Super Bowl Sunday: Go STEELERS!

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of matching my makeup to my clothing because it just looks too matchy-matchy to me. But when you're a die-hard fan* of any sports team, it's natural to want to show your colors in any and all ways possible (even if it means matching your eyeshadow, lipstick, and team jersey) right?

Well, sort of.

For example, in this year's Super Bowl (the biggest, most important American football game for all of my foreign readers), I favored the Pittsburgh Steelers. But instead of wearing a look that was centered around black and yellow, I wanted to do a more unique, wearable look that would look good for a football game or any other fun event.

So, since I was avoiding black and yellow, I did a look based around my team's name and made a "steely" gray look!



Eyes: First, I primed my eyes with Urban Decay's Primer Potion because I wanted this look to not have fall-out or flake off as the day progressed. Then, with a thick, flat brush I patted UD's gray Gunmetal shade (from the Naked palette) all over the lid. It's REALLY important to use patting motions because there is so much glitter in this shade that if you try to brush it on, you'll wind up with glitter all over your face! I then blended the shade at the edges, into the sockets, so that it didn't look like a harsh gray blob on my eyes.

Next, I took a smudging -- or pencil -- brush and ran the black Creep shade (also from the Naked palette) just above my upper lash line. This also has glitter, so be careful!! After I applied it, I blended it upwards, creating a silvery, smokey eye. To balance out the dark lids, I then used my clean blending brush to lightly apply the shimmery, light beige tone from the same palette, called Virgin, just underneath my brows and down into the inner corner of my eyes. I also highlighted the brow bone with just a little bit of Sin -- a very light, shimmery pink shadow.

I lined my eyes with a thin line of black gel liner on the top lashes and then used an angled brush to apply the Gunmetal shade on the outer two thirds of my lower lash line. Lastly, I curled my lashes and applied a lengthening mascara.

Face: Because the eyes are so dark for this look, it's really important to use a good concealer under the eyes. Apply it with patting motions using your ring or middle finger so that the concealer blends into the skin but isn't rubbed off. Then, I used a tinted moisturizer since I didn't want my makeup to look too over-done (after all, this was just for a football and food party). To lock in the concealer and moisturizer, I applied a mineralized face powder all over my face with a fluffy brush. I then used bronzer to sculpt my jaw line and a very light, raspberry-toned blush on the cheeks.

Lips: I went really simple, and just applied a sheer gloss. The idea of this look is to have the eyes really pop!

Happy (Belated) Halloween! My Makeup Look for Halloween

To celebrate Halloween (and kick off homecoming) this year, my boyfriend and I attended Ludacris's FREE concert at our university with thousands of other students. We had a blast getting into the school spirit, but because it was on Halloween, we decided to attend in our costumes. My lovely boyfriend and I were Musketeers. Here is my costume and makeup design with instructions for anyone who might want to recreate it for another holiday or costume party. Enjoy!

Eyes: For this look, I basically did the same eyeshadow I did for the Rocky Horror makeup tutorial, but instead of black shadow in the center, I used purple. This made the eye softer and more feminine, which complimented the flirty black dress. I lined both my upper and lower waterlines to make the eyes more sultry and then added a volumizing mascara. I didn't wing my eyeliner out, but you can to make the eyes more dramatic.

Face: Definitely do concealer after you do your eyeshadow because it'll keep fallout bits from collecting and making your undereyes look dark and heavy. I used a dark bronzer (again) to contour the face and a rosy blush to give my cheeks a natural flush.

Lips: I chose to do my lips in a pinky-berry color to make it look more flirty and natural. You could do a red lip for an evening look, but since the concert festivities started in the afternoon, I wanted my makeup to be appropriate for day time. Once again, I used the same techniques from the Rocky Horror tutorial.

Hair: I separated my bangs out and then French braided my hair to keep it nice with my hat on. After finishing the braid, I straightened my bangs and tucked them behind my ears, securing longer strands with a small bobby pin. Lots of hairspray was used to prevent fly-aways!!

