Boo! Happy Halloween

I'll be honest,  Frockers. When I was first invited to a Star Wars halloween party, I was rather dismayed at my costume options. I wasn't really feeling robes or hairy aliens. But I managed to whip up a look that I quite enjoy, cause what's dress-up without a bunch of glitter?

Have a spooky Halloween everyone!

 

 

                                                    

Fall Favourites

I'm finally getting into the swing of things and embracing fall to its fullest potential. And by that I, of course, am talking about switching out my corals and bright pinks for some fall beauty favourites (both new and rediscovered!) Here are some of my fall must-haves this season:

Sally Hansen Insta-dri nail polish in 370 Show Steel-er

I've never really delved into greys in my beauty routine before, but it has been really speaking to me lately. In general I tend to stay away from cool-toned anything because I just don't think it compliments my skin tone as well as the warmer hues. But this shade of grey polish is not too blue or dark on me. I just love it!

OPI nail lacquer in Got The Blues for Red

What's fall without a collection of rich burgundies and oxblood? This OPI polish is a classic. It's so rich and deep yet vibrant. This is one I will continue to repurchase again and again.

Annabelle blushon in Rosebud

This was part of the spring collection from this year, but I haven't whipped it out 'til now because re: cool-tones = not my thing. Or so I thought! Just goes to show you how our pre-conceived notions could be wrong and everything is worth a try. I am IN LOVE with this blush for fall. For some reason, it gives me the perfect pink flush to compliment my rotation of lip products. Maybe because I'm starting to get paler so the peaches and corals that made me look perfectly sunkissed in the summer and complimented my orange and pink lipsticks, aren't working so well now.

ELF blush palette in Dark

This is a new product for me and it is not disappointing. I picked this palette up in the states in August and the hues are perfect for fall. They have the same versatile combo of warm-toned, cool-toned and neutral blushes as the Light version of this palette, but they are much deeper and richer. I especially love the blush on the right bottom corner. It's such a beautiful berry colour that appears much lighter on your cheeks than how it looks in the pan. It reminds me of the beautiful flush you get when you've been walking outside in the cold.

NYX matte lipstick in Alabama

Another new addition to my collection is this gorgeous burgundy matte lipstick. I had been on the hunt for a burgundy that was more brown-based than purple or pink and not too dark. It took me a while to find the perfect shade, as I can be quite picky about these things. But this lippy does not disappoint. It's just a little vampy without being over the top. My only criticism is the packaging. It's a bit flimsy for my tastes but for a drugstore lipstick, I really can't complain!

Kat Von D everlasting liquid lipstick in Lolita

This is also a new product for me, and honestly, the biggest surprise of the season, in a season of quite a few surprise loves. I know the deep purple/grey 90s colour is all the rage this year, but I have never been a huge fan of that tone of lipstick. It just feels so muddy and gothy to me. But this shade from Kat Von D seems to have just enough brown and pink in it that I'm kinda diggin' it. And it's not too dark either, which can look a bit grungy in my opinion. I can see why this lipstick is so popular!

NYX prismatic shadow in Jaded

Olive and army greens scream fall to me, but instead of a boring matte, a shimmery shade of eye shadow can add so much interest to a look. Just check out this NYX shadow I picked up recently. In the pan, it looks like a true army green shimmer but in a particular light, it can read more blue or grey. A smokey green eye with a nude lip is one of my favourite looks for fall!

L'oreal infallible eye shadow in Goldmine

And lastly, this is a new discovery for me as well. I had never been into gold eyeshadows before but I am in love with this pigment from L'oreal. It's the perfect lid colour for a classic brown smokey eye and goes with all the shades of red lipstick you could possibly have. These shadows from L'oreal have a crazy amount of pigment and shimmer to them. A must-have, in my opinion!

                                                   

A Little Bit of Bridal Glam

Happy Canada Day, Frockers! I thought I'd wish Canada a happy birthday with a little bit of glam and share my latest wedding makeup adventure with y'all. As you know, I've been messing around with looks for the past few months to try and find one that really speaks to me and I think I may have stumbled upon the one.

Of course, it will all depend on the dress in the end, but I came up with a pretty great look by accident! I was seriously just messing around and then this happened:

 

Ignore the wonky eyelashes and eyebrows please! I still need some practice in some areas...

