Saturday, October 29, 2011

Arabian Nights, Arabian Days

Salam Alaykum!!

Today, I'm excited to present my first ever Arabic makeup look, fulfilling a special request for my dear friend Maria. Arabic makeup can be worn on any special occasion or none at all, and in this case, I'm featuring the look specifically for Halloween. This makeup can be worn with many Halloween Arabic inspired costumes, such as Arabian Princess or even Princess Jasmine. Maria's costume is an Americanized sexy Arabic Princess costume dress / cover-up in teal with gold accents. Keeping the color scheme in mind, here's the makeup look I created for Maria: 
Brace yourself for my longest post yet! Read more for pix & a tutorial :)))


If you don't care for the tutorial, just browse through the pix :)) Hope you enjoy the makeup as much as I enjoyed creating this look!
Arabic style makeup is not your average going out makeup. This exotic style--made famous by Middle Eastern, Turkish, North African and South Asian women--is all about accentuating the features with bright colors, sharp lines and impeccable precision and artistry. Arab women are particularly known for their flawless skin, perfectly arched, dark eyebrows, and smoldering black winged eyeliner. In creating my Arabic makeup look, I searched for authentic examples of Arabic makeup, worn by Arabic women. The images below were borrowed from Google Images.

The beautiful Haifa Wehbe, a Lebanese singer, is well-known for her dramatic makeup looks and controversial attire:

The look I came up with isn't as complicated as the one you see on Haifa, but it took a lot of steps and products, so let's get started!!!

For this look, you'll need the following tools:
SKIN: 
  • foundation, concealer, finishing powder, blush, highlighter and contouring powder of your choice
EYES: 
  1. Primer
  2. Tape (any clear tape will do)
  3. Several sticky bases in white, gold, shimmery brown, burgundy, teal and shimmery white
  4. Shimmery eye shadows in gold, bronze, burgundy, teal, and pearl white. The more shades of a color you use, the better.
  5. Black waterproof eyeliner pencil
  6. Black gel or liquid eyeliner
  7. False lashes & glue
  8. Black Mascara
  9. Eyebrow pencil & spoolie
BRUSHES for the eye makeup:
  • fluffy dome brush, pencil brush, stiff angled brush and eyeliner brush (if using gel liner)
LIPS: 
  • nude lipliner, pinkish nude lipstick and gold lip gloss of your choice.
(I will list the products I used in the tutorial)

SKIN: To create a near flawless canvas, I used Make Up For Ever HD Foundation in 140. I'm typically a 170, but since Arabic women favor a porcelain doll look, I went for a much light shade and applied it to the center of my face. Next, I contoured the sides of my face with a color that matches my skin tone. I used a slightly darker shade to contour my nose. I finished the skin with Milani pressed powder in 07--Buff. This is what it looked like -->
EYEBROWS: To make my eyebrows appear extra sharp (my eyebrows are already quite arched), I used a charcoal pencil to outline the shape. If you can't do this freehand, use an index card or an envelope to draw a straight line on the bottom of your brow, starting from the inner portion to the center high point. Arabic women tend to have long, closely set eyebrows, so draw them in towards the nose if yours are set further apart. Also, extend the outer edge in the direction of your hair growth. TIP: make sure to use a spoolie and brush out the harsh pencil line. Don't worry about stray hairs, they will all be covered up with the makeup :)) My eyebrow pencil: NYX eye liner pencil in Charcoal.