Happy Halloween! My makeup for Rocky Horror night

My university does a free showing of Rocky Horror every year at midnight, the Friday before Halloween. I normally don't dress like a particular character, but just go for outrageously sexy-gaudy makeup. Here's what I wore and here's how to do it! Happy Halloween!!

The look!

Eyes: I started off with an eyeshadow primer to make sure the smokey eye wouldn't shift allover my face throughout the night. Then using this eyeshadow palette, I did a smokey eye..
I first took the taupe color in the upper left corner on a soft dome brush and dusted it all over my lids and about halfway up onto my brow bones. Then, I took the grayish-taupe color on the top right on a stiff, flat brush and packed it into the inner and outer corner of both eyes. Lastly, I took the black shadow in the bottom right corner on the same stiff brush and tapped it onto the center of my lid. This was a pretty dark eye, so to lighten it up a bit, I lined my lower lash line with a white pencil and also took the liner up into the inner corner of my eye...
The white lining I did on the inner corner of my eyes I covered with the silver eyeshadow in the bottom left corner to make my eyes glitter. Next, I lined my eyes with a black gel liner. To get the winged out effect, you need to hold a straight edge against the outer corner of your eye at the angle you want the wing to go (I would recommend tape. It doesn't hurt and it frees up your hand to hold your lid steady). Because I felt the eyes still looked a little too matte for the occasion, I added a thin, metallic blue line in liquid eyeliner between my lashes and the top of the black gel line. It instantly made my eyes pop! Lastly, I curled my lashes and applied a great volumizing mascara (if you want more volume or thicker lashes, apply fake lashes as well)..

Face: Apply concealer AFTER you do your eyes because you will most likely get fallout from the dark shadows that could potentially mess up your concealer if you do that first. Contour your face with a darker bronzer to create a more dramatic look..

I've hit tin pan on this one, but I love it! I'll definitely use the whole thing up.

You can add blush if you'd like. I'd recommend a pink or red so it doesn't look too natural.


Lips: Everyone knows Rocky Horror is famous for the Lips that introduce the movie through the song "Science Fiction Double Feature"! For this look, I did a very dramatic red lip by applying a red lipstain and letting it dry...
Then, apply a true red lipstick. Avoid corals, because they'll look 'off' on top of the stain. Deeper shades like wine should also be avoided because they'll drag down the whole look and seem a bit heavy. So, apply your red lipstick, and then blot away excess. Reapply a light coat if you'd like to make it more shiny. Leave it alone if you want it to be matte.
If you're like me, you probably struggle with making your lips look PERFECT each time you do them. Since red lipstick will definitely stand out if it's not all even, take a light-colored concealer and a small brush and line just outside of your lips, and blend outward. This will highlight your cupids bow, hide any mistakes or discoloration, and make your lips look almost too perfect.


And there you have it: a perfect Rocky Horror look for all of my gorgeous Beauty Brains. Happy Halloween!

White eyeliner is your best friend

Seriously.

If you pull all-nighters, cry your eyes out at a chick flick, or just have a really bad cold, white eyeliner is the best thing you can use. Apply a thin line to your bottom waterline (just above your lashes on your lower lid) and it instantly makes your eyes brighter, whiter, and bigger. How gorgeous!

You can also use white eyeliner along the inner corners of your eyes when doing a dark smokey eye so that the gray/purple/black/blue eyeshadow doesn't make you look like a raccoon. Another awesome trick? Apply white eyeliner allover your lids before applying a really vibrant color. The white base coat will make that color pop and look infinitely brighter.

At the moment, I'm really hooked on mark.'s No Place to Run Eyeliner in White On ($8.00). Yeah, this is kinda pricey for an eyeliner, BUT it does last forever because it seriously is waterproof. Therefore, you probably will not need to reapply it throughout the day.

So yes. White eyeliner + you = Biffles