So anyway, I surprised and impressed myself and was eager to not let this be a fluke. I filmed a tutorial so I could practice and remind myself how I did this at any time in the future. Also, I had posted these pics on Reddit to ask for some internet stranger advice (aka the most honest kind) and it got so many upvotes and kind comments. It was really overwhelming. I honestly thought I might be crucified for having crazy eyebrows and uneven shadow application, but a few people even asked for a tutorial, so as soon as I had some free time, I filmed my very first makeup tutorial. Hope you guys like it!

                                                               

My Fiance Does My Makeup!

I've been making the YouTube beauty guru rounds lately and the "boyfriend does my makeup" thing has got to be one of my favourites. I mean those guys are such good sports, cause it's not like I would want anyone filming me doing something I have no idea how to do...that sounds terrifying! So I thought I'd ask Kyler if he wanted to film one with me and these are the results:

The camera quality could be better (we still haven't gotten a proper one) but I think you get the gist. Poor guy, he was so nervous and shy on camera, so go easy on him! I think he did a decent job.

He said he would be up to trying again too, so what do you guys think? Should I challenge him to do the most contoured, smokey-eyed, cohesive look ever?
                                                       

Coral Bride

Marcelle Double Precision Liquid Eyeliner Pen in Intense Black

Maybelline Great Lash waterproof mascara in Very Black

Ardell human hair falsies in 116

NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Black/Gray

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Soft Beige

Jane Iredale Amazing Base Loose Mineral Powder in Bisque

NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Red Cheeks

Milani Baked Powder Blush in Corallina

Benefit Watts Up higlighter in Soft Focus

Maybelline Colour Sensation lipstick in Vibrant Mandarin

NYX Butter Gloss in Cherry Cheesecake

This look is all about them rosy cheeks and pink pucker. It's neon sweet. I've been particularly obsessed with coral these days and I think this look would make a positively radiant bride. I find that pinks don't necessarily translate as beautifully on film as they do in real life however. Maybe it's the camera, but I really wanted more of a colourful effect with this look. It would depend on the dress too of course. 

What do you guys think of this sweet and simple bridal makeup?

                                                                            

The Retro Bride

Marcelle Double Precision Liquid Eyeliner Pen in Intense Black

Maybelline Great Lash waterproof mascara in Very Black

Ardell human hair falsies in 116

NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Black/Gray

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Soft Beige

Jane Iredale Amazing Base Loose Mineral Powder in Bisque

Milani Baked Powder Blush in Corallina

Benefit Watts Up higlighter in Soft Focus

Sephora lip liner in Real Red

ELF Moisturizing Lipstick in Velvet Rope

Here it is, the bridal look you've all been waiting for. One of my favourite looks for regular life, truth be told. It's the classic vintage cat-eye liner with a bright red lip. I already know this works on me, I wear it all the time. It's just a very clean face kind of look where the focus is on the eyes and lips. For my wedding, I would probably kick it up a notch with an even thicker eyeliner, more highlighting shimmer shadow on the lids, and a deeper and peachier blush to tie it all together. 

If you compare the last two images, you might notice the last photo has much longer and fuller lashes. I couldn't decide if this look really needed falsies or not so I'm asking you guys what you think. On the one hand, falsies really add such a feminine, striking touch to any look and I think your wedding is where you can really go all the way in the makeup department. But on the other hand, falsies might take over the eyeliner, which is a key feature I would really want to highlight.

Either way, this is one of my staple makeup looks that I would definitely be confident creating on my wedding day. I think this look is making it to the finals!

                                                 

Bridal Glam

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black

Sephora Collection Medium Shopping Bag Makeup Palette

Ardell Glamour Demi falsies in 101

NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Soft Beige

Jane Iredale Amazing Base Loose Mineral Powder in Bisque

ELF Studio Blush in Peachy Keen

Benefit Watts Up higlighter in Soft Focus

Annabelle lip liner in Nude

NYX Pump It Up lip plumper in Elizabeth

I have to say...

I LOVE THIS LOOK. I am not normally a smokey eye kinda gal. It looks a bit heavy in person but it photographs so beautifully, which is the main thing I'm concerned about for my bridal look. It probably helped that I used a combo of taupey and deep browns instead of straight up black, but the effect is so striking (if I do say so myself!) And you can tell by the second photo I definitely need to practice more...the shadow application is a bit uneven from lid to lid and check out those wonky falsies! Anyway, you get the idea...

