Sparkling gold, pink and burgundy smokey eye

Products used in this tutorial:

1. e.l.f. foundation primer
2. Coastal Scents Diva Defense Primer (this is a powder that I used over the e.l.f. primer, and I really loved the way that the two looked combined.. more on these products later)
3. Korres Wild Rose Foundation (I used a sample, and the color was a little too dark for my winter skin, but it smells wonderful and looked great over the primers)
4. Sleek palettes: i-divine sunset, i-divine chaos palettes - These palettes are truly amazing. They're incredibly inexpensive (about 10 dollars a palette) and the color payoff is intense and vivid. I found out about it from watching http://www.youtube.com/user/pixiwoo .. these sisters are AMAZING! Love them. The hitch is that you have to order these palettes from the U.K. However, it is entirely doable, and Sleek actually will mail the products to you from the U.K. And if you order several products as once (really worth it considering the quality of the products) it makes the shipping economical. http://www.sleekmakeup.com/EN/index.aspx ... if you have a chance, check out these palettes! :)
5. Sleek contour/highlight palette in medium: this is a wonderful contour product, imo, and you can order it with a brush or by itself. The brush itself costs quite a bit more than the couple of extra dollars you pay for the combination of the contour palette with the brush- its' a dual ended highlight/contour brush. However, though cute and conveniently packaged, I still prefer my own brushes to contour and highlight.
6. Ben Nye pressed powders in Coral and Autumn Sunset as blush. Ben Nye pressed powders are my absolute favorite powders. They come in quite a large pan compared to MAC pans, for instance, and the quality is very high. They are very velvety and easy to blend without losing the original colors; incredibly pigmented and as a SUPER bonus, I found a site that sells Ben Nye products at a very reasonably discounted price (ie, the 12 powder palette that I own retails for 60 dollars but sells here - https://www.battsavl.com/product/13878/Ben-Nye-Pressed-Colour-Palette - for 48 dollars (!). Likewise, individual colors retail for 7 dollars, but are sold at this site for around 5.60. If you love Ben Nye, use this site - they're great in terms of customer service, and the shipping is a flat rate of 10 dollars... so if you order 150 dollars or 30 dollars, it's still the same. And at 150 dollars, you can get quite a good amount of super high quality product. The Grande Lumiere 12-pallete is also 48 dollars (!). The pressed cheek and eye colors are totally interchangeable, and are the same, very high quality. I'm going to do a review on Ben Nye soon, as they are one of my VERY favorite brands available.
7. Buxom lashliner in leatherette (black). For those of you who are as obsessed as I am about enhancing your lash growth (I used to have the most ridiculously sparse and short lashes, and they are now very long), this is a product which supports lash growth and health. Therefore, I always use Buxom cream liners when I have a choice.
8. Shiseido Lash Bone in Majolica Majorca: This is an Eastern product sold in Asia. My favorite mascara base is actually Shiseido The Makeup Mascara base, but they are a discontinued product (!boo!), so I've been diligent about finding a product that works similarly for those of us who need a primer to hold our lash curl. (If you're Asian with naturally straight hair, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.) The Shiseido Lash Bone mascara base is a good product - not as good as The Makeup Mascara Base original formula, imo, but still quite good. You can find it one ebay - do a search that lists price from lowest-highest, and you can find the best deal on th product.
9. Diorshow Blackout mascara: I love this mascara for volumizing lashes, but unfortunately, I've come to realize that it definitely has a shelf life. Though my lashes are not very thick and I have not used up the product, it has gotten very thick sinceI bought it (probably 5 months ago or so?) and not as easy to use. I am still looking for my holy grail mascara, and I'll let you know when I find it!
10. Too Faced lipstick in 'Totally Nude.' This has been my favorite nude lipstick for a while now.
11. Cargo hi-definition lip gloss in Laredo: beautiful nude color, quite moisturizing, surprisingly as it's a very thin consistency. That's my only complaint about the cargo lip glosses - they're rather thin and need to be reapplied more often than my current favorite lip gloss brand, Buxom. But the color and the smoothness of the product looks beautiful.

I'm really excited, as my recent discovery of using pointed crease brushes has opened a whole new world for me, and I look forward to creating more tutorials with this technique applied in different ways. Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a fabulous day! xo, Isabelle

New Format...

When I created this blog, I wanted to have a separate page for tutorial posts - and there is a page for that. However, I didn't realize that you couldn't actually make individual posts for each video tutorial, so I think I'm going to change things up a little by making the tutorial page sort of a "favorite video tutorials" page. And then I will just post the tutorials in the blog, along with products used, anything special about the process that isn't in the tutorial, and just a little written banter on each video post. This way, anyone who refers to my blog after watching the tutorials can check on any further information that may be available if they want to!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog, and truly it's such a pleasure to be able to talk about something that gives me so much joy (makeup) and share it with other people who feel the same way. xo, Isabelle

Video Post on Using Crease Brushes for the Asian Eye

The Art of Makeup Brushes and the Asian Eye

Perfectly Pink Bullet Crease Brush:
Oooooh boy... When I started this journey a few months ago to really learn about the craft and artistry of makeup, I really had no idea how deep the journey goes. Like any other art or craft, the more time and energy one gives to learning, the more one learns how much more there is to learn. The best makeup artists, in my opinion, are the ones that - even at the pinnacle of their craft at the commercial (market) level, they are constantly seeking and striving to stretch themselves as artists. Meaning - they are not satisfied with just fulfilling the quota of how societal standards require makeup application to be - in fact, they tend to chafe when they keep doing the same standard looks over and over again, even though they are masters at that craft. Instead, they continue to experiment with color, light, texture, and all the tactile functions which cause makeup to really come alive. Samantha, of the Pixiwoo sisters on Youtube, frequently mentions that if she didn't do a tutorial now and again for the pure pleasure of creating, she would "go mad." And I think that this is true of any creative personality.

At this point in my journey, I am still seeking to master the techniques that are currently being used. I have invested into makeup, more than any other products - including clothing, shoes(!), handbags, accessories, and all those other fun girly things that I love. I have (as previously mentioned) even gone so far as to sell couture handbags on ebay so that I could purchase more makeup. I don't even want to really think about how much I have invested into this passion in the last several months, but I am happy about every purchase and don't regret not building on my wardrobe at all this year. One of the products that I have been purchasing on a mass level are makeup brushes. I have both Sigma basic and premium brush kits (which mostly dupe MAC brushes - and pretty well, from what I have heard, otherwise I wouldn't have purchased them), as well as various sundry brushes from Sephora, Crown brushes, Nyx, and various other companies through which I have made purchases.

