In one of my more recent videos, I wore a very simple, soft smokey eye. The smokey eye. One of the, maybe the most popularly requested eye look. It evokes a certain mysteriousness and sexiness. It can take many forms, use a variety of colours, not just black. This one is going to be simple and slightly smokey. A rose gold inspired, summer smokey eye makeup tutorial. Great for daytime, when you want just a little sumthin sumthin! It also works as a summertime look when you don’t want so much intensity. I used neutral colours with golds, but you can greens, navys, purple, be creative!
There are tons of reviews and articles online about makeup application. What products to use, what brushes to buy, how to apply it. But what are you to do when you have come home, exhausted and need to take that makeup off? What do we use? Makeup removal should be your first step of your skincare routine. That leftover foundation will block or affect the efficacy of any serum, hydrator, antioxidant that you use. Nowadays, in the US, folks are using more and more long wearing, richly pigmented, heavy duty or waterproof makeup and sometimes your regular cleanser just doesn’t cut it. I like to get rid of that first layer of product so that my cleansers would be more effective and deep cleaning. So in this post, I will be discussing 4 different types of makeup removers. I even include an extra makeup removal tip! So that is really 5 ways to remove your makeup.
So this post and video will only cover removal methods for regular consumer makeup products. Special effects, theatrical and other alcohol/silicone based makeup are excluded.
Check out my video on makeup removers
Details mentioned in the Makeup Removers video
Balms/Cleansing Oils Makeup Removers
These do a great job in breaking down pigments, long wearing makeup and even sunscreen. Does this without drying the skin and can be used on all skin types.
Image via Bioderma – Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution
Made famous in the US by French brands. Water like consistency and actually contain mild surfactants/cleansers. Good to use if looking for a one step process
I have a love-hate thing with Rihanna. I still don’t think she has a great voice, but her songwriters? Boss! And I love her take no prisoners attitude. She lives her life on her own terms and I can roll with that! She recently appears in a new hit, in collaboration with DJ Khaled and Bryson Tiller. DJ Khaled sampled a portion of the song ‘Maria Maria’ by Carlos Santana. But RiRi and crew flipped it, Caribbeanised it and made it fresh again. The video is fire! Rihanna’s makeup is fire! Reminds me a lot of a few of her other videos featuring Jamaican/Caribbean dancehall scenes. It took me a long time to figure out what she was saying – ‘Wha Wha Wha Tho’ – that’s what I heard.
This post is about one of her hottest looks.
The one with her wearing that sexy emerald green see-through ruffled dress, turquoise eyes and a red lip. This is an example doing a bold eye and a bold lip with much success. Don’t make the look too complicated or involved.
I had fun with this look. I used a mix of drugstore and more expensive makeup. And of course there is a video with the exact steps!
Look at that highlight from SonjdraDeluxe & Melanie Mills Hollywood! **Peach Deluxe**
Glossier. This brand has been on my radar for a few months now. They appear to have positioned themselves as a minimalist brand. Products to give a fresh, just-came-from-the-gym look. Basically makeup for non-makeup wearers. You won’t find any heavy duty coverage or stuff to bake with. I have been anxious to do a Glossier review for a while.
Glossier is a New York City based brand with a showroom in Lower Manhattan. So of course your girl had to pay a visit! I still love to go into a store to touch the products. On a rainy day (which has been quite the norm in NYC these days), I made my way to the Glossier showroom on the penthouse level on Lafayette Street. A very bright space with stations where you can test out all their products.
I decided to pick up one of their best selling products, the Glossier Boy Brow in Black. This is their darkest shade and it is really a soft, grayish black with a hint of brown. I also picked up one of their newer products, the Glossier Cloud Paint in Haze. All Glossier products come in a handy, TSA-friendly pink bubble wrap pouch and some stickers.
Pouch that comes with your purchase!
For the Glossier Review: Boy Brow in Black, click here
For the Glossier Review: Cloud Paint in Haze, click here
Boy Brow is described by Glossier as a ‘creamy wax formula inspired by traditional hair pomade that does not stiffen or flake”. It comes with a short, small spoolie brush. This product contains both beeswax and carnauba wax which provides the hold, an emollient made from olive oil (Oleic Acid) that provides conditioning. It also contains a collagen derivative that nourishes and conditions the hair and lecithin which gives the formula smoothness and a subtle sheen. The Black shade is soft black and it does very slightly darken my brow hair. It also slightly thickens the hair as well.