THE EYE MAKEUP: Prep the eyes with a primer (I used Urban Decay primer potion for this one) and apply your tape from the outer edge of your eye (leave a few mm for your eyeliner) to the tip of your extended eyebrow. Like so -->
Applying the BASES: sticky bases are very important in Arabic makeup looks because they help the eye shadows look more vibrant and stay on longer. With sticky bases, one can easily draw the shape prior to applying the eye shadows, so think of it as a layout for your eye makeup. For this look, I'm starting with the highlight first. I'm using NYX jumbo eye pencil in Milk (white) as my first base and applying it with a flat, square brush directly under where I drew my eyebrow. This step can also be done with a white eyeliner. 
Using your second base, a shimmery brown (NYX jumbo eye pencil in French Fries--not pictured), outline the shape of your eyeshadow, raising the outer corner in a cat eye style. Blend the product out with your finger. TIP: make sure to blend the product over the tape to create that extra sharp line that is so typical of Arabic makeup :)
Next, apply your burgundy base, I'm using NYX jumbo eye pencil in Rust. Place the color in the outer "V" of your eye and blend it out with your finger. Layering the colors is necessary for dimension and eyeshadow blending purposes. Add some color under the lower lash line as well.
Apply a gold base (NYX jumbo eye pencil in True Gold) all over the lid or the blank part of your eye, going slightly above the crease. As always, blend it out with your finger :)
To highlight the inner portion of your eye, use a shimmery white base (NYX j. e. p. in Cottage Cheese) or the same white base as for the highlight and apply it to the inner tear duct of your eye. Blend it out using your pinky finger.
Final BASE: Using a teal base, (NYX j. e. p. in Electric Blue) underline the lower lash line, leaving some room for the black eyeliner. Do not blend out this base. As you can see, the makeup is starting to take shape and is already looking quite dramatic and Arabic :))
EYE SHADOWS:
  1. Start with the highlighter under the brow and apply it directly on top of the white base using a stiff angled brush for precision. Blend it down, slightly over the brown base using small strokes. My highlighter: Urban Decay e/s in Virgin (shimmery pearly white)
  2. Using a fluffy dome brush and a bronze eyeshadow, apply the color on top of the brown base, starting from the side of the tape and dragging the color inward towards the middle of the lid. Use small circular motions to blend the transition between the highlighter shadow. My bronze shadow came from the Coastal Scents Metal Mania 88 Palette.
  3. Clean off your fluffy brush on a tissue or a towel and apply the burgundy eyeshadow on top of the burgundy base or to the outer "V" of your eye. Start from the side of the tape and bring the color in, as in the previous step. My burgundy shadow came from the Coastal Scents Metal Mania 88 Palette.
  4. Make sure to clean off your dome brush between different color applications. Apply the gold eyeshadow using the same technique, swiping the color to apply and small circular motions to blend. My gold shadow came from the Coastal Scents Metal Mania 88 Palette.
  5. Highlight the inner tear duct with the same color used in step 1, but apply it with your pinky finger instead.
  6. Using a pencil brush, apply a teal color directly on top of the teal base or just line underneath your lower lash line if you're not using a base. My teal shadow came from the Coastal Scents Metal Mania 88 Palette.
  7. Optional Step: accentuate the outer "V" of the eye with a dark brown shimmery eye shadow. I used Urban Decay e/s in Darkhorse.

EYE LINER: This is the most important part, so pay attention and follow the steps carefully :)
  1. Rim the entire eye and waterline (top and bottom) with a black waterproof eye pencil. I used Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in Zero. Don't worry about being precise here, this step preps the eye for the liquid or gel liner application. NOW, PEEL OFF THAT TAPE and VOILA!!! Look at that sharp edge -->
  2. Next, using your gel eyeliner on a brush or liquid eyeliner, line the top and bottom lash lines of your eye, extending the outer wing along the edge of your eyeshadow (where the tape used to be) and extending the inner wing of the eye. To do this properly, tug the inner portion of your eye towards your nose (do this gently) and follow the top lash line. After extending the line a few mm, connect it to the bottom lash line and fill in the empty triangle. My eyeliner: Clinique brush-on cream liner in True Black.
  3. Use a white eyeliner pencil to draw directly under the inner corner wing, then use your black eyeliner to draw another line under the white pencil line, to create a double wing. My white eyeliner is from Wet n' Wild.
Apply your falsies and mascara (to blend your natural and fake lashes together) and you're done! My falsies: Elite lashes in #6--Black. Finish the eye look by applying your under-eye concealer last. My concealer: Benefit Erase Paste in 03 (Dark)
 Here's the final eye look in HQ
The entire face in HQ, excuse the pores :))
 Natural blurry lighting
 Feeling very Lebanese in this one :)
 Arabic makeup by Maryam Maquillage :)
Mashallah
Inshallah,


Maryam Maquillage





Join me on FACEBOOK / TWITTER / BLOGLOVIN



Maryam Maquillage © 2012. www.maryammaquillage.com

66 comments:

  1. Beautiful!!! Love it girl..great job!

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  2. stunning and luxurious and gorgeous and wow!!!!!

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  3. Oh my GOSH! This is...wow, I have no words for it. It is stunning, beautiful, gorgeous, and any other synonym you can think of! <3

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  4. Wow! Love it!

    Holli x
    Dragonmommy123.blogspot.com

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  5. Simply stunning, your best look ever babe! And thanks for the step by step instructions... though you make it sound easy us mere mortals will not be able to do it. Gorgeous!
    Lilit
    xo

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  6. Amazing tutorial, this look is so gorgeous!!!

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  7. great makeup , good job ! kisses xxxx

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  8. Masha this post is fantastic I especially love the tape trick! never thought of that before. Thanks! Love the colors

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  9. heeey nice tutorial and i reaaaalyyy love this look because im arabian too and i love arabic make up!!!

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  10. i'm speechless! this look is gorgeous!! amazing job!! I need to get myself more NYX jumbo pencils!

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  11. another gorgeous look! this looks so flattering on your features,i love it!

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  12. This is gorgeous, perfectly blended!