I am sure that as I continue to learn about brushes, I will continue to discover more uses for them. However, this post is about a few breakthroughs in understanding which have happened gradually - and then with a current purchase from Crown brush of a bullet point crease brush, a whole word opened up to me which was heretofore closed.

I would like to talk, in particular, about crease brushes and how to use them appropriately for an Asian eye. Because those of us with smaller eyes, less deeply set than our sisters of different races (excluding Southern and Southeast Asia, in which one sees more deeply set eyes in Indian, Middle-Eastern, Philippino and certain other nationalities), if you have ever taken a blending brush and put it gently to your carefully applied eye makeup, only to watch it blend away into a muddy mess - you know what I'm talking about. It is only in the last couple of days that I finally made a breakthrough that I believe is taking me to a different level (finally!) in makeup application.

Let's discuss the Sigma E45, which is a tapered blending brush. I bought this brush specifically because it has a pointed tip and a round body. I thought that the tip would help me blend areas that I was unable to easily blend before. Well, the thought was correct, but my lack of technique made this brush pretty much useless for me. I didn't realize until I just received the bullet point brush from Crown brushes (see top pic) that the way to use these brushes is to insert the tip into the "crease" - which, for Asian eyes, actually means the eye socket. When you sink the brush into the socket, it then easily shades and blends colors to perfection. And re-watching some 'Makeup by Ren-Ren' tutorials today, I realized that you can really use a large variety of blending blushes as long as you know where to place the brush. And again, the place to put it is to sink it right into the socket.

It finally clicked for me when I used that bullet point brush: the small point sinks easily into the socket, and any color is easily deposited by the tip and blended out by the rounder body of the brush. And then it all came together: the E45 is meant to pick up a very small amount of color on the tip of the brush, and the fluffy body then distrubutes the color evenly throughout the surface of the eye. This morning I tested this theory by using a light brown shade, and it worked perfectly. The E45 blended the color into the perfect shape above the crease, and then using the bullet brush, I was able to add darker browns and then a little bit of black into the outer eye corner. Then using the E45 again, I blended out the colors to get just the right amount of smokiness into the outer corner of the eye. A shimmery light beige tone on the inner corner and on the lid created a textbook smokey eye. Eureka!

If you're Asian with a small lid and hooded or no crease, that's the trick to blending out a smokey eye. Don't be afraid to push down onto the eye with the brush. In the beginning, I was really afraid of blending out colors because I thought I would lose the vividness of the tone, so I tried to blend really lightly. There are times when you need to use less pressure, but for the first mid-tone, used as a background for the look, go ahead and dig into the socket with the tip of the brush and blend away! The bigger the brush, the larger the area that it will blend out. The bullet point brush, for instance, is a small rounded brush with a sharp tip. This is perfect for adding dimension to the mid-tone color by using deeper colors on top of it.

Ok, I'm not going to talk about it anymore, because at some point, I think you just need to see it and really register what's happening. I'm going to create a tutorial soon which shows this process.... but for now, I am just excited to share the knowledge. I was re-watching some of my older videos, and was painfully struck by how tedious it was for me to blend out colors - and that is because I didn't know how to use the crease (socket) to ground the brush and blend the colors out. I think this is going to change how I do my eye makeup in the best possible way - and if you are a beginner at makeup application and have been stumped about how to blend out the colors using your brushes on your Asian crease-less eye, keep an eye out for the next few videos as I plan on creating a video that will specifically point out this process.

The inverted smokey eye II

This is another version of the smokey eye. I wanted to do a comprehensive review of the Lorac croc train case holiday palette, so almost all the products used in this look were from that palette. Interestingly, the color I used in the middle of the eye, the bright blue (which is my favorite color of the entire 36 color palette - by Far!), is quite similar to the color I used from the Sleek palette for the original look. The main difference was the shimmer, which was in the Sleek palette color. However, this matte color pops more despite the fact that it is matte... maybe because it's matte. I'm not sure. I only know that it pops much more as you can see in the picture here. I was going to do a tutorial on this look, but frankly I got lazy, lol...

However, I would like to do some more looks using the Lorac holiday palette so that I can give a more well-rounded review of the set. As I mentioned in another post, the Tarte palette that I purchased last year has gotten very little use because I discovered that the shadows are quite powdery and have a tendency to lose the vibrancy of the colors. So far, the Lorac palette is showing itself to be superior by far, but I will continue to test the palette with different looks to see how the quality of the shadows hold up overall.

The Inverted Smokey Eye

This past week, my son has been sick which means that I have been running back and forth to the doctor's and to his school. Because I have fibro-myalgia/chronic fatigue, I get really exhausted and oftentimes, I can only pick a few things to do on any given day. With the extra running around for my son, I have found myself unable to do the things I need to do to take care of myself because I've been too tired to scrape up the energy. On the upside (silver lining to every cloud, right?) I have had a lot of time to sit in front of the computer and scour youtube.

So I found a tutorial by Julieg317 (love her makeup looks) called 'Purple Rockstar Eyes,' http://www.youtube.com/user/julieg713#p/u/54/XRmOCbaqy2s, which is basically an inverted purple smokey eye. I absolutely love Julie's eyes but sometimes, I just don't know if her looks will work out on my eye, being as that my eyes are much flatter and smaller than Julie's. Her eyes are deep-set, which gives all of her multi-dimensional looks even more depth. On my eyes, I have to fake depth or in this case, pretty much skip it. However, I still wanted to try this technique, so I used my Sleek palettes (these are amazing - the colors are soooo silky and pigmented... the only thing about them is that one worries about the colors breaking because the texture seems so soft. But at 10.00 for a 12-shadow palette, there's really not much room to complain. There is a steeper shipping charge, as these are made in the U.K., but frankly it's worth it, especially if you're able to purchase several palettes at once...) I found a really brilliant blue color as the inner focal-point, and experimented with different darker shades of blue to create the inverted smokey effect.

