"What is that on your face?..." Ibuprofen Mask

Happy Wednesday Everyone!  I know that I am posting late, but I was traveling home on Monday so I really didn't get the chance to blog.  It was such a fun week of family, weddings, and more.  My oldest niece Anna got married this weekend to her now husband Josh.  I had the great honor of doing her make up for her special day and her reception.  I will be doing a post on that later when I get more photos.  She was glowing even without makeup.  She told me I made her feel beautiful and she still felt like herself. I would say that is a job well done.  So happy for Josh and her to start their life together. 

I wonder all the time how we are related.  I swear I am her aunt.  

This weeks post was another no brainer.  I posted this  picture of my self on my IG and Facebook page and I had so many questions and request to show you how I did this.

I posted this as a joke, but you asked and you shall receive.

I was a little misleading because I called it an aspirin mask.  It is actually an Ibuprofen mask.That is were the pink is coming from.  

As you readers know,  when I travel my skin takes a turn for the worst.  I brake out and get super dry.  It is so annoying.  Instead of waiting till I got home to fix, I decided after the reception Saturday night to give my skin some much needed love and attention.

So this is what I did:

This is what I was working with.  The edges of my lips get all dry and then I get this nice beard/mustash of achene that is just beautiful.  Seriously happens Every Time I travel.

Step 1. Sugar Scrub.

When I am at home I have this generic brand sugar scrub that I use when my face gets like this.  Now because I was traveling I didn't have that scrub with me so i improvised. 

This is not a joke.  Brown sugar is a great fill in face scrub when you leave yours at home.  The granules are small so they don't irritate the skin further, yet rough enough to leave your skin feeling baby soft.  White sugar is also a good substitute, but it is more of a rough then gentle.  All I did was get my face soaking wet and then take about a table spoon full of brown sugar and rub it on my skin in circular motions.  I concentrated a little more on the corners of my mouth and anywhere else I felt more dry then other parts.  After I was done scrubbing I rinsed off with warm water.

Step 2.Ibuprofen Mask

First you need a big spoon, 3 Ibuprofen , and water.

Or in my case an ice cream scoop.  

Then you place the 3 Ibuprofen  into the spoon and crush them until they are a powder.  

Don't worry if there are bigger chunks in there.  It all works the same. 

You then add a couple of drops of water until it is a nice past consistency. (Honestly, you can make it what every consistency you want.  It depends on how much coverage you need.  For me I was just doing my lower half of my face because that is where the break outs were the worst. 

Yummy!

After it is made, your face should be clean and dry after the scrub, you place it on the desired areas. 

You leave it on until it drys and becomes flaky.

Not going to lie, you kind of look like you have a nasty skin condition. (I'm so fancy!)

After it looks like this you know that it is time to rinse it off with warm water.  Pat dry skin with a napkin or rag.

Step three: Moisturizing mask.

I just used one that I got in my June Ipsy makeup bag.

I have never used a mask like this before.

Don't I look so sexy?  "Hello Clarice..."

These masks are weird and nice at the same time.  They are low mess and no fuss.  All you have to do is take it out of the package and place it on your face. Then when it has been about 25 minutes you take it off, throw it away, and then rub in the excess product into your skin.  No need to rinse or pat dry.  It really was nice.

Final results:

Isn't the difference so amazing?! The next day my brake outs where half the size and some where completely gone.  The corners of my mouth were back to normal.  

All together, it took about an hour out of my life.  I'd say it was worth it.  

It is important to take care of your canvas readers and I hope this helps you take care of yours!

Remember readers, I may be a jack of this trade, but I am a master of none.