I would definitely pair this eye look with a more muted lip and go light on the blush. This look is all about the eyes! And I gotta say, I love how the shadow and eyelashes accent the almondness of my eyes. I've always loved my eyes, they are one of my favourite features.

No doubt about it, look number 2 is making it to the wedding finals!
                                                                

Classic Bridal Makeup

Frockers, as you may or may not know by now, wedding bells will be tolling for me in about a year and I'm knee-deep planning. We're going to tie the knot in Vancouver since both of our families live out west and I've spent the past two months researching for a venue that 1) fits into our $10,000 total budget and 2) will do as much work for me as humanly possible for what I understand is a very small budget. Naturally, our little destination wedding will be a lot more complicated to plan since we're on the other side of the country and can't meet with vendors, venues, caterers etc. I used to live in Vancouver, but I didn't exactly frequent wedding venues on the regular. I just really wanted to find a place that's hassle-free and an all-inclusive kind of a deal so that any additional work on our part would be minimized.

Well, we've just booked a lovely little historical house turned restaurant called the Brockhouse, situated right along Jericho beach in the heart of VanCity. Their garden and lawns seem very lovely, their tent will come pre-decorated with drapey ceilings and chandeliers, they'll play classical music during lunch, provide all the tables and chairs, linens, silverware, food, servers....we practically just have to show up! And since we're reserving during the shoulder season, the price is one of the cheapest I've been able to find anywhere in the city! Even though we haven't actually visited the site yet, we were pretty confident to just sign the contract and visit later. Since we got engaged, the venue was the main thing I was concerned with since the intersect of my requirements (see above) didn't leave very many viable options. Now that the venue is booked, I feel like the biggest chunk of the puzzle has been figured out and I can start solving the smaller (and more fun) parts. 

LIKE MAKEUP! We're trying to save money wherever we can and nearly everything that's not taken care of by the venue will probably be a DIY job. However, before committing to the whole DIY makeup thing, I do think I'll need to practice, test and experiment, and that's where you Frockers could help me out. I'd love to post the makeup looks I'm considering for your feedback and tips! Let me know what you think looks good cause that'll really help me figure out if 1) I'm good enough to really be doing this on my own and 2) what would look the best on the big day. I haven't gotten a dress yet and don't really know what style I'm going to go for, which will really affect my final styling decisions, but I gotta start practicing now! Y'all may think I'm some kinda makeup guru-expert with tons of beauty know-how, but what you don't see on the blog (or in life for that matter) are all my failed attempts and terrible decisions. Really the only reason I'm remotely confident enough to walk out the door with any makeup on are a couple of undeniable facts on which I guide my makeup life: it's all about experimenting and finding out what works for you.

This first look is what I like to call the "classic bridal" look. It's a soft goldish-brown, muted smokey eye with some shimmer to it, paired with a nude-blush lipstick. I also slapped on some BB cream, powder and blush, but did not bother to do anything with my lashes (imagine I'm wearing some natural-looking falsies.) Mostly, I just wanted to test the eye shadow look and what kind of a lip would look good with it.

And I gotta say, I impressed myself with this attempt. I've tried this look before and it has never turned out this well. Maybe it was the several YouTube videos I watched right before trying this, but I really like how it looks. It feels like just a soft and pretty smokey eye. It's noticeably more made up than I normally would be, but not too harsh or vampy. Apologies for the weird lighting, I was sitting in front of the window and there's a bit of a glare. Also, shout out to the broken closet door behind me! I don't know if you guys can tell, but apparently, I'm super strong cause I broke the door by just attempting to close it. HULK SMASH.

Anyway....so what do you guys think? Should I put this look in the bridal makeup running?

Sephora Collection Mini Shopping Bag Makeup Palette
Annabelle Trio Eye Shadow in Quartz (just the darkest colour)
Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black
NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Soft Beige

Jane Iredale Amazing Base Loose Mineral Powder in Bisque

ELF Studio Blush in Peachy Keen

Benefit Watts Up higlighter in Soft Focus

Rimmel Moisture Renew lipstick in Nude Delight

L'Oreal Color Riche lipstick in Nature's Blush

                                                                            

Five Makeup Faves for March

1. Lancome Hypnose Mascara: A lot of people believe that Lancome makes the best mascara and let me just say, I am one of those believers. This mascara gives me exceptional volume and length and never clumps. Nuff said.  