While I was playing around with products, I used my new Nyx crystal glitter liners in blue and black underneath the eye - and was astounded by the beautiful effect. I purchased these on ebay recently when I went to purchase a few more of the candy glitter liners and saw that there were these new crystal glitter liners - so I purchased 3 of them. But I didn't have a chance to try them until today, and I have to say - these liners are amazing. They are unlinke any other glitter liners that I own, and create an unusually pigmented, sparkly and very fine line. Gorgeous.

I also have a buxom lash liner in 'blue velvet,' which is a truly dazzling blue gel/cream liner with glitter particles. I used this on both upper and lower waterlines, and when all was said and done, I really loved the look. I think I'll try and do a tutorial on this look in the next couple of days. It's definitely not a look for the faint of heart (or for those with very close-set eyes.... the inverted smokey eye pulls the eyes inwards where they usually get pulled outward into a cat-eye effect), but the gorgeous colors and just a touch of glitter in the lower lid and the waterlines is really quite beautiful, I think. It's a bit goth-looking, but I could also easily envision this look on the runways. It's a very edgy, interesting effect, suitable perhaps for a club-night, or just for the individual who likes being an individual, unapologetically and unabashedly... and hey- that works for me :)

What a Difference a Year Makes! Holiday Goodies, from 2009-2010

There's definitely something about the holiday season for make-up lovers that mimics the pure giddiness of a child's love of the holidays. High end brands come out with products loaded with value (and fun) and you get to sample some of the most talked-about products and companies at rates that are almost affordable for the average human being (meaning that you do struggle with bills and your foremost struggles don't have anything to do with deciding between a tropical trip to Fiji or a shopping trip to Dubai). Not that I'm knocking the status of a financial tycoon... it's just not something that most of us deal with, other than our weekly dose of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."

Last year began what had always been a pretty strong obsession with beauty/makeup products (helped by the local opening of Sephora to my local city). I was doing a very irregular shopping trip to the mall (usually my budget dictates that I stick to my local Ross, dress-for-less, and frankly, I have to curb my appetites even there). Strolling down the aisles of Sephora, I just happened to stop by in time for the holiday palettes. So I was happily sampling different palettes, comparing product quality, presentation, and sizes, and I finally ended up purchasing the Tarte holiday 2009 palette. I was ecstatic with my purchase, and wanted to purchase the same palette for one of my close friends. However, I wasn't able to get her into the store in time (those Tarte palettes sold out like hotcakes), and by the time I brought her to the store to purchase the set, it was sold-out on the website as well as store-wide. She ended up purchasing a Tarte limited edition eye-shadow palette, and I purchased the same palette as well.

The year before I bought the Tarte palette, I had purchased the big Sephora holiday palette. I reember really disliking the palette because the shadows were powdery and not very pigmented. So when I found the Tarte palette, I thought that I had hit gold.... the shadows were very pigmented in comparison, and the presentation was really glam/fun and loaded with other goodies. The first layer was full-sized shimmery eye shadows. The second tier was matte shadows. The third tier was a generous lip palette, and the last pull-out tray was filled with gorgeous shades of blush, a very generous sized highlighter and bronzer.

Then my year of makeup-addiction really hit. In fact, I don't think I've bought any clothes, other than those that I absolutely needed, this past year. Any extra funds I have had this year has been allocated to makeup. I also sold several couture handbags to further fund this new-found obsession. Sometime in the summer, I discovered you-tube, and a light-bulb went off in my head at last. I finally begann to realize those subtler differences in makeup brands/products that take them from pretty good to truly professional quality.

A great makeup artist can (in my opinion) take any product and make it work to create a gorgeous look. However, the more exposure one has to products, the more one begins to have preferences for silkier textures, ease of blending, pigmentation, and all the qualities that make a product fabulous rather than just-good, or even, pretty-darn-good.

My Tarte holiday palette remains mostly unused. Though I initially loved the colors and pigmentation, I discovered that the colors have a tendency to blend away. Meaning, rather than holding their pigmentation, that, even with a good primer, multiple colors tend to become muddy when blended rather than maintaining the quality of pigmentation and brightness that one wants when creating a multi-dimensional look.

This year, there's a new Tarte palette, and likely this palette will sell out as well as last year's. The quality of the products is good - and if you are a person who only wants to buy natural products, then Tarte is a great product for you. However, if you want to use more than 2 colors on your eyes without losing the distinctiveness of each color and texture, I would recommend some different palettes.

The palettes that have consistently blown me away with - not only their quality - but their color choices, are the Kat Von D palettes. I managed to grab 4 of these when they were on sale last month, and I was so glad that I did. Each palette contains 8 shadows, which is a decent number of shadows for the price ($35.00). But the best thing about these colors is that they are chosen to complement each other. So in each palette, I might choose to use just a few colors, or I might choose to use 7 out of 8 of the colors - and not only do they look wonderful together, they maintain their distinctive qualities and over/under-tones even when blended out. The only thing that I personally found lacking in each palette (not a big deal, as a single purchase of a color such as Nyx's 'highlight' makes up for this) is that there are no matte highlight tones. Since most of the colors are at least satin - if not shimmery or even outright glittery, a good matte highlight is a necessity in my viewpoint.

Another palette that I am tentatively liking this year is the Lorac train case (pictured at top left). This palette is terribly constructed - but as my focus is much more centered on the quality of the product, I don't really mind as long as the product delivers. There are two eyeshadow tiers with 18 colors on each tier. One tier has warm-toned colors, and the second tier has cool-toned colors. The bottom tier has a few blushes and a bronzer as well as a collection of 9 lip colors. I am liking the velvety texture of the eyeshadows, as well as the pigmentation on most of them (there are always some that aren't going to be that great). However, in a recent effort to create a more natural look, influenced by Robert Jones' book: "Makeup Makeovers," I discovered that I was still going back to my Kat Von D palettte to use her bright, warm luminescent color 'tequila' over the two similar-looking tones available in the Lorac palette. Since having a luminscent color like this is a staple in any makeup afficionado's collection, it re-affirms my conviction in the quality of the Kat Von D palettes. However, I'll keep playing with the Lorac palette - and I'll get back to you with more on that later on.