Natalie

9 Fingered Purple Smokey Eye...

Happy Monday to All!  We had a very low key weekend.  My hubby was sick so we spent a lot of time inside relaxing.  Then we had a major rain storm and OUR HOUSE DIDN'T FLOOD! I guess spending all that money on raising the our house 12 inches was worth it.  (Yes, we raised our house a foot off the ground and I have no idea how.  I am assuming magic wands were involved. Ha ha ha.)  To celebrate the new ,"No Flood Zone," that is our house I took my kids out in the storm and we played in the rain.  We were soaking wet and my makeup was running down my face, but it didn't matter one bit.  My kids and I loved every second of it. (Maybe I loved it a little to much.)  Then our low key weekend went to a high strong on Sunday evening when I was making soup for my family.  I was slicing a carrot and cut the tip of my finger/nail off and had to go into the E.R.  I think that makes visit 1 million for us this summer. Luckily, I didn't need stitches, just super band-aid glue with a regular band aid on top.  To say that we are ready for this summer to be over is an understatement. 

Me poor fingy!

I posted on my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter a purple smokey eye with fake lashes that I had been messing around with.  I had so many email requests for this look that it was a no brainer on what the topic of this week should be.  Keep in mind that I am down a finger, so I hope I did alright.  (This means no fake lashes.  I can barley handle them with all 10 fingers let alone 9.)

Lets get started:

Step 1 and 2.

First I moisturized.  Then I used the teeniest bottle of Benefit 'The Pore fessional," primer I have ever seen.  It is seriously the smallest bottle.  I am one who likes to try things out before spending money.  I have been reading a lot of great things about this primer.  I emailed Benefit and they sent me this free sample 3 days later.  I am really liking it.  A small amount goes a long way.  

Then I used my new GARNIER SkinActive BB 5-1 Miracle Skin Perfector Anti-Aging  Cream formula in Tan. OMGosh am I in love with this stuff.  It is light weight, great coverage, and it smells like summer.  It gives my face the kind of glow that I have been missing from all of my other BB Creams that I use. I then grabbed my, you guessed is, damp Beauty Blender sponge and stippled it onto my face.  (I forget how much the Beauty Blender spread my foundation. Whoops! I put way to much on the back of my hand. Still learning.) I feel like my skin looks so clean and fresh!  

Step 3.
I then used my itCosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye waterproof concealer in medium.

I take my ring finger and place it in the corner of my eye, down the side of my nose, and make a triangle shape on top of my cheeks. Real life people.  My adorable 15 month old was not happy with mommy not giving him 100% of her attention. Oh mom life.  I then take the same damp Beauty Blender and use the pointy end to blend the concealer into my skin.  

Step 4.  
I figured since I am doing a smokey eye that I should do some contouring. I am using Cover Girl True Match creamy concealer in a dark tan.

As you can tell the concealer isn't to much darker then my regular skin tone right now so after I blend, blend, and blend, my contour areas I use Wet and Wild Contouring and Highlighting Powder kit. Yes, you read right. Wet and Wild.  It is one of my favorite powdered contour kits out there and I think I spend $6 on it.  I then take my flat blush brush and blend, blend, and blend some more.  You have to be careful when contouring because if you don't blend enough you will just end up looking like you didn't wash your face.  Gross!

Step 5 and 6.  
You can't contour with out highlighting and since it is so humid out side, seriously feels like I am living inside someones mouth, I need to Bake!

For my highlighting I used Maybeline Instant Age Rewind concealer in Ivory. I read about this concealer on so many other blogs and I had to try if for myself.  It is now has become my favorite highlighter as well.  After blending in my highlighted areas I used a generic translucent powder and Baked my face. Baking your face is a big trend right now.  You take your translucent powder and put a thick layer on top of your newly highlighted areas.  You leave that layer on  from anywhere to 5-10 minutes.  When you are done you just brush it off with a blush or powder brush.  What it does is set your highlight and helps prevent it from smearing and creasing.  It also helps prevent fall out from your eye shadow smearing and messing up your look. (Take breath here.) I have not perfected this yet, but like I write all the time, make up is all about trial and error.  

Step 7-11. (Taking in the biggest breath ever)
It is eye shadow time!  I used Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. This palette has so many rich colors.  For this specific look I used Tease, Suspect, and Busted for my lids and Bootycall for under the arch of my eyebrow.
My 15 month old was not having it this morning.  I was going to put off doing my pictures later, but then I decided that this is how I do my makeup a lot of the time.  So I might as well show you my real life.   Do a smokey eye with a baby on my lap is no easy task, and lets not forget that I am down a finger.

