Cee Me

Naked (eye makeup tutorial)

CCee — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:10:05 -0700

Hi everyone,

There is a makeup look that will never go out of fashion, that look would be the nude/neutral eye. I haven't done a huge tutorial in a long while, so I wanted to start again with this makeup look for you all. Click the image of the product to go to the producer's website (if it's still sold).

The final eye:

Every great neutral face and eye starts with a cleaned and moisturized face, it's summer so the moisturizer is extremely important. In this warm weather people sweat and that means salt crystals on the skin, that plus the burning sun create an easily dehydrated skin. I've been using Shiseido's The Skincare Range's Day Moisture Protection SPF 15 (at night I use their Night Moisture Recharge Light) as my daily moisturizer and I also use Estee Lauder's Daywear Plus Multi Protection Anti-Oxidant Lotion SPF 15 I love using different moisturizers depending on what my skin needs, the Shiseido moisturizer is a little richer and the Estee Lauder moisturizer smells sooo summery :D. The eye cream I'm using is by Elizabeth Arden's PREVAGE® Eye Anti-aging Moisturizing Treatment.

Because I'm someone who doesn't suntan I always stay pretty light. I do however hate looking pasty pale when everyone around me has a healthy glow, I found a way to make me instantly tan (depending on how much you put on your face) and it's streakless and very easy to apply. This Clinique (click the image to go to the website) Self Sun face bronzing gel tint is a product I heard about on youtube when Pixiwoo was raving about it and I HAD to buy it and I love it.

I always apply this all over my face (taking extra care around the hairline) bringing it down my neck and then blending it out. I never apply this over my eyelids because I don't think this is great for the eye area and if you blend it properly you just have brighter eyes which is something we all try to achieve with makeup. Having moisturized beforehand means you can blend this better and it's not a flaky application. Do remember to scrub your face every couple of days when you're using self tanner.

I LOVE this Smashbox Illuminating Serum which isn't sold separately. You can only get this in the Master's Class Vol. 4 Rescue Beauty kit sold at Sephora.com (click on the picture to go to the website).

This serum gives you a NATURAL healthy glow and wearing it alone makes your skin look perfect and not shiny or shimmery. Wearing it under a tinted moisturizer makes it a little less glowy but still naturally healthy, under a foundation it's a minimal glow, but you can use it on top of your foundation as a highlighter on top of your cheekbones. I always work from the centre of the face blending outward because I want the most of the glow to be in the centre (the lit from within look). This tube contains rose extract and hyaluronic acid to moisturise and revive the complexion. The tube has a great "nozzle" to give you the pea size amount you need for your entire face.

I told you about the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer that I love this summer because it seems to eat my shiny-ness. I tell you more about it here.

It applies a little "stiffer" then the Smashbox Primer I love, but it does wonders for my shine this summer, so I'm loving it.

My skin looks pretty amazing now, but I still want it to look a little more perfect so I'm using the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer I talk about in this post. The colour I'm wearing is Sand.

This tinted moisturizer is pigmented enough to give me a perfect complexion. I seriously need no more coverage.

Next up is the Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener. This little tube is something I thought I'd never use, but I actually have three and I use it on everyone I make up.

When I'm not wearing any foundation I use this on the top of my nose, on my cheekbones, cupid's bow and around my eyes. For this look I only used it on my cupid's bow and on my eye-bone (see picture).

I blend this with my fingers.

Next up I use concealer, the one I'm using for this look is Laura Mercier Undercover Pot in no. 3 which contains the Secret Camouflage and Secret Concealer.

I tell you more about this product here. I use my fingers to blend the Secret Camouflage and the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Brush with it's flat tapered synthetic brushhead. I love how the tip is perfect for concealing blemishes.

The Secret Concealer is slightly softer then the Secret Camouflage and is perfect for under eye concealing.

I am more tan thanks to the Self Sun, but I still want a little more contouring under my cheekbones and on my temples. For this I use Chanel Bronze Universel.

I don't want to contour too much because I'm going for a natural look. On the picture you can see why I almost never use a blusher, I have a natural flush.

