Easy Contouring Tutorial + VIDEO

Hello my darlings and Happy Tutorial-Tuesday!! Here is the third installment to my Beauty Debunked series in partnership with L'Oréal Paris USA and it's that coveted one you've all been waiting for ::drumroll:: Contouring!! I've simplified the process in an effort to show you the easiest and fastest method possible and the best part is that you can get all these products at the drugstore!! Hope you enjoy this quick, easy video and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel :)

WATCH Video below & check out more pix!

Easy Contouring Makeup Tutorial for the Novice

Hi beauties!! NEW video is ready for you and this one is a highly requested, easy, everyday makeup tutorial about approachable Contouring and Highlighting. I get a lot of questions about this hot topic, so I wanted to make a series of videos showcasing various types of techniques, products and approaches to contouring. Depending on our individual bone-structure or features, some of us can benefit from a dramatic, high-contrast contoured look, while others may suffer the adverse effect. Naturally, due to my prominent cheekbones, strong jaw-line and brows, I fall in the ladder category and gain much more from a subtle contoured look. Today, I'm starting with just that: the easiest, one-product contoured look that's perfect for the novice or for those who already have strong features naturally. Let me know your thoughts and questions in the comments section and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to my channel!!! Thank you :)

See more for VIDEO

Inspiré par le Black Swan

As suggested by the title of my entry, today's makeup is inspired by the film Black Swan. I have not seen the movie... I know... lame... (I'm waiting to see it on Netflix) but I have heard sooo much buzz that I decided to jump on the bandwagon and do a makeup look based on the movie posters. I thought it would be fun to do a wearable evening version and a full on glam version. Here are the two posters, and the look that I did falls somewhere in between the sweet ballerina and the evil ballerina. Click on them to see them up close. Btw, all the photos that I upload here can be zoomed in by a click, which opens up a new page and shows its original size.

Now, I know I look nothing like Natalie Portman (and I should've probably done this look on my friend Gina who gets stopped on the street with requests for autographs), but imagine my Black Swan as the asian or ethnic version ;)) Hope you all like what I did and please let me know your thoughts. Also, PLEASE VOTE IN MY POLL on the right. To see pictures of the starlets, go to my previous blog entry The Nail House and click on the pics to see them up close. Merciiiiiii!!!

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

THE LOOK: I tried to emulate the eye look of the first poster (sweet), emphasizing on the liner and lashes and adding a slight wing inspired by the second poster (evil). I wanted to keep the look wearable by suggesting the wing rather than imposing it, if you know what I mean :)) Focusing on the skin, I powdered heavier than I typically would, going for that porcelain doll finish. I applied my typical Bare Minerals matte foundation, in light this time, and used a powder puff to press some mineral veil onto the skin to make the face more pale and matte.

THE EYES: The eyes were a bit tricky and it will be even trickier describing the technique lol... (I swear I'll start doing video tutorials as soon as I get a bigger following ;) Anyway, EYES: I started by lining the inner corner of the waterline and half of the waterline (inner half) with a brown eyeliner pencil (see pic). Tip: Never use a kohl pencil for the waterline, it will smear immediately. Use only a waterproof formula. For this look, I applied Urban Decay 24/7 glide-on pencil in whiskey. Love that one!!! I used the same pencil and lined underneath the (outer) other half of the waterline, extending the line to a wing, from the bottom, towards my eyebrow. 

Next, I lined directly in the crease line with the same pencil, making it parallel to the bottom wing I just extended. It's okay if your crease line bends downwards like mine does, just draw the line slightly above. Taking a smudge brush (a dense, short bristled brush) and a matte gray shadow, I smudged out the crease line and the wing. Next, I took a nude shadow in a color that's 2 shades darker than my skin on a dome-shaped fluffy brush and softened the gray shadow using wind-shield wiper motions. I took the same color and applied it directly underneath the inner portion of my eyebrow, on the side of the nose bridge to create a more narrow bridge. You don't have to do this if you have a prominent bridge, but since my is flat, I have to do this step for this look. If you look at the movie posters, the bridge of the nose is very narrow and is highlighted in both photos. I also ran the darker shade along the sides of my nose to slenderize it. Taking a bone white color on a flat brush, I highlighted down the center of my nose as well as between, above and below the eyebrows. With the bone color, I also tried to "erase" some of my eyebrows, particularly the tops of the inner hairs and the arch. Not an easy job for black brows I tell ya...