Packaging
Primary packaging
The small brush
Boy Brow comes in a small white tube and with a short, fat spoolie. The cap has a chrome-like finish. It contains 0.11 oz which is less than your average brow gel product. Even though it has a small size, I had no difficulty using the product.
Method of Application
Use like a typical mascara/brow product. Wipe the excess product off the tip of the brush before applying to eyebrows. Use light strokes to shape and colour the hair.
Results/Conclusion
On my eyebrow
I liked this product. Slightly darkened my eyebrows which made them look more pronounced without having to “draw in” or imitate brow hairs. My brows felt soft, not crunchy or stiff and they were kept in place all day. Even in hot weather. If you are looking for dramatic sculpting of the brow, this is not the product. It is a more natural effect. There is a lot of hype around this product, as a matter of fact it is their number # 1 selling item. Is this the more revolutionary, earth-shattering product? No, but it performs quite well and it is definitely worth trying out. It’s effortless and natural looking, especially in the age of the ‘Instagram eyebrow’. If there was a gripe, it would be the price. Not expensive but it is not drugstore level (it has not marketed itself as a drugstore brand). At US$16, it is priced in the mid-range and some may think its price does not match the quantity that you get. But this performed well, I don’t have to worry about my brow hairs breaking off and I will buy this again.
Cloud Paint in Haze
Outer packaging
Cloud Paint is a gel-cream formula that is seamless, sheer and buildable. This is a really good description. It definitely has a very smooth, gel like texture and is almost translucent in quality. It reminds me of the Benefit Benetint. Especially the Haze shade. It also contains collagen which helps the skin retain water and therefore plumps up the skin. Haze is a deep raspberry colour, that is cool-toned.
Packaging
Cloud Paint comes in a white, soft, flexible plastic tube with an octogonal screw cap. The brand name Glossier, the cap and the top inch of the tube is coloured in the colour of product. So Haze has a deep pink/fuschia colour. The tube opening is small but you can extrude too much product if you squeeze on the tube too forcefully. It contains 0.33 fl.oz/10ml of product. I have a preference for a needle-nosed opening/dispenser but that is totally personal.
Method of Application
Start with small amount of product. Pea-sized. I use my fingers to apply product and that works very well. The thin formula applies smoothly and melts into the skin. This makes it buildable.
Results/Conclusion
Swatch – Bottom: Straight from tube; Top: Blended out
On my cheek!
You know I love a cream blush. So this is right up my alley. Haze is pigmented but the other three colours, I felt, were not pigmented enough or too ashy/pastel for dark skin which is why I only picked up Haze. Due to the formula of the product, I found myself applying what I would consider a lot of the product to get an intense pigmentation. I don’t think that is the pigmentation, but rather the texture so that it is readily absorbed, especially on my dry skin. This product would be ideal for the person afraid of blush or looking for a natural, colour-from-within effect. It leaves a skin-like, satin finish so it would be great for all skin types, including oily skin. It also is the only one of the four colours that I think is suitable for all skin tones, including very dark skin. At $US18, I think this is worth it. Quite frankly, who ever really goes through an entire blush? I have been wearing this a lot recently. I would recommend that Glossier change the colours to the other shades to make it more wearable for medium to dark POC. After wearing this all day, there was some fading but it was still visible. Try it, but if you are looking for some in your face colour, this would not be the product.
Availability
Online at glossier.com or at their NYC Showroom @ 123 Lafayette Street, Penthouse, New York, NY 10013.
Glossier Review: Video
If you want to see these products in action, here’s the video!
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FTC Disclosure: Products were purchased by me, Noire Tropical Beauty. All opinions expressed are 100% honest and my own. I have not been compensated for this review. For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy.
Today’s post is picture heavy! This is my annual visual recap of The Makeup Show NYC. Once again, an amazing event, with a slightly different mix of brands this year. I was able to discover some ones and attend classes from some artists that I have never seen live before. I also got a sneak peek into some new products that are coming out soon and I will be bringing it here on the blog!
Special shoutout to all the people that I met, all the artists, owners and organisers of this event. I continue to be inspired by beauty and innovation!
What did I see at The Makeup Show NYC?
I have broken down the event into a number of categories….
Product
There were new waterproof product launches including from Make Up For Ever, BlackUp Cosmetics and Danessa Myricks Beauty. I will be doing a review on some of the items that I picked up