One thing that I have learned, unquestionably, in the last year - is that the eyeshadow palette NOT to be missed, EVER, are palettes by Urban Decay. The quality, texture, pigmentation... every possible thing that one is looking for in an eyeshadow - IS found in Urban Decay palettes. I missed out on the Naked palette this year because I was short on funds when they were still available. Now, they're being hawked on ebay for over twice what the original purchase-price was. I am also sad that I didn't grab the Alice-in-Wonderland palette that was their Book-of-shadows equivalent last year. Not only do I love the quirky presentation (although in truth I would still have de-potted the shadows for convenience), the bright colors were truly gorgeous - some of them made just for that quirky palette. This year, I grabbed the Book of Shadows 3 as soon as it popped its colorful head up on Sephora. The colors are mostly more muted than the bright colors I tend to love, but they are still gorgeous, and the quality is still top-notch.

I wish that MAC would come out with some comparable palettes. Their collections are gorgeous, but definitely more pricey. I think I see an upcoming trend of more purchases made at the MAC store for 2011 (conveniently located right next door to Sephora at my local mall), and at some point, I would also love to purchase a Makeup Forever palette in those gorgeous hues that they are known for. However, a Makeup Forever 10-palette runs about 200, while a 15-palette MAC palette runs at 179.00... not a piffling spending habit for the gourmet makeup lover. There are less expensive alternatives (which I will get into in the next blog post) but at some point, I think every makeup lover has to add some MAC and Makeup Forever eyeshadows to their collection to have the full-experience. Happy Holidays - may your holiday season be filled with those gleeful chortles reminiscent of childhood-delights... at your favorite makeup counter/store!

MAC - I finally see the light!

I had no idea what I was in for this year. I have always loved makeup, but only recently have begun to unravel the world of everyday makeup (in contrast to the costume makeup that I was used to doing). There is a Huge(!) world of 'everyday' makeup out there! I remember buying my first purchases from Sephora several years ago, before they had any Sephora stores in Colorado (no sales tax back then in online purchases!). I believe my first purchase was the makeup forever liquid liners (still miss those, as they were such great quality and easy to use). I bought it because I was performing, and was looking for eyeliner that wouldn't melt on stage.

From that point, I would find items randomly as I shopped online. I never really knew the distinct differences between all the different brands and products (still figuring that out), and really, that's what this post is about.

In the mall by my home, there is now a MAC store one store down from the Sephora store. I have shopped at Sephora for years, now, ( I had heard about MAC from other people, of course, but Sephora has such a huge variety that I never felt the need to stray). Even after these past couple of months of intense makeup scrutiny (and countless hours watching youtube tutorials - my first view occurring sometime early in July), I still hadn't stopped by the MAC store. Before they had a MAC store near me, I used to order lipglasses from MAC online (a random gift from a friend got me hooked on those). However, I realized after about a year of using them that they were severely drying out my lips in this arid Colorado weather, so I still have a big stack of lipglasses that are probably going in the trash soon.

But the real point is that, while I had looked at MAC's online store at several products out of curiosity and interest, the only MAC eyeshadow that I own was part of that little gift set I received along with the lipglass - and the pink shadow in the gift set was really not that impressive. So, considering that I am on a tight budget, it is really no wonder that I invested in a lot of Nyx products this year, as well as e.l.f., another new discovery for me.

However, I have been wanting to stop into the MAC store to purchase the brush cleaner. After watching Tiffany D's tutorial on cleaning brushes, the MAC brush cleaner seemed amazing, especially in contrast to the different brush cleaners that I have tried (mostly Sephora, and then the e.l.f. brush cleaner). So it's been on my 'to do' list for quite a while now.

Today was the first time in quite a while where I had the energy to brave the mall in search of the MAC brush cleanser. I picked up the cleanser, and while I was there, of course I wanted to try out, touch, examine the products that I had heard so much about on youtube. I didn't have time to test out all the products, but I did open up the eyeshadow quads from the new collection, and swatch those colors on the back of my hand. At that moment, I finally understood why so many makeup gurus use MAC primarily.

There is a HUGE difference in quality - especially as I just had been using a generic 28 warm palette (which I particularly don't care that much for anyway). I still love a lot of my other products, including both 'higher' end and 'lower' end products - but in the bigger picture, there truly is a noticeable difference in texture, pigmentation, diversity, and overall quality. I didn't buy any MAC shadows (I did stop in at Sephora as I knew that the Kat Von D palettes are on sale for 24 dollars right now - great deal - and these palettes are comparable to my Urban Decay palettes), but the quality of the MAC shadows made an indelible impression on me.

The point is this: if you are, like me, a makeup lover who is looking to take your skills from maybe, 'naturally talented' to 'actually skilled,' you might want to take this into consideration. There are several youtube gurus who believe that the MAC shadows are comparable to certain drug store brands - and while this may be true for certain colors (I've noticed that certain pigments seem to be of a nicer quality across the board - it makes me think that perhaps the material to make those colors is perhaps more accessible), I now understand why some gurus do insist that MAC products really are the industry standard for professional artists.

So if you haven't actually tried several of the MAC shadows that are frequently used in tutorials, I would suggest that you actually go to a MAC store near you (if there is one) and try them out for yourself. A couple of gurus specifically really made me think that MAC shadows were not that much better than other brands - and these are very respected, highly subscribed gurus. Based on their reviews, I did not realize the quality that I was missing out on. I am not saying that MAC has the best quality in every regard - however, going to the store and trying some of the products have changed my entire understanding/view of the hierarchy of quality in products.

I think, of all the gurus, MissChievous probably explains things in a way that makes the most sense to me, now that I have tried the MAC products. For instance, she says that the Ben Nye grande lumiere palette is comparable to MAC in regards to quality - and having bought that palette, I would concur. So I am not saying that one has to pay premium prices in order to get premium quality - however, I would suggest to any other individuals who have relied primarily on youtube reviews, as I had done, to actually test products out for yourself. After all, people have different ideas of quality and different needs from different products. But then, I guess that is just part of the learning process. :)

New Discoveries on the Path

So, it's been a while since I've added a blog post... I've found myself immersed in creating tutorials and also in learning from others' tutorials. I can't say enough good things about the generosity of makeup gurus on youtube. They genuinely have a desire to share and teach what they know, and there is truly a wealth of information that I am only beginning to tap into! So it's not really a surprise that I've found myself less inclined to write and more inclined to practice, practice, and more practice!

I will post new tutorials on my tutorial page, and I want to share and update information pertinent to other Asian women with small eyes/creases who wish to create beautiful complex looks given the smaller canvas that we have to work upon.

