Line It Up: How to create the perfect cat’s eye

I am so obsessed with sporting a winged liner at all times. Be it a sleek and simple line to an outrageously eye-catching design, I think nothing beats a purr-fect cat’s eye for a daytime or nighttime look.

And thanks to the below tutorial, you’ll be able to whip up a perfect winged liner that’s impossible not to notice. Meow.

Image | Pinterest

1. Keep your eyes relaxed and slightly open to making lining easy. Next, using a black liquid liner (I love Lancome Liner Design Graphic Precision Eye Liner in Noir Sensuel), gently drag the pen tip along your upper lashline starting from the top inner corner of your eye toward the outer corner of your eye. Follow the natural shape of your eye and try to line the ink as close to the lashes as possible. For a thick line, press the pen down firmly.

2. To create the cat’s flick, draw a thin diagonal line that strays just beyond the outer corner of the eye (at a 45 degree angle). As an indication, the liner should go upwards towards where the eyebrow ends.

3. Now keeping the eye you’re drawing on closed (and the other open, obvi), put your pointer finger on your brow bone and slightly pull your lid upward so your skin is taut. With your other hand, draw a straight line starting from the top of the wing and ending at the middle of your lid.

4. Fill inside the lines of your stenciled wing.

5. Finish by adding a few lashings of mascara to the top and bottom lashes.

PRO TIP: Be sure to apply your winged liner after your eyeshadow to make it stand out better.

❤ Kristina xo

Ps. In a beauty fix and need some advice? Or maybe you just want to chat about all things pretty? Drop me a line! kristina@fragrancesandcosmetics.com.au.
Or, if you’re in the mood for some eye candy, come and see what I’ve been Pinning over at www.pinterest.com/freshdiscover. Better yet – join me on Facebook for more beauty fun www.facebook.com/freshfragrances. And for a plain old good time, come and follow us on Instagram – @freshdiscoverbeauty – & Twitter @fresh_fragrances.

Now Trending: The Deep Side Part

One thing’s for sure—a deep side-part adds instant sophistication to any hairstyle. Not only is it the most flattering ‘do for any face shape but it’s the runway and catwalk trend that’s taking the mane world by storm.  However for many, creating the perfect part can be quite tricky. I gave it a go last week and the results were kinda’ awks (combover, much?). So after hunting down some expert tips, I’ve compiled an easy peasy tutorial that will have you achieving this voluminous extreme part in no time at all. If I can do it – so can you!

1. One hair is washed, run a leave-in conditioner such as Paul Mitchell The Conditioner through your locks.

2. Apply a coin-sized amount of Biosilk Smoothing Balm to towel-dried hair from the roots to tips to tame frizz.  If your hair is fine, spray on a volumizing mist to the scalp like Matrix Total Results Amplify Volume Wonder Boost Root Lifer to add structure and body.

3. Using a fine toothed comb, create a dramatic side part all the way to the top of your head, parting the hair closer to your ear and using the high point of your eyebrow as a guide of where the part line should start. Comb straight down on either side.

4. Add some “oomph” to your locks by creating a few loose waves and volume throughout the rest of your tresses. Use this tutorial as a guide.

5. Complete your look with a spritz of lifting hairspray, particularly around the part, in order to ensure it stays put.

6. Add some shine serum for a glossy finishing touch. To evenly distribute the product, put a teensy amount of serum in your palm, then run your hairbrush bristles through it and run the brush through hair, steering clear of the roots to avoid greasy looking tresses.Kapish!

❤ Kristina xo

Ps. In a beauty fix and need some advice? Or maybe you just want to chat all things beauty? Drop me a line! kristina@fragrancesandcosmetics.com.au.
Or, if you’re in the mood for some eye candy, come and see what I’ve been Pinning over at www.pinterest.com/freshdiscover. Better yet – join us on Facebook for more beauty fun www.facebook.com/freshfragrances. And for plain old fun, come and follow us on Instagram – @freshdiscoverbeauty – & Twitter @fresh_fragrances

AW13 TREND REPORT: The Sleek High Ponytail

My, my what a month in the big bold beauty world it’s been, what with New York, Milan and London Fashion Week kicking off with a bang. I’ve been steadily stalking the runways, and let me tell you beauties, it’s going to be an exciting new season of skin, hair and makeup!

I sung praise over the berry lip only a few days ago, and today’s second instalment in the Autumn Winter trend forecasting series focuses on a mane-changing ‘do that’s equal parts flattering and wearable. I’m talking about the oh-so-chic sleek high ponytail, making its debut at Donna Karan, Michael Kors and Alexander Wang shows during NYFW. The Kors look was paired with a sultry winged cat’s eye and nude lip while models at the Karan show sported hair tightly pulled back from the scalp and wound up in black mesh elastic tape. Similarly, models rocked the sophisticated look at Jason Wu, this time with a corresponding emerald green eye (how very bang-on-trend!) while Alexander Wang models donned low cognac coloured tresses styled in – you guessed it – the signature ponytail.

