired by the colour-coded specialities of the dominatrix Rubber Boot Girls of 1920s Berlin”. I first saw these polishes in one of Illamasqua’s YouTube tutorials. On a recent trip to Sydney I visited an Illamasqua counter picking up a few polishes, one of them being a beautiful purple Rubber Brights varnish.

Shades available in the Rubber Brights collection

At first I was a little skeptical as to whether or not these varnishes would deliver a matte rubber-like finish as promised. After prepping my nails and applying the first coat of the polish I was surprised to see it dry like actual rubber. At first I wasn’t sure if I liked the finish the polish gave off as it’s a little weird but after the second coat I was excited. Here’s a product that, as far as I’m aware, is the first of its kind.

 

Illamasqua's nail varnish in Prosperity

However at the time I did not realise that this particular nail varnish required no top coat. Having applied a top coat my nails still look slightly rubbery but not to the extent that they did when they were matte.  
 

With Top Coat

Ive always loved Illamasqua for their quirky and unique style, their bold and beautiful array of products. They encourage people of all ages and genders to express themselves. This is just one of their unique products that inspires people to be individuals. Personally I absolutely love it and would definately recommend it to nail polishes lovers looking for something to express their alter ego.

Application instructions: Prepare the nail with a base coat. Using the superfine brush provided, create colour-intense impact by applying two coats of your Rubber Brights Nail Varnish, waiting 30 seconds between coats. Allow two minutes drying time for the perfect, bold rubber-finish. No top coat required.

 

 

Hello World

Hello world,

Just a quick introduction

Its 2013 and I’ve finally decided to get my act together and start a blog. Blogging is something that I’ve always wanted to do but I have never known what to write about.

A little bit about myself

Firstly I’m a fully qualified makeup artist. For me makeup is a passion and an obsession. My love for makeup started in high school. For me it was part of my rebellious faze. Makeup was a strict no-no at my school so I loved pushing the limits to see what I could get away with. Now I look back on those days and cringe, what was I thinking with that colour combination? And why did I not blend?

Four years later I can now say I am confident in my makeup application and thank god I learnt how to blend.
Secondly I love buying clothes. My best friend is a fashion student. I think that’s where my addiction to buying clothes comes from. So while my blog may mostly be makeup focused I will endeavour to have some fashion post. Mostly outfits of the day and new purchases.
Lastly I have an unhealthy relationship with desserts. Sugar is my Achilles heel. When I go out I always make sure there is room for dessert.
Slowly I have started to take over my parents kitchen with appliances and bakeware. Realistically there is no room left but that never stops me from purchasing new and exciting items.
So occasionally there will be a food post and most likely it will be dessert orientated.

Well that’s all for now.

Elise