You can also see how many more freckles I get in the summer.

Next is powder to set everything. I've been using Laura Mercier's Translucent Loose Setting Powder which is in the Laura Mercier Undercover Pot. I tell you more about it here. Up close the powder looks like this (and this is all I used on my entire face).

I use the Laura Mercier Camouflage Powder Brush for applying powder under the eyes to set the concealer.

To put the powder on the rest of my face I use the Laura Mercier Velours Puff. I skip powdering my apples and the tops of my cheekbones, I do this because I want these places to have a glow and I know that the makeup won't budge even without powder.

To prime my eyes for the eyeshadow I love using the Urban Decay Primer potion.

I prime my entire eye and what's left on my fingers I blend under my eye.

Now I can start with the eye shadows. To start of with I'm using a colour that's slightly lighter then my skin tone but it's so sheer that it's perfect as a colour base. I use an eyeshadow all over my eye because of the primer I used, the primer keeps the eyeshadow longer, but it also makes it harder to blend. Blending is easier if you place a neutral shadow as a base. I'm using Smashbox Vanilla, which is a matte shadow. (Click on the picture to go to the website.)

I use a fluffy shadow brush (by Smashbox) to blend this all over my eyelid.

Remember to clean your shadow brushes once a week to make sure you work hygienic.

The thing that I love to do when doing a neutral eye is using shadows to make the eye look more open. The colour I use to manipulate my eye shape is Naked by Urban Decay (click the image).

This colour is slightly darker then my natural skin tone, it's a matte eyeshadow.

To place this colour I'm using a stiffer brush, namely the no. 4 Concealer brush by Smashbox. This is a synthetic brush that's made for concealer and cream eye shadows. This stiffer brush means I get a more precise application and more control over the blending.

I pack the colour only on one side of the brush and I apply it holding the colour to the eyebrow side of the eye and I'm holding the brush like this:

As you can see I'm applying it on the topside of my crease and I'm only applying it on the outer half of the crease. I then turn the brush a quarter and blend:

Put the side that the eyeshadow was on on the side of the nose. Blend and blend until you get a natural shadow and your eye looks like this:

I wanted a slightly darker brown to make it a little more shaded. I couldn't find a matte dark brown until I found this brown in the Smashbox Smokey Eyes Eye Shadow Trio which is no longer sold.

The trio has a champaigne with gold flecks, a aubergine colour and a dark brown with a hint of gold.

As you can see the gold is almost non existing and I took very little of this on the no. 4 brush. I did the same thing I did with Naked and blended what was left on the brush after blending under my eyes, when I was done my eyes look like this:

I took up a brown cream eyeliner pencil from Smashbox in the colour Midnight Brown (no longer sold) and used that on my upper waterline pushing it into my eyelashes.

I don't want anything on my lower waterline because this will close up the eye and it will make the makeup less natural.

The thing that finishes this makeup is eyelashes. I use my Shu Uemura Eyelashcurler, mini Lancome Cils Booster XL which I got in the Sephora Lashstash Mascara Deluxe Sampler and Rimmel London Secy Curves in waterproof Black.

The Cils Booster XL really makes my lashes appear longer. The best way of showing you is by showing you the picture of my "naked" face and the one after the mascara is applied, which is also the final eye.

When I close my eyes it looks like this:

On my lips I'm wearing Urban Decay's XXX Shine Lipgloss (cooling lip gloss) in Heatherette.

I hope you guys like this HUGE tutorial.

Great Summer look

CCee — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:07:16 -0700

Hi everyone,

I thought I'd come back with an amazing (and easy) summer look for you ladies. I hope this makes my absence of the last few months a little better ;) .

Face:
I've been soooo busy, that the first day I was free, I had I did a complete face for you. I'm starting to get more and more freckles because of the sun, which I love and hate at the same time. I love how it makes me look younger for some reason, but also it makes my skin look less flawless, which I don't love.