I no longer find myself relying as much on the Sephora small eyeshadow brushes. Though they do work to pack on color in smaller areas, I have discovered the Loewe Cornell brushes, which are less dense and are a paddle shape. The 3/8" Maxine's Mop (Loewe Cornell) is often suggested as an alternative to the MAC 239 brush. After watching numerous tutorials, I have noticed that most professional makeup artists tend to have an arsenal of MAC brushes and makeup as their standard go-to products. While a number of other gurus do use other brands, MAC does seem to be the standard for makeup artists all over the world. I won't get into the makeup at this point, as I haven't the funds to invest in the makeup products, but I have been much more intent in researching brushes, as I believe that the proper tools can make a huge difference in how easy or difficult it is to create a look. Without exception, the MAC 239 is touted as one of the best and most versatile brushes. When asked, many gurus and professionals will say that the MAC 239 and 217 are the best brushes to invest in - for beginners and beyond.

Although the Sigma SS239 was originally meant to be a dupe for the MAC 239, Sigma brushes are increasingly making an effort to separate themselves from MAC. Their SS239 may have been simiar to the MAC brush at one time, but is now a much denser brush. Though I initially believed that denser brushes were better for packing on color, I now believe that the thinner paddle shaped brushes allow for more control and versatility in use. Not only can the MAC 239 be used for packing on color, the sides can be used to gently move and manipulate color to blend smaller areas. The larger blending brushes (from the 217, 222, and 224) can't blend the very small areas in which one color morphs into another color. Also, on the smaller Asian eye, almost all color shifts require smaller tools to blend the colors, as a large blending brush will create a muddy effect - not pretty at all.

So rather than spend the 24.50 on a MAC 239, I opted instead to try the Loewe Cornell brushes in 1/4" and 3/8", which are only a few dollar each, but reputed to be just as good as the 239 by many gurus. Since the brushes are priced so reasonably, I was also able to purchase several of them, rather than just one or two. The local Michael's crafts store doesn't carry the 3/8", so I am waiting for an online order to arrive. However, in the meantime, the 1/4" has been a godsend, giving me the ability to both pack on color in very small areas as well as blend and manipulate the colors.

Also, the MAC 219, or Sigma SS219 (although Sigma is now changing their entire numbering system, and I don't know what the exact numbers are right now), or the pencil brush, is an excellent tool for the Asian eye. It does what the MAC 222 and 224 are supposed to do, in my opinion. It can be used with a neutral color to blend out colors in the crease, or alone for the same purpose. It can also be used to add a crease color when creating a cut crease look. For more precise definition of the cut crease, I still prefer the Sephora smokey eye brush, as it has a finer tip and smaller body. But the pencil brush is good for a lot of other purposes as well, such as creating a thicker line underneath the eye or for packing color onto the lid.

The other major shift in products lately has been in the use of eyelash curlers. I still prefer the Shiseido lash curler for the first curl - to get all the lashes in that first curl up nearest to the lash line. Because it's flatter and wider, it gets most of the lashes curled, whereas the Shu Uemura curler is more rounded and can miss the lashes on the ends of the eye,. However, to curl the lashes themselves, I have found that the Shu Uemura curler is better to create a nice curl as we Asians have to curl multiple times to create a graduated curl... otherwise our lashes would just stick straight up if we only curled once, as many caucasians do. This was actually good news for me since I have two Shu Uemura curlers, and didn't want to waste them.

These are not the only changes in routine/functionality that have been happening for me. However, I'll detail these changes in another blog post.... there is just so much to learn! It's wonderful and sometimes daunting, but always growth-inducing, and that's really the point for me... :)

Review: E.L.F Mineral Eye Primer

I've been using this product for a few days, and can't profess to know everything about it. But I will say that I have definitely formed a pretty strong opinion in a few days' time. When I test out primers, I don't mess around. I put on an intense eye look, and I go to dance classes, martial arts classes, and even the sauna. What I discovered after a night of dancing (from about 11pm-2:30am, nonstop) is that the E.L.F. primer really does not hold a candle to my Too Faced Shadow Insurance or UDPP. Another clue that the quality is not really comparable: when I used a wet-wipe to remove my eye makeup, it came off pretty easily. When I use a wet-wipe to remove eye makeup over Shadow Insurance or UDPP, it does not want to budge. It will come off, but grudgingly, like trying to pull a child away from a candy store. And it usually leaves some streaks of color behind.

Overall, for the price, it's not a bad purchase. If you wanted to create a ratio of strength of primer to cost, I'm not really sure which product would come out on top. However, if you want to look good come rain, shine or sauna... pick the Shadow Insurance or UDPP. If you are going to have a day indoors, then the E.L.F primer is not a bad choice (unless your work really stresses you out and you find yourself sweating and/or wiping your brow a lot, lol).

Update: 8/6/2010

I have been wearing the E.L.F. primer almost every day since I got it, as I wanted to make sure that I was giving a fair review. I did wear the primer to a martial arts class that was only an hour, and it held up pretty well. I still find that it comes off a little easier (even just when wiping off makeup to change looks, for instance) than UDPP or Too Faced. But I think, like all things, the type of base used over the primer; the type of shadows/colors used; the type of liners used, etc... all those things play a role in how the look holds together as a whole. But truly, for the price (3 dollars!!) it really can't be beat, price to quality ratio-wise. And even without price as a factor, it does its job as a primer pretty well. On the whole. I'm really happy to have found E.L.F. products!

Beauty, Truth and Goodness: Body as Canvas: How to create your dream body

The'Real' Secret to Losing Weight: "This particular subject is one of the most popular that I can think of in our country today. Whether the topic is found in the bookstore, o..."

Re-do of baby blue/violet using primer + NYX jumbo pencil in white

So here's the re-do of the last look in baby blue and violet using the same colors, but whereas I used only Urban Decay Primer Potion in the last picture, I used UDPP + NYX Jumbo pencil in white as a base. You can see that the color payoff is way more intense, and the look is much more vivid.

Enquiring Minds Want to Know

If you're anything like me... learning about makeup techniques and trying to understand the reason and rhyme for each product, then this little bit may enlighten you on one teensy question that has been bothering me: what is the deal with using eyelid primer in conjunction with a cream/gel base? I had watched some youtube videos by Xteener (love her), which is where I picked up the notion that, in order to get the highest color payoff, you can use eyeshadow primer, then a cream base over that. On top of these, the powder then adheres and gives that amazing color payoff that we all love and want for dramatic makeup looks.

