It's Party Tyme!!!

Salut mes amis!!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you ::singing:: Happy Birthday Dear Bloggy, Happy Birthday to you!!! Now blow out your 1 candle and wish for many more to come :))

Today, January 10th, marks the 1 year anniversary of this blog, 'Fix Your Face' by Maryam Maquillage!!! As much as I am proud of my baby, I'm mostly really grateful to all of you, my readers, for the overwhelming amount of love you've given me and my blog. Your continued support fuels my drive to deliver post after post, and I promise to keep going, keep bettering, and keep serving near-daily doses of maquillage posts, nail art and other beauty related topics.

My post for the day is a long one, so brace yourself, I've got a lot to cover... As mentioned earlier, I'm introducing a new topic for 2012--HAIR and everything that relates to it--so today's post is a kick-off :)) I'll be reviewing a set of extensions (oo-la-laa) and giving a quick tutorial on how to achieve the BIG, bouncy curls. In addition, I'm including a fun going-out makeup look, paying homage to the Look That Inspired the Blog (my very first blog post) with one party-perfect Schiap lipstick, you know the one... cuz it is a celebration after all, y'all :))

 Read more for details, how-to's, pix, products, links, etc.

Painterly Faces

Bonjour mes amis :))

Today's post features work done by face and body painter Sasha (www.carnavalface.com) on some very adorable and fresh young faces. I don't know much about face painting, but after seeing the smiles on these awesome kiddies (and teens :) I'm considering getting into face painting myself. Just look at the joy in their eyes!!! LOVE <3

Read more to see more pix and happy faces :)))

Makeup BFFs

Salut chicas!!!

Today's post is another glimpse into my life through the lens of beauty and makeup. Here's a pic of me and my bestie Larissa (I call her Larry) at her baby shower last Sunday... hope you like our maquillage :D P. S. First thing she asked me when I got there was whether I approved her skills lol... (pshh I kinda liked her makeup better than mine!)

Read on for more details :)

Lady Vengeance

Salut mes cheries :))

Hope you had a productive week and are enjoying your weekend to the fullest!!! I am for sure, because my week was tough, to say the least. For one, I started my final semester of school, with my week consisting of speaking to counselors, sorting out my schedule, purchasing books with money I don't have, etc. :/ and to top it off, while running around, I was also battling a killer cold that was vigorously trying to bring me down... I got knocked once or twice, but in the end, I beat the bitch... and I'm finally better now, thanks to my slow-to-respond immune system, which awoke from its week-long siesta at the eleventh hour... and thanks to my mom for bringing me actual Russian remedies that did not involve vodka. whew... Enough about all that bitterness. Today I'm planning on enjoying me some QT and rest. Tomorrow's another day and then back to biznass on Monds... In today's post, I'll try to address some of your questions and comments, while presenting you with my look of the day: Lady Vengeance. The Bitch is Back and She's Back with a Vengeance. (The Bitch is played by Moi ;) Hope you all enjoy. Please vote in my new POLL, you can find it on the right sidebar. Merciiiii

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

Fancy seeing you here...

THE CONCEPT: A couple years ago, I saw The Vengeance Trilogy, a South Korean movie trilogy about revenge, which blew my mind and just knocked my socks off!!! I believe it was based off a Japanese manga of the same name... Korean or Japanese, it was awesomely mind-boggling and refreshingly twisted. So, if you're into twisted foreign films, watch the second installment titled Oldboy, and you will not be disappointed. Anyway, I got my vengeance idea from this film and the Japanese manga--it's like ninja meets anime :/ I like to base my makeup looks on concepts or stories and sorta build from there... I thought it was fitting because after looking and feeling like crap for an entire week of imprisonment by the evil cold, I decided to break the chains and kiss my cold bye bye. Now, I'm back and I'm better than ever and I wish to take pleasure in avenging my cold mwa-ha-ha. Hope you like the concept, I kinda do. 

THE LOOK: The focus of the look is obviously on the dark, sultry and crazed purple eyes. I think this makeup can be worn for a dinner or a night out, but you have to be careful with your hair and accessories. Keep your hair up in a classic chignon pairing with black lace and simple accessories or if you're more daring, go for loose hair and a white blazer... mmm I smell lady vengeance ;)  P. S. I have no idea why the eyeshadows come out so washed out in flash photographs... I mean, I get why that happens, but I don't accept it. It is unacceptable lol... A quick disclosure: I'm posting the high quality pics so that you can see the makeup on the face and how I would pair it with clothes, hair, etc., even though the colors aren't true to life. Smaller, more detailed pictures are taken with photobooth (built-in web cam) and are more true to life as far as color consistency. Yay, now the weight is lifted and I can move on ;)

TOOLS YOU'LL NEED: Here's everything that I used for my entire face. Click to enlarge.