To get the high pony look, follow these so-simple instructions:

1. Wash your hair with a smoothing and hydrating shampoo such as L’Oreal Professionnel Liss Ultime Smoothing Shampoo and follow with an equally smoothing and nourishing conditioner like Redken Smooth Down Conditioner. Blot the hair dry, but don’t rub to keep the cuticle smooth.

2. Next, spritz some Tigi Catwalk Sleek Mystique Fast Fixx Style Prep through the locks, to ensure your hair is detangled and smooth for styling. Then work KMS California Hair Stay Styling Gel through the  hair to make the ponytail easier to sculpt and then blow dry section by section using a paddle brush. Flat iron the hair if necessary once it’s completely dry.

3. Create the pony tail using a Mason Person Bristle Brush or a flat headed brush.  So worth the investment, this iconic mane tool is designed with a unique convex rubber-cushion pad for absolute efficacious brushing. Centre the pony high on the back of your head, where it begins to slope away from the top, and brush all your hair in that direction until it is as smooth as possible. Finally, wrap your hair elastic around the base until it is taut and then pull the sides of the ponytail to tighten them a bit more. You can also be a bit experimental and wrap the base with a strip of your hair and clip it with a bobby pin for added finesse.

4. Use a comb to smooth out any lumps or bumps in the ponytail. Finish by lightly spraying a flexible hold spray gel to the entirety of your hair for a long-lasting hold.

Still need a little extra help? Take cue from this video tutorial. Hint: You may need a toothbrush to smooth things into place. Yikes!

Voila! You’re all set to woo the crowds in the seasons ahead.

❤ Kristina xo

Ps. In a beauty fix and need some advice? Or maybe you want to suggest a story idea? Drop me a line! kristina@fragrancesandcosmetics.com.au 

Gold Medal Beauty

Tags

Christian Dior, Dior, Dior Addict Ultra Gloss Intimate Bronze, Dior One Colour Eyeshadow Gold Touch., DKNY Golden Delicious, Dolce & Gabbana, Dolce & Gabbana Lip Gloss Gold, Dolce and Gabbana, Elizabeth Arden, Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Gold Ultra Restorative Capsules, Estee Lauder, Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Sheer Lip Tint Bronze, Estee Lauder Pure Color Eye Shadow Silver Ball, eyeshadow, floral fragrance, fragrance, Guerlain, Guerlain L'Or Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold Makeup Base, Jane Iredale, Jane Iredale 24 Karat Gold Dust Shimmer Powder - Silver, La Prairie with Silver Rain, Lip gloss, Lip tint, Lipstick, perfume, Shiseido, Shiseido The Makeup Lip Gloss Silver Gleam, YSL Eyeshadow Ombres 5 Lumieres (5 Colour Harmony for Eyes) Bronze Gold, YSL La Laque Couture Nail Lacquer Bronze Aztec, Yves Saint Laurent

With the Olympics here, we really should be supporting our fellow countrymen, be they Australian, British, Chinese or from anywhere else! I get so patriotic during the Olympics it’s amazing…you would never know that about me during the 4 period between games.

In support of all the running, swimming and jumping, I’ve tracked down some Gold, Silver and Bronze makeup, perfume and some skincare so that next time you are watching your favourite Olympic event you can feel like you too are a winner!

In first place in the perfume category we have DKNY Golden Delicious. This is a lovely floral perfume that’s perfect for all occasion (it’s also a pretty bottle!). In second place, we have La Prairie with Silver Rain. This is a stunning shaped bottle. The perfume itself is quite strong as it contains several strong smelling florals and is more suited to special occasions.

For our makeup, it’s a little harder to compare shadows and lipsticks and most brands don’t even produce a gold lipstick! So instead I’ll just go ahead and tell you what I found! If you have found some Olympic trends that you love, let me know.

Great Gold buys:

Dior One Colour Eyeshadow – No. 546 in Gold Touch. This is a lovely creamy eyeshadow that goes well with other colours.

Dolce & Gabbana Lip Gloss – # 160 Gold. This gloss has a lovely shiny finish that works perfectly with a red matt lipstick.

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Gold Ultra Restorative Capsules. Many women swear by these capsules and it’s no surprise as these intensive single dose capsules deliver ceramides and essential lipids to strengthen skin. They can apparently minimise the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles and improve skin tone & clarity. Definitely a gold medal winner!

Guerlain L’Or Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold Makeup Base. This product actually contains REAL GOLD! It also instantly melts into skin to retain moisture. It imparts a sheer glow and leaves skin with an even finish under makeup.

Spectacular Silver

Jane Iredale 24 Karat Gold Dust Shimmer Powder – Silver. As you could probably already tell from the name, this powder contains 24 Karat gold dust. If you were wanting to look extra-shimmery for a special evening, then this ones for you!