Well, I remember wondering... why not just cream base? Or why not just eyeshadow primer (lots of youtube gurus tell you to do just that)? Over time, I think I finally figured things out. The other day, I did a look with just Urban Decay Primer Potion (because Enquiring Minds Want to Know)! The colors were - meh. For an evveryday look, it was still pretty bright. I had to kind of rub it off a bit to go to Brazilian jujitsu class (I'm there to train, not to hook up :P). And of course, it was really hard to rub off (thank you, UDPP)! But compared to some other looks I have done, it paled in regards to vividness of color. You can see in the picture at the beginning of this article, that the color payoff is just not as strong.

Well, it got the wheels in my head to turning, and it all finally came together and made sense. A really good primer, such as UDPP or Too Faced Shadow Insurance, HOLDS that product on your face, rendering it fantastically difficult to budge - as exhibited by the difficulty I had in removing product before my Brazilian Jujitsu class. It also prevents makeup from creasing - VERY important for those dramatic looks. Now the cream base (such as a NYX jumbo pencil or a gel liner applied to the lid before adding powder colors) makes the colors pop like crazy. The powder adheres to the cream and makes the color incredibly vivid, and gives one really great control when layering colors. Without the cream or gel base, sometimes, the powder will get kind of sloshy, or muddy. However, with the base, your eye becomes like a canvas ready for oil pastels - you can layer on colors with a similar effect to actually drawing with pastels - the colors actually layer on top of each other instead of just mashing together into colorless gunk.

So why not just a cream base, then? (After all, Enquiring Minds..., etc.) Well, cream shadows can crease if they are used alone. You may get a great canvas to start with, but with some sweat, humidity and motion, the colors may start sliding off. That's where the eyelid primer comes into such a prominent place of importance. The primer makes everything STICK, and it prevents everything from creasing.

And THAT is why the best combination for a dramatic eye look is to use an eyelid primer + cream/gel base. Voila! Question answered! :) FYI: I will be re-doing the baby blue'/violet look that's pictured at the beginning of this post, but with both primer and cream base - and I will post the picture in the next post!

Have a bright, beautiful and joyful day. May your makeup pursuits be plenty and colorful, and may all your adventures bring you to the center of your own loving heart.

Favorite products for Asian eyes

It used to be that I was a costume make-up artist, and that adding as many interesting textures, colors, and elements as possible was part of what made the whole production more interesting. Glitter, rhinestones, gems, glitter glue, uv-paints (that glow in black lights) were my forte.

More recently, as I began to research more wearable makeup, I ran into quite a few challenges. Of course, easy wearable makeup is not an issue. We all have our favorite quick routines, and I am no exception to this rule. However, when I tried to replicate some of the more interesting looks that I saw in magazine spreads and sephora catalogs, I had a very hard time getting the precision necessary to create real depth and vividness of color and hue. Even with good product, without the right tools, the eye shadows would not blend or layer properly. Rather, they would just crumble into a messy, diluted color heap. If for instance I wanted to add a deep purple for a crease-effect (I say crease-effect, because like many Asian women, I have a very small crease and need to create the illusion of a larger crease with eye shadows) and if I already had a bright pink on my lids, the purple and pink would just mix together to form a vague messy hue.

It took me several tries and a lot of shopping to figure out a few things. First of all, I have a smaller eye than many of the caucasian gurus on youtube (I just "found" youtube in the last month or so, and it's amazing as a resource), and this was even true of many of the Asian gurus as well. So rather than using normal eye shadow brushes, I had to find smaller brushes to fit my smaller eye-area. I also needed to find precision tools in order to use the eye shadows as a true artist's medium, rather than a messy bunch of powder. This being said, these are some of the brushes that worked for me:

1. Sephora professional small eyeshadow brush. This brush is more densely packed than some other small eyeshadow brushes that I found, and the density is important in order to properly pack the color onto the lids. Large or even medium sized eyeshadow brushes do not allow the precision to create multi-colored or even monchromatic-depth of the same color on the lid.

2. Sephora platinum smokey eye (or pencil) brush: This is probably my favorite brush so far. The bristles are incredibly soft and yet the brush can create from a thin to medium lines for eyeliner, or for lining the crease area for a cut-crease look. You can also use it to smoke out eyeliner or to blend out the edges for a smokey-eye look. It also causes less fallout because of the precision of the tip. This brush can create a number of looks, and in my opinion, is the most important brush for creating eye-looks of any complexity in a small eye.

3. Sephora professional crease brush: This brush is smaller than the platinum crease brush, which I find to be helpful again for a smaller eye. I don't really use the crease brush for my crease, even for a smokey look, as I prefer the precision of the pencil brush or even smaller brushes with natural bristles that are sometimes labeled "lip brushes." Now, I don't have a monolid, or even a light crease. I was born with a very deep but very small crease, which I think requires smaller and more precise tools. A monolid can get by with the larger tools because one doesn't have to worry about the shadow falling into the deep lid and doing weird things. Therefore, I find that a precise tool is necessary for defining the crease. However, the sephora professional crease brush is perfect for blending out colors, which is necessary for creating depth and polish in a more complex eye-look. Other brushes I have seen on youtube that I think would also work - blending brushes such as the e.l.f. blending brush, or other dense, soft, graduated natural bristles that come to a rounded point (unlike the sephora platinum smokey-eye, which just comes to a straight point).

Those are the three most important brushes, in my opinion. It's nice to have a couple of the small eyeshadow brushes as well, in case you want to do a multi-color look. Next are tools that I find are very helpful, but not of the same degree of importance in my opinion.

1. The sephora professional smudge brush: This brush allows you to smoke out cream eyeliners easily. It is densely packed and a longer shape, to allow for precise smudging (you need to have the control for precision even more when you have a small eye, otherwise you won't have a smoked-out eyeliner, but a big messy raccoon-effect).

2. The sephora professional angled liner brush: This brush allows for precision in applying cream or gel based liners. It has the right amount of stiffness (even though the bristles are soft) to create a precise line. When the liner brush is not stiff or dense but skinny enough, you can't get a small enough line for the tiny deep crease. Again, if you have a monolid, you can get away with a thicker line - or even if you have a double-lid with a light crease. But with a very deep crease, if you don't create a very precise line, the line will invariably smudge and lose the effect of the cat-eye, or whatever precise look you are trying to create. Some liquid liners are also good for this purpose, depending on the brush or the tip of the liner (or you can use a regular liner brush of your own). Makeup forever used to make the BEST liquid liners EVER. I am so sad that they discontinued those, but with the right angled brush, you can use this method to create a precise and flattering cat-eye.