I started by cleaning my face using Shiseido - Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam followed by Shiseido - Daily Moisture Protection. I then used my favourite eyecream ever, it's by Elizabeth Arden and is called Prevage - Eye Anti-aging Moisturizing Treatment. I used Smashbox - Illuminating Serum to give my complexion more of a glow. This serum can't be bought seperately, they do however still sell it it the Smashbox - Master's Class Vol. 4 Rescue Beauty on the Sephora website. To make my eyes look more awake I used Smashbox - Photo Op Under Eye Brightner.

I used the Smashbox - Primer Light as a primer because it's the middle of summer here and it's sooo warm outside that every bit of makeup disappears if I don't use the Light primer.

To contour my face I used Baked Fusion Soft Lights by Smasbox, which is a Twice baked bronzer that looks amazing on my skin, on the apples I used a very light pink blush also by Smashbox called Soft Lights.

Eyes:

To prime my eyes I used Urban Decay - Eye Shadow Primer Potion. Urban Decay is bringing out a lot of primers right now

Complexion Primer Potion - Pore Perfecting which should minimize pores and fine lines
Complexion Primer Potion - Brightening which should brighten and diminish fine lines and pores according to their website
Eyelash Primer Potion which should make lashes appear thicker, longer and stronger
Lip Primer Potion which should make lipstick truer, apply smoother, last longer, and will not fade or feather, also it has an SPF of 15.

On my eyes I used a palette also by Urban Decay called Get Baked. This palette contains four eyeshadows (Twice Baked, Half Baked, Flipside and Baked) there is a mini 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in the colour Bourbon and a mini Sin primer

I already primed my eyes with the normal Primer Potion by Urban Decay because I didn't want my eyes to be overly shimmery. On the inside corner of my eyelid I used Baked which is the lighter golden colour. I used this because this adds a sparkle to the inner eyecorner, this eyeshadow was applied with the Urban Decay - Wonder Brush. On the middle of the eyelid I placed Half Baked with the Urban Decay - Shadow Brush. I pressed the colour in to get this colour depth, I then blended the colours using a little smudging movement. On the outer corner I placed Twice Baked in a < shape with the Urban Decay - Wonder Brush and blended it with the Urban Decay - Crease Brush. To ensure the top was blended perfectly I used Smashbox - Vanilla matte eyeshadow with the Smashbox - Shadow Brush which is a very fluffy brush that eases the blending.

On the lower lashline I used the Twice Baked shadow with a Wonder Brush that I moistened with Make Up For Ever - Mix and Fix Spray because this means the eyeshadow won't budge the entire day. I applied the Twice Baked only on the outer corner. I then cleaned the brush and dried most of the water off on a paper towel and wetted it again with the Fixer Spray and made a paste with the Flipside shadow and applied this to the inner half of the lower lashline. I then let it dry and blended it with the Twice Baked and a little more Flipside.

On my waterlines I used the Bourbon and I also used this on the outer third of my top lashline. As a mascara I used Dior - Diorshow Iconic.

Lips:
On my lips I'm wearing Urban Decay - Rush. This colour is almost my real lipcolour and is therefor the perfect colour for my lips.

Nails:
The nailpolish I'm wearing is Custom Kicks by China Glaze. This colour is a bright blue but it also has a little warmth that you don't see on the pictures, but it real life it has a minimal gold shimmer in it that's amazing. The only downside of this polish is that it chips very very quickly (I've never had this problem with China Glaze polishes, so maybe it's a fluke), and also for some reason I also had trouble with the brush (it was not filled with polish or overfilled with polish) and the polish bubbled. So the colour is jawdroppingly beautiful but the application is IELGH.

Easy-Peasy Look (with You don't know Jaques!)

CCee — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:56:45 -0700

Hi everyone,

I've been waiting to do my next huge look, because I've had a lot of looks waiting in my list (Pink Smokey, Redo MAC look, Alyssa Milano, Iveenia Request, Webpandora request, multicoloured lips, many more nailpolish looks etc etc) and I didn't post the looks I have on everyday. I finally chose to show you some of my everyday looks simply because the huge looks take up a lot of time and I've been busy and haven't been posting as much eye looks as I once did. Sooo the ones I promised are still coming up... but there will be more looks in between.