First things first I used Lorac eyelid primer.  The next step was dipping my blending brush into the color Tease.  It is a medium purple/mauve.  The reason I like this shade is because it is a warm mauve, when most of the time it this color comes off more of a cool then warm.  I take Tease and do a windshield wiper motion across the entire crease of my eye lid.  Then I get a little more on my brush and do circular motions.  The key to a great smokey eye, no matter what colors you use, is to blend, blend, and blend.  That is why with every color I add I rotate between the windshield/circular motions.  You know you are doing it right because your eye lid starts to get a little sore.  Ha ha ha! But seriously! Then I take the darker shade of purple Suspect and spread it with my blender brush half way across the crease of my eye.  I then blend, blend, and blend some more.  I then dip into the Tease shade again to make sure that you cant see the transition from one color to the other.  I finally take my setting spray and a regular eye shadow brush.  I lightly spray the brush and dip it into the darkest and most metallic color Busted, and spread it on my entire eyelid.  The reason you spray the brush before hand is that it makes the color stand out and makes it look wet. After doing that I take my blending brush again and blend blend blend!

Step 12-14.
I took a clean blending brush, dipped it in the color Bootycall , and then spread it under the arch of my eyebrows.

I then took a smear brush, dipped it into Bootycall, and smeared it across the top of my eyelashes.  I used it as a light eyeliner.  (To give my smokey eye an extra pop I dipped my ring finger in Bootycall and rubbed it into my middle of my eye lid.  It gives it a little something extra.) I then took my smudge brush, dipped it into Suspect, and smudged it under my lower lash line.  I then repeated that process with the color Tease. 

Steps 15-18.

Time to brush off the Bake.  My concealer/highlight is all set and ready for the day.

I did my normal bronzer/blush routine.  I then took my Sugar Box Face shimmer cream stick in the color pinknude and placed it on the top of my cheek bones, middle of my forehead, on the tip of my nose, and my cupids arrow. (That is what the dip in your top lip is called.  Isn't it just the cutest.) Then I took my blush brush and blended it all in.

Step 19-20.

I took an eyelash curler and ran it under warm water. (My lashes curl better when I do that.) I then curled my lashed by squeezing the curler 10 times.  

Then I added my black mascara. 

Final Result: I forgot, I added NYX soft matte lip cream in the color Antwerp.  It is a perfect pink to keep things focused on the eyes.

Now I didn't add eyeliner to this look because I wanted to show a smokey eye for the day time, but all you need to do is add some black eyeliner with a cat eye and you are all set for date night.

I know that this was a long read, but I wanted to introduce some new things that I have been learning about that are on trend. I also get so many of you who ask me what products I use.  I am trying to get better at that.   

I hope this gives you a fun idea for work or a night out with you partner in crime.  

Remember readers, I may be a jack of this trade, but I am a master of none.

Natalie

No, sun burnt is not a skin tone.

Happy Monday to All!  I hope that you had an amazing weekend. My family sure did.  My husband turned 32 this past Thursday and we spent all weekend with our amazing friends and all mid-morning/afternoon of Saturday at the beach.  It was a wonderful escape from our crazy life at home and a happy way to celebrate my husbands birthday.

Speaking of being one the beach for hours...I was getting ready in the morning on Saturday and I wasn't paying attention. (To be fair, my 1 year old was up all night and I was his personal pillow for the evening. Lacking sleep defiantly played a factor.)   Instead of putting on my day time moisturizer with SPF 70 on my face, neck, and chest, I put on my night cream.  My EXTRA moisturizing night cream that I use when my skin is dry because it makes it gain its softness back more quickly.  Sadly I didn't realize this at the house, in the car, or even an hour after sitting in the hot sun.  It wasn't until I had an itch on my forehead and itching it felt like a was scratching my forehead with a knife.  It was about 2 hours into our trip that I realized that my face had been backing like a rotisserie chicken.  I then immediately put sunscreen on, but it was to late, the damage had been done. I was a tomato.

