Full ON lashes, Full ON lady!

Yesterday I woke up feeling totally blahhhh, like really blahhhhhhh. I knew the only want to snap myself out of this whirlpool of self-pitty and procrastination was to do my makeup, not just do my makeup but really DO my makeup!  

Starting with a heavier base than normal and then doing my eyebrows with precision and not just scraping some pencil through like normal, moving on I did my eyes like proper with the crease and everything then I was on such a roll I thought LASHES! Why not!?! So I popped on a bit of liner on  and then fiddled around trying to apply a pair of MAC #20 Half Lash numbers to the outer corners and boom! Instant lady, I felt amazing like I could flirt with every man in the world. I strutted around the house waiting for someone to notice but no one did, so me and my lashes went to the shops to buy some lunch and no one noticed either. I even took my lashes out for a run with me later that evening, my mood had completely altered from feeling like it was the worst day ever to being a productive day and it was all due to my mood lifting lashes. 

Here are a few lashes for newbies to the wonderful world of lashes:

MAC's #20's Half Lash $20.00

If you are unsure about using a full strip of lashes outer corner half-lashes are a great option, they are much easier to apply and giving length and flutter to the outer lash line while also opening up your eyes making them appear wider.

Available from MAC www.maccosmetics.com.au

Dolly Wink Lashes No.4 Feminine Style US$13.50

Lashes are extremely popular in the Asian beauty market, they can be simple verging on natural or played up as a big feature and very doll like. Dolly Wink is a big cosmetic brand across Japan, Korea and China available from pharmacies and cosmetic chains like Sasa. The No.4 lashes are longer than the Mac Half Lash they span 3/4 of your eye, they are extremely wispy and flirty. These are not natural looking, people will know you are wearing falsies but they are very flattering and cute.

Available from Sasa www.sasa.com and various Asian Beauty Supply Stores.

Shu Uemura Slant Lashes in black US$21.00

These are strictly big event lashes - unless you are a cast member on The Only Way is Essex because those girls would just wear these down the shops.

I like these for topping off a very perfected and precise winged liner a'la Jaime King in Hart of Dixie, for an updated 50's look. Shu Uemura offer lash application at their counters if you want to learn from the experts before attempting lash application yourself.

Available at Shu Uemura counters at David Jones and www.shuuemura-usa.com

Eylure Individual Lashes Black $14.99

These are first ever lashes I learnt to apply, my good friend Makeup Artist Molly Oakfield gave me a pair of tweezers, a packet of individual lashes and a tube of Duo glue pushed me towards the bathroom mirror showing me how to carefully place and stick these little guys and I was hooked! Single lash clusters are a good way of filling gaps in your natural lashes and building up the outer corners to create a more dramatic look. If you have naturally quite short lashes there are 3 sizes to chose from which is great and a lot easier to blend in with your natural shorter lashes. Only downside is that individual lashes are a lot harder to re-use than strip lashes.

Available from Priceline www.priceline.com.au 

Ardell Accent lashes #305 $7.95

These are full on pin up glamour styles, make sure you have loaded your lashes with mascara before applying these bad boys. I am pretty sure you could flirt all they way to heaven wearing these lashes.

Available from Crush Cosmetics www.crushcosmetics.com.au

Katy Perry Lashes created by Eylue 'Sweetie Pie' $14.99

Celebrity lash lines are big at the moment, Girls Aloud have one which is available on ASOS and it is also fab -  you too can look like Cheryl Cole/Tweedy with a simple lash application! I haven't tried Katy Perry's line of lashes yet but am desperate too, because I am obsessed with Katy Perry and her makeup at the moment, if anyone has seen the Katy Perry documentary 'Part of Me' you will get it, she completely transforms with makeup and they girl knows a good pair of lashes I'm sure.

Available from Priceline www.priceline.com.au

Millie Mackintosh Soho Lashes £8.99

Another celebrity lash line I am really excited to try out, Millie Mackintosh from the reality show 'Made in Cleasea' has surprisingly been the break out entrepreneur from the Chelsea set - although maybe not the most charismatic as you can see in the you tube video below. The lashes look very soft but definitely pump up the glamour and will give your eyes that certain false lash intensity which I love.

Available from www.nnouveaubeautygroup.com and coming soon to Selfridges in the UK.

                                   

One Trick Pony!

I am a total one trick pony in the sense that I will only ever chose a single feature to play up when I do my makeup. It looks more proportional to choose a single feature also it is a lot faster, otherwise I would be doing my makeup for 90mins a day. AS IF! 

Here are my 3 favorite tricks and ponies!

Follow Elle Fanning on Instagram: elle_fanning

Although Elle is super young and I am wait for it 28 years old (shhhhhh I know....wahhhhh...but I still got asked for ID on the weekend) creating wide eyed look on your peepers still work for most ages. For your base leave skin natural and only conceal where needed add a little bronzer to contour and lipgloss and then move onto your eyes....I like to line my eyes first, start by pushing the liner into your lash line then work out to create the liner shape you like L'oreal Super Liner in Carbon Black $22.00 is super precise to use and the tiny tip lets you stay in control if you want to go all out and do a cat eye. Using a lengthening mascara like Max Faxtor's 2000 calories $19.95 will help define the eyes, start at the lash base and wiggle up do a couple of coats on top and bottom lashes - making sure the very tips are coated. False Lashes can be scary but do not be intimidated the single clusters are a sinch to apply, search youtube a tutorial for application Ardell Dural Lash Naturals $7.95 are my favorite. Sit them as close to your natural lashes as possible push and place with tweezers till they look like they are your own....Shhhhhh no one will even know they aren't.

Missoni Here!

Glowing skin is something that some lucky people have naturally but if you don't its cool a few products can make you look like you have just come back from a holiday in the sun on a very exotic island. Firstly the key to glowing skin is hydration so after giving your skin a good rub with an exfoliator apply a generous amount serum I like Estée Lauder's Idealist Even Skintone $80.00 this is going to make you look super fresh and dewy. Conceal any dark circles and blemishes with a light concealer and blend out well the key to this look is that it needs to be seamless and blended very well. Using a cream bronzer will keep the dewy look to your skin, apply the bronzer to the outer areas of your face hollows of your cheeks, jawline and temples this will mimic a natural tan from the actual sun and not from Chanel's Soleil Tan de Chanel $48.40. Lastly using a fan brush lightly dust a highlighting powder on cheekbones, brow bone and your cupids bow to catch the light, Laura Mercier's Rosey Highlighter $68.00 blend everything with a large powder brush till you are perfectly pretty.

Peony's Blog and Store : Here!

The easiest of all tricks for ponies or Peony's is the red lip! It instantly makes you feel lifted, happy and put together. Matte lips for night, Nars Dragon Girl $39.00, long wearing for work Clarins Joli Rouge 716 Clarins Red $36.10 and glossy for day Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait De Gloss 61 Fatale $32.00 are all classic reds. If you are more tanned in skin tone then you could lean more to a pink based red and if you are pale then a subtle orange based red would look beautiful too. I find if you are going to do a red lip then shimmer is completely unnecessary and it also doesn't last as long on your lips.