Palette: Urban Decay Ammo Palette. I used Last Call (burgundy) for the crease, Grifter (lavender with glitter) for the inner corner, and Polyester Bride (shimmery white) for the highlight under the brow. I absolutely love this palette and all Urban Decay palettes... they're super sleek, are great for traveling and the quality of the eyeshadows is superb!!! I'll be doing a lot of looks from these palettes, so get them if you're a makeup junkie like meeee :)))
MAC pigment: Grape (purple with hot pink glitter). I used it for the lid color.
Lashes: Ardell Whispies; Glue: Duo dark tone adhesive.
Brushes: Medium Shadow brush for application and Stiff Crease brush for the crease and blending. I don't remember the brand, but I'm sure I got them both at Target.
NYX jumbo eye pencil in Purple (love this color--it's like a bluish purple that's sorta duo tone)
NYX lipliner in Natural, and NYX gloss in Mauve (this color is very flattering on olive and tan skin)
Bare Minerals matte foundation in Golden Medium and my pink Kabuki brush from Coastal Scents.

Because I'm not using a lot of products on my face, I want to even out my complexion first. I'm starting my routine with my Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask. For more skin care tips, go to my post The Skinny About Skin.

Here I am, frozen in Mint Julep... I would've made a great muse for Gauguin

TO ACHIEVE THE LOOK: I kept my face super simple, one because I really wasn't going anywhere and two, because I wanted to keep the focus strictly on the eyes. I used my Bare Minerals matte foundation in Golden Medium over the t-zone only and to cover up any blemishes. For the lips, I used NYX lipliner in Natural and NYX gloss in Mauve.

1. Prime the lids with a primer and apply a purple sticky base to the lid and under the bottom lash line (NYX jumbo eye pencil), leaving the inner portion of the eye blank 
2. Taking a purple pigment (MAC pigment in Grape) with a flat eyeshadow brush, begin by packing it on the lid, going past your crease. Keep the shape parallel to the line of your crease. With the tip of the brush, also line underneath your bottom lash line. I like using pigments (loose shadow) because the effect is very opaque. Keep a tissue handy to catch fallout.
3. With a stiff dome-shaped brush, apply a burgundy color onto the crease, blending with the purple. Concentrate most of the color on the outer portion of the eye.
4. Wipe off the flat brush and apply a white shimmery shadow under the brow and a lavender shimmery shadow to the inner corner. 
5. Apply the lashes and you're done. Because the color is so deep, I skipped the eyeliner, but if you feel like you need to line the eyes, go ahead and do so :)
6. The lashes that I'm using are strip lashes, so they're far from natural looking. I think they're fun and demure and add an extra degree of drama to the eye, but I'd never claim they were mine lol. If you're looking for something believable yet enhancing, go for half lashes, or lash accents. They're easier to put on and they blend in nicely with your own lashes. I use Duo dark tone glue for strip lashes because it's the only one that dries quickly and does not pull out any of your real lashes when you take them off.

QUICK LASH HOW-TO: STRIP LASHES

1. Remove the lash from the tray using tweezers. 
2. Apply a thin line of Duo waterproof lash adhesive to the base of the lash strip
3. Wait 30 seconds for the glue to get tacky. While you wait, bend the lash gently to form better to the shape of the eye.
4. With dull tweezers, take the lash by the center and place to the center of your lash roots. Once you practice a couple of times, you can apply your lashes with your fingers.
5. Take the outer corner and place it to outer corner of your eye, then the inner corner, respectively.
6. The inner corner of the lash strip does not have to meet your tear duct, it can stop where ever it stops, as long as the outer corner is at the very corner of your your eye. 
7. Flick the lashes up or gently crimp them with an eyelash curler. 
8. Take a black mascara and run it just underneath the roots of your lashes to blend your real lashes with the fake ones. 

To remove: Grab the outer corner and gently peel off. Voila!!!

Ze Bitch eez Back... and she's scheming

These eyes never tell a lie... I'm so in character!!

 PEACE OUT AND I'M OUT ;)

Fabuleyes

Hellooo Old Friends and New :)))

Thank you all for following my blog and sending me such positive feedback. I really am inspired by all your interest and kind words. Merci!!!