 I posted this picture on my Instagram as a warning/reminder to everyone to put on sunscreen.

It also happened to be my inspiration for this weeks blog. We all have times when we leave the house with out sunscreen or forget to reapply and I want to show you what to do to cover up those unwanted sunburned cheeks and noses. I want show you that it is possible to keep looking like yourself while you heal.

Here is what I did:

  This is two days later and I am still pretty red.

Step 1.

My first and most important step is moisturize, moisturize, and moisturize.  I moisturize my skin every day, but even more when I have a bad sunburn.  I take about a silver dollar size amount of moisturizer, and then pat a thick layer of it on my burn areas.  I let it sit on my skin for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the burn and how much time I have to get ready.  The reason I do this is because it helps heal the burn faster and it makes it so I peel way less.  Then after the allotted time I rub it on my face, neck and chest as normal. 

Step 2.

My Magic Anti-Redness liquid from Loreal.  This stuff is my saving grace.  Not only does it make giant red pimples appear smaller, but it also make brunt forehead, cheeks, and nose look completely normal.  I would normally only use a dime sized amount of this product to fill my needs, but because of the circumstances, I had to use about a quarter size.  I put the amount in the palm of my hand instead of the back because I needed it to reach my skin temperature faster. It also meant that I could make the product spread thinner because the palm of my hand is warmer then the back.  It works in my favor so I don't have to use anymore then what I already have. Then I apply GENTLY, with my Beauty Blender.

Step 3.

I used red lipstick and my waterproof under eye concealer. My under eyes tend to look more dark when my skin is red.  I put the red lipstick under my eye and then used my concealer on top of that.  Make sure to get in that inside corner of your eyes. Missing that little patch of skin can make it look like you didn't put on any under eye concealer at all.  It is small, but powerful. Ha ha ha

Step 4.

My foundation.   I could have used more of a full coverage foundation, but my skin is still tender.  The heavier foundation would have made me even more aware of my burn.  I really don't need that.  I used my BB cream and beauty  blender sponge. YES, YOU SHOULD INVEST IN THE BEAUTY BLENDER SPONGE, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT MAKES YOUR LIQUID/CREAM ANYTHING GO ON SMOOTHER, BUT IT ALSO MAKES IT SO YOU DON'T NEED AS MUCH.  THEY ARE AMAZING AND ARE WORTH EVERY PENNY.  (You don't have to get the actual "Beauty Blender," there are generics versions out there. Being, "to expensive," is no longer an excuse!) If you can't tell, the Beauty Blender has become one of my favorite makeup accessories.  (If you haven't been noticing in almost all of my pictures posted so far. ha ha ha)

Step 5.

 Contouring...

and Highlighting.  This is still a work in progress for me.  I have defiantly gotten better at it, but there are still a couple of kinks that I am working out. I have had a lot of you ask me to do a post on it.  I promise, once I feel more confident about it, I will dedicate an entire post on it. I do this step because I need the practice and because it gives my face definition that it doesn't have on its own. (Sorry for the horrible fuzzy pictures! I guess I need to get my eyes checked. Jeez Louise!)

Step 6.

Powder, bronzer, blush, and shimmer! All the tools that a gal needs to give her skin a healthy glow while hiding a unhealthy looking sunburn. I use a small amount of each of these products because when your skin is dry, like mine is right now, the powder products WILL make your face look super cakey.  That is not a good look on anyone.  Trust me. 

Step 7.

Black eyeliner with black mascara.  (Another fuzzy picture!  What is wrong with me today?!) 

The final results:

As you can tell my face went from patchy, red, and uneven to the exact opposite.  

