September Send-off: Berry Lovely.

A challenge was recently issued.  The task? To re-create a look done by Ronnie over at Bows and Curtseys.

Being a new Madd Model, I find that challenges like these are perfect for creating tutorials.  They allow me to put my own aesthetic spin on things, while really testing out the product that I represent for the purpose of teaching and of course, in a way, selling.

Cranberry shadows are my favorite, and always have been.  It's only recently that I've been brave enough to attempt pulling them off, and I've found that like most hurdles, once you jump in, it's pretty cakey from there on.

As always, we're going to start out with our tools.  Now, you may have noticed that I don't always use every brush I start out with, or that I occasionally add in a brush I didn't originally picture.  You have to bear with me - organization is not my forte.

Top to bottom, left to right pigments (Since the rest is pretty self explanatory,): Mudd Slinger, Dark Crystal Ruby, Up in Smoke medium gray, Young Blood, UiS dark gray, Birf'day Suit, UiS black.

Prime those peepers.  I'm in the middle of a wicked allergy attack, so my entire face is puffier than normal.  makes getting primer even in all those crevices quiiite interesting.

Primed and puffy!

Line away!  DO THIS NAO.  You don't want to muddy or smudge your top lid later.  A light line is fine, you're really only using it as a guide.

"Happy little trees..."  Only, you know, different.

Now, neither Ruby or Young Blood were berry enough for me, so I mixed them 1:1 to get the sultry shade I was aiming for.

Inner halves get the berry coloring.  Again, it's a unique experience to try and saturate an area with <x,y,z> when it's puffed to twice it's size and wrinkled from the swelling.  If you're going to be like me, just resign yourself to popping a benadryl and blinking a lot to make sure you've gotten your color even.

Now the medium gray goes on.

Just a thin stripe of it needed, for blending into...

The dark gray.

See that nice color gradient?  OCD Jalackie is happy.

Now polka dot your black on.  I use dots, some people do dashes, some outline and blend in... whatever your preference, always remember THE UTMOST IMPORTANT THING WHEN WORKING WITH BLACK:  It's always better to build than to wipe.

Moar black.

Using the fluffy brush above, I blended the black well, taking care to maintain the gradient look while still getting a very defined black color on the eyelid.  Then I used my liquid black liner and lined my top lid.

Birf'day Suit to highlight on the orbital bone!

Mudd Slinger for my brows, and Physician's PlentiFULL mascara in brown black (because I wasn't thinking. Though, the brown black didn't turn out too bad with this look.)

Ta Daaa!!!!

Oops, lash clump.  We'll consider this photo the blooper reel.

With glasses!

Peekaboo!

All in all, I'd say it was a success, doubly so considering it happened without any blood in my caffeine sys... err, wait.  Anyway.  It happened early in the morning. =P

This is definitely a clear candidate for the "intermediate" category, simply for the use of a true black in general.  Black pigment, loose or pressed, is intimidating.  Not only do you risk looking like you've stepped out of the Thriller video, you also risk turning everything around you black, from the toddler to the mini-fridge.

That said, step up and TRY IT.  You'll never graduate to intermediate if you're a novice if you never try. <3

As always, my darlings, Stay Madd!

Spring Mix in Autumn! Quick and Dirty style.

You know, I always swore I'd never let my meal for the day dictate what I wore.

TOTES a liar. I had a spring mix salad the other day, and damned if that purple lettuce didn't just seal the deal for me.

Little known Jalackie fact - The music I most often listen to when doing my makeup is P!nk or Katy Perry.  Yep yep.

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Tools!

Products!  As always, all eye color is by Madd Style Cosmetix.  (No, seriously, I don't own anything else.  No lie.)

NYX Pots and pans for a base over UDPP!

Make sure it's evenly applied and well blended.  You definitely need opaque coverage, as the colors you're going to use are pretty sheer.

Top to bottom: MSC Silver Haze, MSC Lotus Bloom, MSC Weird Science 

 Do you remember the rule of vertical thirds? Silver Haze goes in the inner thirds, while Lotus Bloom comprises your middle thirds.

Next you're going to whipe out your Weird Science.

This will be your final, outer third.

You want to really bring that in to the other colors.

Next, add your brows, lashes, and liner (Liner is in plum!)

There you go!  This is a wonderful day OR evening look, it's simple for even those of us who are at our most beginning stages of application, and it looks really, really good with our spex, be they chunky or slim!  Be well, and Stay Madd!!!!

A doll of a look.

When I came up with the anti-tutorial I did earlier this week, the request was also made that I base a look off of the children's movie, Toy Story 3.

On with the show!!!!

Left to right, top tp bottom: NYX Jumbo crayon in Black Bean, depotted; NYX shadow base in white, UDPP, Physician's formula plentifull mascara in black brown, Maybelline Great Lash in clear, ELF highlighter and under eye concealer; Wet n Wild Kohl in black, random silver glitter liner; MSC Honey Badger, MSC Frankenstein, Jem collection Blue and Yellow, MSC Kick Ass, MSC Third Wish, and MSC Pot O' Gold.

Assemble your tools next!

Kinda self explanatory, no?

I also (always) keep a high quality toner and soft cloth available to me at all times for makeup oopses, brush cleaning, etc.

Prime the entire eye from eyebrow down to the dark circles.

That ELF concealer works pretty damn well!

Apply your white base and blend up and out, but not under.

 Now go for your black base.

Apply only to the outer half of your lids, making sure to keep a pretty crisp line. 

Blend evenly!!!

Pick up some Jem yellow.

And some Honey Badger.

Apply like so.  Be mindful that you use a heavy hand - this look needs to really pop.

Place your Kick Ass at the outer corner, and make sure that you apply it equally as heavily as you did Jem yellow and Honey Badger.

Now grab your Jem Blue.  

CUT THAT CREASE!

Now, my little wizards, you're going to make blending magic.  I windshield wipered the yellow-orange-red and blended the crease both down and up the orbital process.

I also applied third wish just under my brow bone as a highlight.

Once that was done, I foiled Frankenstein into a top liner.  Since my Awesome Sauce is sadly missing, I used clear Maybelline Great Lash as my foiling medium.

Then I lined my lower lash bed with black Kohl.

See, kohl liners are awesome not only for their smoothe application, but also for the amount of control you can exert on the color saturation.  In this case, I wanted it slightly understated.

A light line of kohl provided for a stunning base for the sparkly gel liner.

Brows and lashes time, darlings!

Et voila!  You don't want to separate the lashes much - that helps to add the little bit of theatrical umph, giving you an awesome doll-like quality. Now go make some popcorn, sit your hiney down, and put on TS3 while you do your own version of this look.  Have fun, and always STAY MADD!