3. The sephora platinum eyebrow brush/lash comb. The platinum comb has a metal rather than plastic comb. The metal tips are sharp (!) I tripped once holding onto the metal ends of this comb, and it poked right into my palm. So yes - it's sharp, but it's fantastic at separating lashes. Other eyelash combs cannot even come close to the precision of this comb. It works perfectly to declump lashes every time. This tool is for everyone, not just people with small eyes. I love it, because you can apply as many coats of mascara as you want without getting spidery or clumpy.

4. The Shiseido eyelash curler. I know that the Shu Uemura curler gets way more attention (and I have two of the Shu Uemura curlers, so I'm not really complaining about the quality), but the Shiseido curler is wider and somewhat flatter in shape. A lot of Asian reviewers have commented that the shape works better in general for the Asian eye, and I would tend to agree. I had to be careful with the Shu Uemera curler not to catch my skin in the curler (which definitely happened sometimes). The Shiseido curler definitely works better for my eye shape. It also seems to get the lashes curled more evenly, as it's less rounded and therefore allows for more length along the lashline when grabbing lashes to be curled.

And last but not least, these are a couple of products that are really necessary to create a vibrant-eye that doesn't smudge, crease, or fade throughout the day (and I have done intense physical exercise to test this out, and my eye products didn't budge at all when using these products).

1. The obvious product that most people are familiar with is using a good eye primer. I like Too Faced Shadow Insurance, but the other product that is often hailed as being the "best" primer - Urban Decay Primer Potion. There are a few others that are touted by various youtube gurus, but the Too Faced and UDPP are the most widely recognized.

2. Something I picked up from watching the youtube gurus: NYX jumbo eye pencils. These are thick and creamy. Used on top of the primer (the primer helps to keep the creamy pencils from creasing) the sticky texture gives powder eyeshadow even more ability to adhere. I also like to experiment with other cream or gel shdaows/liners, to see which shadows show up best on which product.

Ok - I know this was pretty long! I didn't mean to ramble on quite as much as I did, but as a consumer, I always want to know what products work best on my type of eye, and why - so I have tried to take the time to explain. There are some other products that I definitely want to share, but these are the items that took me from muddy eyeshadows to clear-cut and colorful looks... these were also the items that were eluding me at first when I was trying to figure things out, so hopefully, this post will help other people who might have similar issues. Still, the thing that will allow for the most clarity and precision is always going to follow that old adage: "practice makes perfect." Although it helps to find another person with similar features and learn what they are using, ultimately, we all have to experiment to find what works best with our individual skin type, tone, and texture.

Good luck, and most importantly, HAVE FUN out there! Makeup makes me so happy, I hope that you feel the same, deriving joy from waking up each day to the palette of your face, and using your unique artistry and vision to make your life a beautiful work of art.

Beauty and the Beast

I would like to address the meaning and purpose of this blog, as well as discussing the name of the blog and of this particular post. My understanding of beauty is that it is deeply interconnected with one's sense of integrity, inner truth, and the essential goodness of our basic human nature when our natural integrity and purpose is honored in life. Basically, I believe that beauty cannot exist without a commitment to living life fully and honestly, which then gives rise to a sense of goodness... of cherishing life and all the little and large things which bring us joy (and deriving strength from all the little and large things which bring us pain).

That being said, the title of this blog is Beauty and the Beast. At this moment, I am referring to the paradoxical nature of how we regard beauty in our society/culture. In fact, it doesn't necessarily even have to do with our specific society. Biology and Darwinism play a role in putting individuals with symmetrical, pleasing features in a role of higher power than those who are not regarded as "beautiful." There is an essential paradox and conflict between the beauty which rises from deep within the soul and the beauty which is reflected by genetic factors and what can seem to be random chance.

So which beauty do we honor? The beauty which rises from a life lived in integrity and joy, or the beauty of features coveted by the outside world? In fact, I believe that at different times, we need to honor and be aware of both qualities. And that when both aspects of beauty are given appropriate energy (not too much, not too little, but like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, just the right amount) they begin to work in tandem, like the strands of DNA which spiral around each other, connected by ladder rungs of genetic coding.

There are times when the issue of being beautiful can seem like a beast, burdened by all the expectations of human attributes of beauty that are hardly attainable. I find myself often infuriated by the Hollywood starlets who repeatedly deny having undergone surgery, when in fact the changes in their appearance is as obvious and noticeable as night and day. Angelina Jolie, Halle Barry, and Jennifer Lopez are prime examples of women who are considered to be exceptionally beautiful in our society.... in fact, in the world society... when it is very obvious that each of them have markedly different profiles now than when they were younger, poorer, and surgery-free. I have a world of respect for Demi Moore, who has always admitted to undergoing surgery, even while other actors reviled it, then secretly went under the knife repeatedly to try and attain that "perfect" current standard of beauty that is unattainable naturally by most of the population.

The point is that the burden of beauty can indeed be a beast that we each carry within us, constantly putting down this feature or that. On the other hand, it doesn't have to be a beast of fear and pain. Like the Beast in the story of Beauty and the Beast, the beast can be trans-formative in positive ways if we allow ourselves to live with the paradox, attempting to be as kind to ourselves and others as possible. Go ahead and get surgery if you would like to. I have no problem with actors who have surgery. I get angry at those actors who do have surgery and then deny it, making the average Joe or Jo (unable to afford surgery) feel inadequate and un-beautiful. Or even worse, in my mind, are those smug actors who don't have surgery because they truly don't need it (at least not yet, while they are still young) who scoff dismissively at those who do have surgery.