One last tip.  I will be doing the exact same thing that I did with my day moisturizer with my night time moisturizer.  It really is one of the best ways to prevent lots of peeling.  (I mean unless you are one of those people who enjoy peeling off sun burnt skin. No judgment here. Well... maybe a little.  Ha ha ha) 

So remember to PUT ON SUNSCREEN before leaving the house these sunny summer months, and to moisturize! Also, GET YOURSELF A BEAUTY BLENDER!

Remember readers, I may be a jack of this trade, but I am a master of none.

 Natalie

Eyeliner...Friend or Foe...

Happy Monday everyone!  I can say that with all of my heart.  After having such a rough week last week, we finally received good news about our house.  What we thought was going to take 3 to 4 weeks to finish is only going to take 1 1/2 to 2! Which means in 2 weeks we can sleep in different rooms then our CHILDREN!!!! (I love them, I do, but come on.)  There is a light at the end, of what has been, a very dark tunnel.  YAY!

Can you tell what I am going to be writing about this week from my creative title...they can't all be gold. ha ha ha

This is my friend Nellie and she asked me a to a specific kind of blog post today.   

(She is one of my heroes.  Not only does she carry the title of publish author -Caskets and Conspiracies by Nellie K Neves available on Amazon.com-, but she is a battling worrier and spokes person for MS.  She is just a bad-a chick and I am thankful that my husband annoyed her enough to become one of her best friends.)

""@masterofmakeupmom I had to try it.  I lined under my eyelashes.  I hated it, but you were right.  I got over it.  I then learned that either my eyes are pretty hooded, or I need new mascara.  Maybe both! Fix me Nat!..."
"I read all your posts.  I think we all need one on eyeliner. Personal opinion. ;)"
Nellie N

If I am being totally honest, I think what Nellie is doing already is flattering.  She knows what she is doing, but if you ask you shall receive and she asked.

Fist I am going to have you all go to my favorite "Eyeliner for Dummies," page that I love on Pintrest.  It is a column from Buzzfeed.com that shows eyeliner hacks for beginners.  I love it.  I learned so much. My favorite is the chart on the type of eye shape that you have and what you can do to flatter that shape even more. It is so important to know your shape.  It not only lets you do what is most flattering for your face, but also saves you from wasting time on the trends that are not. 

 One of the things I learned was that I can't do eye liner on my waterline. I used to do it all the time and it just never looked right. Now I know why.  It makes my eyes disappear. I have small "almond," shaped eyes. Great shape, but I can only do so much with the actual size of my eyes.  So now, instead of covering up what little I have  I just use a smudge brush and apply a bit of shimmery eye shadow to the bottom lashes.  OMGOSH! It has been a game changer. 

Here is the link. https://www.buzzfeed.com/nataliebrown/because-cat-eyes-are-hard?utm_term=.hnA6rMyWkm#.gtPprkN8dE (I hope I did that right.  I am not computer savvy.)

It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to do this.  I decided to just show you the different ways that I wear my liner and you readers can take it from there.  Remember it is all trial and error when it comes to makeup and making it your own.

Here is what I did: (By the By I was doing so many different techniques that I thought, "Oh I shouldn't do mascara on any of them because I have to take it off every time and I don't want my eyes to get all red."(I say in a stupid voice.)  I am a dummy.  I should have put it on to show the impact each technique has on your eyes. Sorry readers.  It is trial and error for me as well.  Ha ha ha!)

1.Making/Using eye shadow as eyeliner

This is much easier then is sounds.  I just take my Matt finish spray and a smudge brush.  I spay on the back of my hand and dip the brush in the spray. (Honestly, you can use whatever liquid you want.  I have used water in a pinch,)   Once that happens I put the brush in whatever eye shadow I want and apply it as thin or thick that I want across my upper lid line.   I normally do this look when I want my line to appear soft and I am not wearing any other eye shadows. It keeps things clean and simple.  Plus, it allows you to have fun. (As seen in below picture.)

I know it is hard to tell (I HATE THE LIGHTING IN THIS UPSTAIRS BATHROOM!) I used Flirty from The Balms Nude Dude palette as my liner.  I also smudged this same color under my lash line instead of my waterline.  (The waterline is that wet top line at the top of your bottom lid.) Pair this with some brown mascara and I am ready to go.