2. Physicians Formula Eye Booster in Ultra Black: I've never worn too much black eyeliner in my life until recently where I now wear it about once a week. This is one of those products that I bought a long time ago and only now started using. This liquid eyeliner has a very fine tip which is great for creating a thin line and it stays in place. It goes on very smoothly and easily and has a great, dark pigmentation.

3. Elf HD Blush in Headliner: This product has been part of my daily makeup routine for a couple of years now and I own it in several shades. I've been using the light pink Headliner shade for the month of March because let's face it, my skin is at its most pale right now. This creamy blush is perfect if your skin is on the dryer side like mine. I find this blush lasts all day unlike many powdered blushes and it also has great pigmentation.

4. Rimmel lipstick in Bordeaux: In Jackie's recent post, she reviewed a ton of her go-to lipstick's because she is indeed, our resident lipstick guru. I always go to her for lipstick advice and this was one of her recommendations taking into account my recent affection for dark red/burgundy lip shades. If, like me, you are a little uncomfortable with a classic bright red lip, this is a must try.

5. Annabelle Lipsies Strawberry: This is a great everyday gloss that just adds a little girly glam to your face. It has a thick crayon-like applicator and is very glossy with a nice reddish hue. A great lil pick me up when your lips are feeling sad.

Getting A Bit Lippy

Hey Frockers, back when BOF was in its infancy, I posted about some of my go-to lipsticks and I thought it was about time to update you on some of the new additions to my lipstick collection! Some I like more than others, but they all have their advantages and a place in my little lipstick drawer.

Forgive the flaky lips, I did all the swatches at once (not a good idea)! My lips were burning a bit afterwards...

Rimmel Moisture Renew in Nude Delight

I discovered this little gem a couple of years ago and what I like about it is that it's a little bit peachy so it looks really really good on warmer skin tones like mine. A lot of neutral or cooler toned nude lipsticks look terrible on me. The formula's decently moisturizing and I also like to use this shade to layer with other lipsticks to get a nice customizable shade.


Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Dolce

This is a darker toned nude that I wear occasionally that's a bit more on the brown side. What's tricky about this one is the gold flecks in the lipstick can make your lips look kind of metallic. Also, since it is an "all-day" formula, it can get a bit drying so I recommend putting a bit of balm on top, but the staying power is pretty decent.


Annabelle Stay Sharp Lip Liner in Nude

This is new addition to my collection and I have to say, I LOVE the colour and I use it as a lipstick. It's kind of like the Rimmel Nude Delight in that the colour is very light but doesn't wash my lips out. It's the perfect everyday nude shade for my light to medium skin tone with a warm yellowish undertone. It's supposed to be super long-lasting and when I swatched it on my hand, I had a really hard time rubbing it off. On your lips though, you'll have to reapply once in a while, like after eating, but the staying power is pretty decent. The downside is that it's super super drying. I have a hard time even running the liner across my lips cause it's so dry. I recommend applying balm before using this one.


Make Up Forever Rouge Artist Natural in N9

This is more of a deep rosy colour that really just serves to enhance your natural smile. It's not exactly moisturizing, but it's not matte, and the sheerer formula adds just a hint of colour. I usually reach for this one on days when I'm going for a "no makeup" look and just want a touch more colour on my lips than their natural colour.

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate in 06

This is a nice bright blue-toned pink for those hot summer soirees. It's an amazing pop of colour in anyone's makeup look and although I don't tend to go for cooler toned lipsticks, I find this one works quite well on me. The formula is decently moisturizing, although I don't think the line is meant to be a moisturizing lipstick. And the staying power isn't the best, but it's not the worst either. It's a classic bright pink for anyone's collection.


ELF Moisturizing Lipstick in Coral Cutie

This is a warmer-toned bright pink, really just a classic coral. Honestly, the formula could be better. It's very sheer, you have to really layer on the colour to get the right effect. But I find that the more I layer, the more it accents the dry flakes in my lips. It does look moist on the lips, but I feel like it's more due to the formula being kind of oily. Still, I love this colour for spring!


Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Tesoro

This is an amazing bright orange-red shade that gives you a really matte finish that's smudge-proof. The colour is definitely the winning feature of this lipstick because I have to say, it's not my favourite "all-day" formula. And the colour tends to still rub off nearer the inside of my lips, which gives that unsightly harsh line of lipstick that suddenly just turns into skin. It's not an impossible problem, you just have to reapply periodically, but I also find the lipstick sometimes clumps and gathers into annoying little flakes of colour/skin in the same area. And I can't help but pick at it. Points for the amazing colour and pigmentation, but there's a new kid in town that I think has usurped this one as my new go-to, long-lasting red...


L'Oreal Infallible Lipstick in Infallible Red 

I have just discovered this new lipstick by L'Oreal and it is the best "all-day" formula BY FAR. It doesn't clump or flake and I can literally go all day without a single reapplication. It's so hard to get it off at the end of the day, but I consider that to be a pro and not a con! And where other all-day lipsticks tend to be a bit drying, this one comes with a top coat that's sheer and really just adds a bit of moisture to your lips. And the colour is extremely bright and pigmented which is a major plus for me when it comes to red lipsticks. This is definitely a new favourite for me!

Marcelle Rouge Xpressions Cream Lipstick in Amour

I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, but it's a really nice classic red that will probably enter my regular rotation. It's very creamy and moisturizing, the colour is nicely pigmented and although you do need to reapply a bit after eating, it's a really nice kind of everyday bright, neutral to slightly warmer red that would probably work on most skin tones.

Annabelle Twistup Lipstick Crayon in Cherry

This is a perfect deep red colour, great for fall and winter. It's not quite maroon, not quite bright red. The formula seems to dry out pretty fast and it gets a little more difficult to apply after you've had the crayon for a while, but the colour is lovely! Definitely my go-to wine shade for fall.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiery


This is another nice deeper red that I would probably reach for if I needed more staying power. It's not bad in terms of colour, texture or staying power and it may not stand out as much as some other shades for me, but it's a good lipstick to keep around.

Rimmel Lasting Finish in Bordeaux 

This is a nice deep maroon colour, essential for any bold collection of lipsticks! I love this one in particular because there's still a hint of red and it's less purple than other oxblood shades, making it less goth and more chic. And it's also buildable, if you do want it to appear darker with less red, you can just add another layer or two and practically get a different colour!

So there you have it, Frockers! I hope my little review helps y'all in your own personal lip-wear quests. Let me know what you guys think of these colours, or share some of your own favourites, cause I'm always looking to add to the collection! This is one addiction I don't care to squash...

                                                                    

New Year, New Makeup

Ok this is going to be a quickie post cause I'm pretty busy with a new semester starting again and all but I've been meaning to give a serious shout-out to some newly-discovered products that I am in love with. Full disclosure, Marcelle cosmetics gifted us some products a little while ago, but they are not paying me to write this. I was actually pleasantly surprised by two of the products they gave us and had to tell you guys about it.

First up is the Marcelle Duo Eyebrow-Pro Slanted Waterproof Pencil + Tinted Gel. Say that five times fast. I LOVE this brow pencil. The shape of the pencil is actually a sort of flat rectangle with a slanted edge and I find this to be much more conducive to soft brow shape than a pencil-shaped pencil, which can result in some pretty "drawn on" brows. This is pretty perfect for just filling in the patchy parts and giving a bit of definition. It also comes with a tinted gel and who doesn't love a good ol' two-in-one product? My only con is that I wish the colour "dark" were a bit darker. It's a deep brown that doesn't look bad on me but I think a slightly darker hue would look better on us raven-haired ladies.

And next up, I wanted to tell you about the Marcelle Double Precision Liquid Eyeliner Pen, another two in one product, with a brush tip on one end and a felt tip on the other. I have to say the pigmentation could be better, the black isn't the blackest I've seen, but the staying power is UNBELIEVABLE. And trust me, I have tried several waterproof, super stay, 12-hour wear liquid liners and they always, always smudge, leaving an unsightly black line right in my crease. I'm talking everything from the budget brands to Kat Von D's tattoo liner, my previous fav. It's not their fault really, I just have oily lids. But for some reason, the Marcelle Double Precision Liquid Eyeliner Pen stays put! And I really don't know why because other Marcelle products smudge on me like all the others. So if you suffer from oily eyelids like me, I highly recommend this eyeliner pen!