#BeautyTipTuesday: Eye Makeup

Do your eye makeup first.

Yeah, son, I don't waste time.

Prime your face, and then concentrate on your eye makeup only. Apply foundation and concealer to your eye area, and then continue as you would with your eyeshadow, liner, mascara and/or whatever other eye makeup products you use. 

When you do your eye makeup first, it's easier to clean up any fallen shadow, smudged lines and mistakes you've made. Er, mistake you've made with makeup, obvs. Sure, you could pat powder under your eyes, but I find that often the powder sticks and I end up with more powder than I wanted. I don't wear powder under my eyes, usually, so even a little is too much for me. I'm still on a mission to find the perfect powder that doesn't crease and cake and make my skin look drier and more tired than it is. Urgh. 

When I apply mascara to the lower lashes, especially when I'm in a rush, I often touch the skin beneath the lashes. If I had patted some powder onto that area, after foundation and concealer to the entire face, I'd most likely smudge the mascara when dusting the excess powder away. If this happens before I apply foundation and concealer to the rest of my face, it's much simpler to just swoop in with my foundation brush. The same applies if you're using eyeshadow to line the lower lids. You may have applied more to one eye than the other and when it looks uneven, it's harder to correct once all your other makeup is applied. You'll have to go in with your foundation, and then it may not match the rest of the already-concealed and set area, and then you'll have to re-do that. 

Another reason I find this method great is that I spend the most time on my eyes, and I need a steady hand and lots of light. Once that's done, and I've run out of time, I can do everything else in the car. You don't need a super steady hand or perfect precision to spread/blend/apply foundation, powder, bronzer, blush and even highligher. Even if you don't have time for all that, your eyes will be perfect and all you'll need is some lip colour, if that. 

Eyes on the prize.

Miss B

#BeautyTipTuesday: Flyaways

Flyaways. Pssh. I honestly don't know a life without these little buggers. I've had them FOREVER! "Them" as if they're beings. For the most part they don't bother me because I hardly wear such sophisticated and perfect updos that require flyaways be done away with. But sometimes, they drive me nuts, and I wish them away.

I took this a while back when I was checking the frame before recording a beautorial for rubybox...in my pyjamas, my outfit of choice. Also, I had just moisturized and LOVE the finish of Environ's Original Mild Night. It's beautifully soft and semi-matte, as you can see. 

You can see some of the flyaways in the pic above, but it's fairly tamed compared to when I pull my hair all back, and look like I have devil horns made of hair, with a killer Widow's peak.

The best way to tame them, I've found, is to use a disposable mascara brush with some hairspray, as I've done in the sock bun tutorial video. You can see plenty flyaways in the vid, too, that I failed to tame. You don't want flyaways with a sock bun.

I sprayed directly onto my hair and then went over it with a disposable mascara brush, but that takes forever, and not ALL my hair needed/needs to be tamed with a mascara brush, so now I spray directly onto the mascara brush and go over only the flyaways. The best way is to go over the flyaways softly as to not cause a "ripple" or bump where you stop with the brush, possibly upsetting your entire 'do, or creating unevenness. There's no need to press down on your hair with the mascara brush as if you're trying to brush out knots. You can go over the area with your fingers or hand immediately after using the mascara brush, but depending on the hairspray, I try to avoid it. Some strong hold hairsprays can make the hair stick together slightly, like when you use gel, and I don't like that. I don't like gel, and I don't like the sticky, flat, dull look it usually gives.

The Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Volume Shine Hairspray is particularly good if shine is super important to you. It's very light and has a glossy finish. The staying power (hold), however, is debatable and is more flexible than it is strong. The Kerastase Laque Couture provides more of a hold, by comparison.

Some people use a toothbrush to tame flyaways, but some toothbrushes have rubbery bits in them, and that could pull on your hair, and I have enough broken hair, thanks. Also, I use toothbrushes to clean around taps and plug-holes and drains, and I'd HATE to confuse which toothbrush was used for what and end up using a toothbrush in my hair that was once used to scrub a drain. If you prefer a toothbrush, and can afford to buy an extra one just for your hair, or use an old one (gross), that's all on you, son. Disposable mascara brushes are a great tool to have, and they'll fit perfectly into your sleek clutch. You could also keep mascara brushes from the mascara that you purchase, just be sure to clean it thoroughly when it's time to toss the tube/bottle.

Have any tips on taming flyaways? Share below in the comments. :-)


Miss B