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  13. oh WOW!! The ladies whose pictures you posted have gorgeous makeup. I really like your eyeliner, especially, and how the shadows blend together. It's been fun learning about Arabian makeup through you.

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  14. You are so pretty! Loving the makeup and tutorial you did!

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  15. wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! your make-up is just stunning!
    I really love your eyebrows :-)

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  16. Wow! Great make up tutorial!!!! I LOVE IT!! you look absolutely stunninggg!!! ^_^

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  17. Mashallah Maryam, you look B E A U T I F U L ! !
    Seriously, WOW!
    You did an AMAZING job and your tutorial is so well written out... Even I feel like I could do it! (Which I doubt I could :))
    So beautiful... Absolutely stunning!♥
    PS... I want your eyebrows!!!!

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  18. OMG. You did an AWESOME job. You gorgeous, gorgeous girl.

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  19. I bookmarked this. You are so talented. This is a very precise and well created look. I love Arab eyes as I am part Arab. This is beautiful.

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  20. LOVE the Arabian look!! You're one talented and amazingly beautiful blogger I know.. :) xx

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  21. thank you sooo much everyone :)) I didn't want to created another westernized version of the Arab makeup, so I tried to stay true to the culture as much I could. So glad to read all the positive feedback!! <3

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  22. Insaneeeely gorgeous, babe!!!! Your blending skills are freaking amazing!! And I love Haifa!!

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  23. Hola, nos gusta mucho este blog, os invitamos a seguirnos en el apartado de seguir www.centrodemesa.org gracias

    Venta de centros de mesa, para ello, ponerse en contacto con los datos que aparecen en www.centrodemesa.org teléfono 651663860 info@deflores.es

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  24. AH I LOVE IT! Especially the brows!!

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  25. hello!! you're a makeup artist! Congratulations and keep working so many years. Greetings from Spain.

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  26. I am AWED at the amazingness of this look.....I thought I'd seen you look as gorgeous as you could, THIS tops everything. best look you've done :D

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  27. wow this looks so fab, my fave you have ever done, I love it <3 xx

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  28. I love this look! You look stunning!

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  29. i love this look, it looks great. check out mmy new Cleopatra Look thanx xoxo

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  30. This is really pretty! I like how precise it it.

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  31. Hi I loved your blog you are beautiful and very elegant, I also have a blog when you can go take a look, I'm chubby this is gonna be a well-spoken on my blog, kisses and success.http: / mademoisellesisters. blogspot.com /

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  32. what a lovely look, sleek pout, graceful duppata (scarf), stunning eyes, and lovely smiles.....:)

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  33. thank you all so much for your wonderful and thoughtful comments!!! <3

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  34. You are so stunning! I absolutely love it Maryam! It's gorgeous and you did it so easily. Beautiful!

    http://www.fabellis.com

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  35. Real Muslim princesa! :)

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  36. Oh my gosh.. Simply AMAZING. You look so sexy!!

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  37. amazing makeup mariam!love the nyx jumbo pencils!! just stumbled upon ur blog!
    following u now:) would love if u follow back <3
    rakhshansblog.blogspot.com

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  38. This is an amazing tutorial! I love the style of makeup worn by the Arabian ladies that you posted, thanks for the great inspiration. I love the double "wings" on the inner corner of the eye and I also love how using the tape created such an extreme shape in the outer corner!

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  39. This is gorgeous! You make it look so easy, girl! lol I love how this looks on you. Flawless like always.

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  40. You look so stunning, Maryam! Love itttt. :D

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  41. Gorgeous! Wish I had seen this in time for Halloween and my bollywood costume.

    kariekimberly.blogspot.com

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  42. am Arabian and i can tell u
    u rocked Arabian makeup
    this is stunning
    if u need any photos of Arabian makeup looks
    or any help am glad to offer the help

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  43. this is so beautiful! i love it!!

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  44. I looooove this. its so beautiful and you rocked it all the way.

    www.bellahairdesigns-accessories.blogspot.com

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  45. Fabulous look and for some reason you remind me of JLo very much: http://www.latina.com/files/jennifer_lopez_head_scarf_0518_article.jpg?1274199972

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    Replies
    1. thank you honey, I've heard that before :)) she's beautiful, so I'm definitely flattered!!

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  46. wow you look really lebanese... i know it because i am a lebanese :) it looks great i will definitly follow your blog :)

    Lovely greetings from germany :)

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    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you think so!!! I was totally going for a Lebanese look :)))

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  47. I wish I would've seen your step by step guide before I did mine! I love love LOVE this!!

    Great detailed post, and love all the photos!

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  48. Vraiment parfait, bravo!
    J'adore tout simplement

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  49. So pretty, such gorgeous bright colours.

    bodytakesabeating.blogspot.co.uk

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