As some of you may know, New York has officially been welcoming the winter weather with temperatures falling well below freezing, leaving us New Yorkers with only one activity: sitting at home in the privacy of our heating systems. Since I'm not a polar bear and actually a hibernating bear (from Russia with love), I fully enjoy packing on the winter pounds while lounging in the comfort of my bear domain. However, as luck would have it, winter season for me means birthdays galore with the kick-off starting last night for my friend Karolina's birthday. Turning a rather monumental age, she did it up last night at the Four Seasons, cuz she so fancyyy :)) Great time had by all and happy birthday again my lovely!!! I must admit, it took me a while to come up with my outfit lol, given that I had to fit the dress code and also be able to keep myself from slipping on black ice that has covered the streets of New York City, as of late. Wrapped in several cashmere pieces and my fox collar, I took a change of shoes and was actually rather comfortable while the other 5 people I saw on the street were rattling their teeth. Needless to say, I feel accomplished... especially when I dress appropriately for the weather :))

One thing that cannot be affected by any weather WhatSoEver is my makeup... Thank goodness for that!!! The look that I'm presenting today is my party makeup from last night's celebration of the first birthday of the season aka Karolina's. Hope you all enjoy it :)))

Bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

THE LOOK is very simple, focusing on bringing out brown, light brown or hazel eyes. I kept the lips and the face very simple with my usual routine.

THE TOOLS: I never show the tools!!! Thanks to my homeslice Jo for pointing this one out :)))
1. For packing on the color, use a flat shader brush like this small eyeshadow brush from Sonia Kashuk. This brush is flat, dense and has a fine edge. Click on the pics to enlarge.

2. For contouring the crease or softening the edges of the shadow, use a fluffy dome shaped brush like this crease shadow brush from Sonia Kashuk. This brush is soft, fluffy and has a rounded edge.

3. For smudging out pencil eyeliner or shadow, use a smudge brush like this one from Sonia Kashuk. This brush is flat and has short, dense hairs.

4. For your highlighter or a "wash of color" application, use an angled eyeshadow brush like this one from Sonia Kashuk. The hairs on this brush are fluffy but angled, so the application is minimal.

5. For gel or cream liner, use a fine, pointed brush like this one... again from Sonia Kashuk :) I find that there really is not much difference between a straight one and a bent one. 

THE EYES are gold, bold, and glittery though it doesn't seem to translate in photos. I used my Urban Decay Naked Palette, and added MAC reflects gold glitter on top.

HOW TO: 
1. Start by priming the lids with primer. I used Urban Decay Primer Potion, as always.
2. Take your contouring crease brush or fluffy dome shaped brush and the color Naked (matte nude-beige) and apply in the socket of your eye using windshield wiper motions. If you're darker, use the color Buck (matte light brown).
Tip: For a more exotic eye, concentrate the color on the outer corner and blend it up toward the brow.
3. For more dimension, add the color Buck to the outer edge. If you're darker, take a matte dark brown eyeshadow of your choice.
4. For the gold lid part, take a gold base and apply all over the lid, staying under your crease color. I used NYX jumbo eye pencil in pure gold. Smudge it out with your finger.
5. Taking a flat shader brush (small eye shadow brush), apply the color Half Baked (true gold) all over the lid, leaving the outer third blank.
Tip: When applying metallic colors, use patting motions instead of sweeping motions. Sweeping the color on will produce a lot of fallout under the eyes.
6. Take the color Smog (metallic bronze-brown) on the same brush and pack in on the outer third that you left blank.
7. Clean the flat brush and take fine gold glitter and pack it all over the gold.
8. For your highlight, take an angled fluffy eyeshadow brush and apply the color Virgin (pearly pale pink) under the eye brow and in the inner corner of the eye. Sweep it on very gently.
9. Take a brown waterproof pencil liner like Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in Whiskey and line the inner half of the bottom waterline and tear duct. Line the outer half underneath the lash line and seal with Smog on a smudge brush.
10. Line the top lash line with a black gel or cream liner and wing it out. I used Clinique cream liner in True Black.
11. Add your lashes if you choose or just add mascara and you're done with your Fabuleyes!!!

FACE AND LIPS: After doing my regular face routine, Bare Minerals matte foundation and Benefit Hoola bronzer, I highlighted my cheeks with MAC mineralize blush in Earth to Earth and sprayed 3 spritz of Mac Fix+ finishing mist to keep the makeup lasting all night. BTW, these pictures were taken after I came home from the dinner and I did zero touch-ups on my eyes or face. Mac Fix+ really really works. For the lips, I used NYX lipliner in soft brown and Coastal Scents plumping lip gloss which is unfortunately discontinued.

P. S. I used these Ardell whispies about 5 times, 

so they've lost their original shape, but I kind of 

like it. I think the look is more natural.

This is me hibernating...

Licorice flavored cotton candy @ Four Seasons

I ONLY LIKE ONE SEASON

GUESS WHICH ONE :)))