Estee Lauder Pure Color Eye Shadow – 33 Silver Ball. This is another lovely creamy eyeshadow from Estee Lauder (they just don’t get it wrong, do they?). It also contains Vitamin E which is good for your skin and should help in preventing Eye Irritation. Nice!

Shiseido The Makeup Lip Gloss – G10 Silver Gleam. This is not just a gloss, It’s also a lip conditioner, it contains vitamin A and E to moisturise  and hydrate your lips. This is great for those times when your are wearing long-lasting lipstick and it starts to get a bit feathery.

Bronze Beauties

YSL Eyeshadow Ombres 5 Lumieres (5 Colour Harmony for Eyes) – No. 07 Bronze Gold. This palette is great if you are looking to create a bronze-goddess look. You can also wear the colours by themselves and they look just as fab

Dior Addict Ultra Gloss #522 Intimate Bronze. This gloss is so great I would wear it by itself, all day, every day.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Sheer Lip Tint in Bronze. As with almost all Estee Lauder products, this lipstick moisturises while you wear it. It also contains Vitamin A, E and has an SPF of 15+!

YSL La Laque Couture Nail Lacquer – # 28 Bronze Aztec. I love this colour and as a bonus, it’s long wearing so should last the entire time the Olympics are on – Hooray!

New Trend: The Snow White

Tags

red lipstick; vermilion; red; Christian Dior; Dior; Iconic Red lipstick; Dior Iconic Red; moisturizing lipstick; skintone; Dr. Denese tinted moisturizer; Kevyn Aucoin concealer; Stila bronzer; powder;, Snow White; Gucci; Donna Karan; red lipstick; vermilion; red;

It seems the fairytale has become a beauty trend lately, with pale faces and vermilion lips popping up on catwalks and red carpets everywhere from Gucci, to Donna Karan to Jessica Alba. It seems the recent spate of fairytale-inspired movies and TV series has moved into real life.
The upside? This look is very flattering and achievable.  The ultimate focus is on the lips, so making sure you have an amazing dark red lipstick is key. Dior has a fabulous lipstick called Iconic Red. It’s a moisturising lipstick, so won’t leave your lips cracked and the colour won’t bleed.  This is quite a bright red colour, you may want a darker red, depending on your skintone.
Obviously before your lipstick, you will need to prep your face. I would recommend doing your normal routine: in my case, I apply my Dr. Denese tinted moisturiser with sunscreen, my Kevyn Aucoin concealer and powder and a Stila bronzer. Then I begin my eyes.
Because this look is focussed on your lips, you want your eyes to be simple. If you have too much eyeshadow applied, you will end up looking overdone. I would recommend applying a brown and pink eyeshadow. This will look fab with your red lippie – I promise!  But if you are concerned that you may look teary, apply more brown than pink. I would use Christian Dior Sunset Café. Also use a brown eyeliner (pencil not gel) . YSL has a great eyeliner pencil in Hazelnut brown. For your lashes, use Clinique High Impact Curling mascara in black.
To ensure that your lips remain where they should be all day, apply a lip liner not just around the edge of your lips, but also colour your lips in. The shade should be one shade lighter than the lipstick. In this case, I recommend Lancome Le Contour Pro Precision and Long Lasting Lipcontour in Rouge Tulipe. Once applied, put on your lipstick carefully with a lip brush. This should help your lipstick stay for longer and not bleed into the edges of your lips.
So now that you are the fairest of them all, go find yourself a handsome prince and 7 dwarves!

Beauty Trends – Metallics

Tags

beauty trends, black eye liner, Christian Dior, cosmetics, Dior, Estee Lauder, eyeshadow, kohl liner, Laura Mercier, makeup, metallics, smoky eye, Too Faced, trends

 

There are some weird and wacky trends around and then there are some just plain “wrap-you-in-a-white-suit-crazy” trends (like the Gaga eyebrow makeup that occasionally gets shown on various beauty forums).

Then there are some trends that make you think, heck, I can pull that off! Just be warned, these are TRENDS. Not designed for longevity like, say a Chanel red lipstick.

One trend I think is quite eye-catching and great for jazzing-up a simple smoky-eye to something a little more fancy for night wear is metallics. This trend has been seen on Pucci, Sass and Bide and Cavalli to name a few.

The trick with metallics is to keep the rest of your face simple. If you are putting on metallic eyeshadow, then keep you lips down to a gloss or pale lipstick. If you are using metallics on your cheeks, then keep your eyes down to liner, mascara and nude shadow and lips down to a gloss.

For the metallic shadow itself, use a black kohl liner (Dior has some great ones) for around your eyes, this can be smudged on the top lid. Use a gold shadow in the corners of your eyes (Laura Mercier has a good one that you can put on with your fingers). As you go out to the edge of your lid, put a darker brown metallic (like the Too Faced chocolate collection). Get a really dark, black metallic shadow near the edge of eyes and in the crease to really make your eyes stand out (such as Estee Lauder Metallic collection).

Finally, have a great time looking fabulous!