2. Pencil Liner and a eye shadow.

I am going to be honest here, I truly dislike pencil liner.  You have to shappen it when it gets dull and they haven't invented a "makeup pencil shappener" that acutally works on eyeliner pencils. What is with that. They should be called "Pencil Eyeliner Destroyer!"  Plus, no matter how much the box says, "Applies on smooth, just like a liquid," it doesn't. When you have to take a liter to something before applying it to a very this piece of skin next to your eyeball then it might be time to learn how to use liquid.  Sorry.  I had to do my rant.

For those of you who do prefer pencil over liquid:

I took my pencil liner, that I normally only use for under my upper lash line, and rubbed it on the back of my hand. I was trying to get it to warm up so it would apply smoother to my eyelid.  As you can see on the top right, it still came out all Skippy, like an old compact disk in the very first portable walk-man.  Thank goodness for eye shadow.  You just take your smudge brush,  rub it in the color of your liner, and then rub it across the pencil line.  It comes out flawless and helps it stay on longer. 

3. The half liner.

This is more for day time.  It is for the women who loves to put liquid liner on her top and bottom line in the day time even though she knows that she shouldn't.  (You know who you are. Ha ha ha.)

This look is easy and is perfect for day time or work.  You still get to play with liquid liner without looking like you are going to a night club at 11 a.m.  All you do is take your liquid liner and go to the center of your eye lid and draw your line out from there.  Then you do the same thing to your waterline. This would have looked much better if I put on mascara. (Slapping hand to forehead...now.)

4.  Black liquid liner with a double cat eye. Meow!

This is something that I just learned how to do and am finally fine tuning it.  This is fun for date nights or those Sunday church or brunch outfits that just scream for something a little more...

This is pretty simple.  I take my favorite $1 eyeliner and thinly line my top lash line.  I can't do thick of a line because I have teeny tiny eyelids. They would completely disappear if I did anything different.  If you have big lid then I say go for it.  Play with the thickness of your lines. Work those lines!  I just know that for me I am stuck with sliver lines.  What I lack in lids I make up for with my almond shaped eyes that I love oh so much.  I take my line and just run it to the very tip of my eyelid, which happens to be a natural cat eye.  Now, what I do next actually changes the shape of my eye to make, not only my lashes look loner and fuller, but my eye itself seem longer.  I go underneath the already cat line and just swish a second line.  I don't understand its magic, but it truly does change the shape of my eye. I then add my black pencil liner under my top lash line, and yes, you will get used to it. I finish the look with what ever black mascara hasn't dried out.  (Ha ha ha! I seriously need new mascara.  It is sad really.)

5.  MY eye popping liner.

This line I do during the day or add to my bottom lashes for date night.  I use brown liner all the time because it is just an all around softer look.  I also use brown mascara to go along with it.  I just love what it does to emphasize the natural almond shape of my eyes. 

For those who are hesitent to use a liquid liner there is a simple way to learn that is less messy then just jumping right into it.  Play connect the dots (or dashes.)Every one can has played "Connect the Dots."  If you look in the middle picture I took my liquid brown liner and just did dots as close to my lash line.  Then go back and trace over those dots or dashes. I then add the pencil brown liner under my top lash line and then brown mascara to finish the look. 

The final look:

Facing the picture: left eye is the brown everyday eyeliner.  Right is the double cat eye black liner.  As you can see there is a major difference in the shape of my eye just by adding that extra swish.  CRAZY!  It is results like this that make me love makeup even more then I already do.

I hope this helped some of you with your eyeliner needs.  Remember that it is all trial and error.  First things first is to figure out what shape eyes you have and then go from there.  All shapes are beautiful in there own way.  So learn to make it your way.  (Pretty sure I took that from a McDonald's add.  Whoops.)

Remember readers, I may be a jack of this trade, but I am a master of none.

Natalie