I applied one coat of black mascara on the bottom lashes and two pairs of eyelashes on the top. I used the same Ardell lashes as I did in my first blog entry, and a pair of half lashes to add to the winged effect, also by Ardell. After applying the lashes, I took my favorite black cream liner by Clinique and lined the top lashline, concealing the lashes and connecting the liner with the bottom wing. For LIPS: I lined my lips with NYX lipliner in Natural and used my finger to apply two lipsticks. I applied Niagara by Nars first and Underplay by MAC right over. In the first Black Swan poster, Natalie's lips are beige with a peachy undertone, perfect for a ballerina and a little difficult to recreate for a makeup artist :)) I think I got it though. P. S. Check out my lashes!!! Fantastique!!! Aren't they??!!

To dramatize the look, I changed the lipstick color to deep wine. Definitely a bit more goth, but still very wearable and would be great for a night out... Since I created this look in the morning, I decided to wear it to go shopping at Trader Joe's and Target. It's funny how dramatic makeup makes me feel like a drama queen. I caught myself giving out the only icy stares... I guess I'm inspired for real. Or maybe I'm just possessed mwa-ha-haaa!!! 

After I came home, I was inspired some more and decided to line the waterlines with a red lipliner, suggesting the RED Swan Eyes. Here's what it looked like... 

Now I can officially go trick-or-tricking :)

or Not...

Without lashes... could work, no?

Glamour Puss: Silver Screen Siren

Hola chicas y chicos ;))

After going through my makeup picture archives, I realized I only have a few more looks to showcase before I have to start coming up with new creations. The makeup I chose for today isn't for your Sunday church service, so I hope you're not disappointed, but I'm no church girl. On the contrary, I'm... this look is about full-on glamour and is best suited for a sexy night out. The emphasis is made on the heavily lined eyes and contoured cheeks, which are balanced by a neutral glossy lip. In the pic, I'm wearing all black, however, this makeup can be worn with whatever colors or outfits that you please. The eye makeup is particularly versatile because it complements all eye colors, shapes and sizes. In this blog, I will provide step by step directions on how to achieve the look, so go ahead and follow along if you're interested in duplicating it. If reading directions isn't your thing, you can simply look at the pictures and let them guide you. If you're just curious about makeup, scroll down and check out my tips and tricks, which are sure to be of use to any chica out there!!!

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage


ABOUT THE LOOK: Bronzed glowing skin meets dramatic silver eyes meets contoured features + a glossy pout. Best for: dinners, outings, clubbing, lounging, birthday, new year, party and more.

HOW TO: Start by moisturizing and priming your face and lids. You can choose whether to start with the eyes or the face first, it doesn't matter for this look.

Face: Dot your concealer under the eye and blend either with your finger or a clean fluffy dome-shaped brush. With a kabuki brush, apply your mineral foundation starting at the jawline and making your way to the center of the face. Take a flat brush and pat the foundation over problem areas to cover the imperfections.

Tip: Do not apply loose powder foundation underneath the eye using patting motions. Instead, lightly swipe or brush on a little bit of product to help seal the concealer. Patting on the foundation will make the concealer appear cake-y which will settle in your fine lines making them seem more pronounced.

Tip: Take your bronzer and apply it all over the forehead and around the frame of the face. Next, suck in your cheeks and follow the groove, blending the product into the hairline. Take a finer brush and contour the sides of the nose and under the chin. Voila!!! You've now shed about 5 pounds :)

Eyes: Take a metallic silver eyeshadow and apply it all over your lid, stopping just above the crease line. Take a white shimmery color and place it just in the inner corner of the eye, on top of the silver. This will open up the eye, making it appear bigger and brighter. Next, take a flesh toned eyeshadow on a fluffy dome-shaped brush and blend the color with the edge of the silver shadow you just applied. This step will soften the harsh line, making the transition more natural. Take the white shimmery shadow again and apply directly underneath the high point of the eyebrow, blending with the flesh toned shadow. Take a black shadow, preferably matte and apply it to the outer corner of the eye, on top of the silver, to give the eye extra dimension. Line the eyes entirely, creating a slight wing at the outer corner. Next, line the water lines, top and bottom and make sure to rim the inner corner of the eye.

Tip: Rimming the waterlines will make dark eyes lighter and light eyes brighter :)))

Finish the eye look with two coats of black mascara and fill in your eyebrows where necessary.

Lips: Keeping the lips simple yet glamorous, line them with a neutral lipliner and add lip plumping gloss on top.

Face: Add a cotton-candy pink blush to the apples of your cheeks, blending it up toward the hairline. Finish with a setting spray, 2-3 spritz to melt the layers of makeup together and to keep it lasting all night. My 2 favorites are Mac Fix Plus and Urban Decay All Nighter.