This kind of relentless judgment is a beast of fury, anxiety and pain. But like the Beast in the fairy tale, when Beauty (the character) falls in love with the Beast, their entire world transforms into a place of joy and peace. That is to say, if we allow the beast of relentless judgment to control our thoughts and behavior - like the actors who refuse to admit to surgery and scorn those who admit to having undergone surgery - we become victims of our own cruelty and judgment. The first person to receive the brunt of an individual's cruelty is the individual's own self. As the saying goes: "When you point a finger at someone else, there are 3 more fingers pointing back at you." In contrast, if one comes to see the beauty within the beast (ah yes, there's that essential paradox), then transformation and peace are possible both internally and externally. A loving, peaceful person becomes more beautiful regardless of their physical features. And if that person were to have surgery, accepting the paradox and living life as fully and joyfully as they can envision it, the external change that the surgery produces can cause an internal change of joy and release of suffering. The seed of beauty is in each of us, no matter how we may or may not match standard ideals of beauty. And if a person has surgery without seeing the beauty within the beast , they can well become victims of dysmorphic disorder - no matter how many surgeries they undergo. Oftentimes, they are still terribly unhappy because the seed of beauty within the beast (or the seed of their own spirit) was never allowed to emerge and grow.

We, all of us, have aspects of Beauty and the Beast within us. That which we value about ourselves and others represents the "Beauty" and that which we revile within ourselves and in others represents the "Beast." In the fairy tale, transformation and union occur only after Beauty learns to love the Beast. At first, she only sees the fear, the pain, the ugliness of the Beast's countenance. But gradually, she comes to know the Beast, and she falls in love with the Spirit that lives within. In a sense, the Spirit that she recognizes at last within the Beast represents her own Spirit; her own ability to marry paradoxical truths and find joy and release in the union. Like two sides of a coin, Beauty and the Beast cannot live one without the other - and yet, as long as each refuses to look inward, they will never see the reflection of their own Spirit within the other. Two sides of a coin which look outward will only see their half of the world.

So as long as that which divides beauty and beast continues to separate, segregate and judge, no amount of surgery will satisfy that gaping maw of paradoxical hunger. The only thing to do is for beauty to accept beast, and vice-versa. Only then can both halves work in tandem (like two legs on a body) to move forward in life; in love; in spirit.

Body and Soul

In the morning
After taking a cold shower
-----what a mistake-----
I look at the mirror.

There, a funny guy,
Grey hair, white beard, wrinkled skin,
-----what a pity-----
Poor, dirty, old man!
He is not me, absolutely not.

Land and life,
Fishing in the ocean
Sleeping in the desert wth stars
Building a shelter in mountains
Farming the ancient way
Singing with coyotes
Singing against nuclear war--
I'll never be tired of life.
Now I'm seventeen years old,
Very charming young man.

I sit down quietly in lotus position,
Meditating, meditating for nothing.
Suddenly a voice comes to me:
"To stay young,
To save the world,
Break the mirror."

-Nanao Sakaki


Break the mirror. Enjoy the soft flesh of youthfulness, and enjoy equally the process of aging. This does not mean, as I once believed, that one should just stop caring about how one looks; that poverty and giving the shirt off of one's back is better than taking care of and honoring the temple of one's own body. Breaking the mirror does not mean (as I once believed) that one must kill one's ego to save the world. No, breaking the mirror is about the power of letting go of the ideas we have about who we are, and learning to love and appreciate ourselves just as we are. Breaking the mirror is about breaking down the barriers that keep us from really getting to know ourselves. And who are we, really? That's the twenty-four million dollar question. Because we are none of us meant to be the same. For some, enjoying the process of aging can very well be the act of injecting pig toxins into your face so that one's skin is smooth and taut. There can be joy in reveling in the smoothness of the palette of one's skin after getting a facelift. And part of this puzzle; this paradox, is that we all know that those who are considered to be more attractive get better treatment; better opportunities. That paradox is a beast. That paradox is an attribute of the "Beast." That confusion, fear, pain and suffering is the Beast, and that is why we try so hard to run away rather than to befriend this poor, pitiful Beast that is actually one of the tenderest aspects of our deep selves.

Befriending the Beast teaches us that there is no "right" nor "wrong" way to behave or to choose. We each have our own paths; our own destinies to honor. Break the mirror - stop looking outside constantly for answers; for peace. The answers are here within us, right alongside the monstrously fearful "Beast;" the boogeyman under the bed with sharp claws to cut through tender bellies when we were children; the dark stranger who chases us relentlessly in dreams as adults. And paradoxically (of course), once the mirror is broken, the Beast is beast no longer - and with that, other labels dissipate: "beauty" and "beast;" "good" and "bad" also lose focus and meaning. The more important discernments become: "satisfying" or "pointless;" "helps to grow" or "keeps one stagnant."

This is a blog about celebrating beauty in its wholeness. Beauty, truth and goodness are like a tripod - when one of the legs is missing, the whole structure will collapse. When all three legs are strong, it is the most structurally sound formation possible. So there is no need to divorce beauty from the beast, nor from anything else. Each person's integral truth will light them up with the essence of their own beauty when all three prongs are existing equally and in harmony.

It's as if we were all given a lump of clay at birth, and were told that we could make anything we wanted out of this clay. Some of our lumps were wider, bumpier; black, white, red or yellow. Some of our lumps were broken and some of them were seemingly already formed. And as spirits, we knew that this was just our lump of clay to work into our own masterpiece. For some, a masterpiece was like a photo taken of an old, old woman with wrinkles and warts on her nose. (Oftentimes, it's more fun to draw or take a picture of a human being with infinite wrinkles and folds rather than perfectly smooth, flat skin.) For others, a masterpiece was about making a Barbie. For everyone, the idea of a masterpiece changes over and over again just as they themselves change and grew. But the point is that we were given this body to live in, and the right to choose how to decorate it; to bash it (bashing could be the satisfying hard bashing of athletic training or it could be the painful bashing of an abusive relationship); to yell at it or sing to it; to react to all the other bodies giving off confusing signals or to learn how to hone into and listen to the deep voice within. The point is, that we each have the right and the need to choose what we want to express. And if we are choosing with joy, our bodies vibrate with that joy like a pure note on a violin sends ripples of sound deep into the heavens.

So welcome to this blog. Welcome to a place where beauty is explored in my terms and through the lens of my personal frame of reference.. (And I want to hear your feelings and thoughts too... because part of the joy of molding my own lump of clay is in learning and experiencing how you shape yours. We all affect each other, and that can be such a powerfully gorgeous experience when shared consciously.) Welcome to my facebook, twitter, and youtube accounts. Welcome to the advent of 'me' adding my voice to the harmonic ensemble of "All That Is" by my singing of what I believe to be beautiful, real, and full of integrity. I hope you enjoy the ride of the dance as much as I do: makeup brushes in hand, a song upon my lips, a thrill upon my heartbeat.