Face:
On my Face I'm using Smashbox - Hybrid 2 in 1 Luminizing primer from the Greenroom Collection as a base. For the foundation I'm wearing 50% Lancaster, Infinite Bronze Face Bronzer with 15 SPF mixed with 50% Smashbox, High Definition Healthy FX Foundation in Light L3, I applied this with my fingers to really work it into my skin, making it look more natural. On my forehead, cheeks, nose and chin I used Chanel, Bronze Universal to create a natural bronze look using the Sephora Brand - Professionnel Platinum Stippling Brush no. 44.
Just because you're bronzing, doesn't mean you should skip contouring, so I used a no longer sold Smashbox Bronzer/Blush duo called Contour/Pop to contour using the Sephora, Mineral powder brush no. 45. The blush I used is from the Blush/Soft lights Duo (available in the Smashbox Runway Glam Kit), I mixed both colours to create my perfect blush colour.

Go-to Easy-Peasy Eyes:
On my eyes I've got the Urban Decay, Eyeshadow Primer Potion to create an amazing base, over this I used Smashbox, Cream Eyeliner in Cameo with a Smashbox, no. 15 definer brush on my eyelid and under my eye. I blended this really well just over my crease, using more on the inside then on the outside of the crease. On my eyelids I'm wearing Smashbox, Bronze eyeshadow, which is not sold on their website, but they did send me one as a gift, so no idea when they'll sell it again, it is a lovely colour though. I applied the Bronze with the same brush as the cream eyeliner. Also using the same brush I applied the golden colour from theInstant Eyes Shadow & Liner Palette from the Smashbox Runway Glam Kit on the centre of my eyelid (creating a little more depth). The lightest colour I used under the arch of my brow. To curl my lashes I used the Shu Uemura, Lash curler and the mascara is Dior, Diorshow Waterproof in 090 noir.

Lips:
On my lips I used the darker side from the Fast Track lipgloss, available in the Smashbox Runway Glam Kit. I used a Benefit lipliner to create a more pointy (yet natural) cupid's bow.

(Flash light) Nails:
On my nails (I took this picture at night, I'll add more sunlight pictures tomorrow), I'm wearing OPI, Original Nail Envy followed by two coats of You don't know Jaques (also by OPI) and OPI RapiDry TopCoat. As the quickdry drops I used Essie's Quick-e drops.
These are my nails the next day (with the Konad M71 art on it):
Sunlight (before topcoat):
Flashlight (after topcoat):

Boots:
I was wearing these Invito boots (I call them my pirate boots).

For the rest if my outfit I was wearing faded jeans and a Olive Green shirt.

I hope you like this full easy look.

Lined eyes (Jennifer Love Hewitt inspired)

CCee — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 08:03:27 -0700

Hi everyone,

Here I am with my take on the Jennifer Love Hewitt look I love to do. It's sooo easy and simple and it doesn't take a lot of time.

Skincare
I started with a clean and wel moisturized face. My skincare routine is still Dermalogica's Precleance which is oil based and you massage it onto your dry skin, this picks up all the dirt you have on there and it boosts your blood circulation in your upper skin. When you add water the oil turns milky and you can easily wipe it off with a wet washcloth. This is a very gentle way of taking away the dirt and oils on your skin without stripping away your skins natural barrier. You can even use this to remove eye makeup, so it's seriously gentle. I then use Dermalogica's Ultracalming Cleanser which is especially for stressed, imbalanced etc. skin. You massage this onto your skin and take it off with a tissue (if you prefer no water) or with a wet washcloth. So actually you're doing a double cleanse, but it's sooo gentle that you're not actually hurting your skin, because if you use very harsh products you can actually take away your skins natural protecting barrier and then you're in even more trouble then you were in before. Remember this when using a scrub, you should scrub your skin once a week if it's very sensitive and max. twice a week if it's normal, to oily. After this I use Clinique's Comfort on Call on my skin. This is a cream that works wonders on skin allergies on dry, sensitive and reactive skins. It actually restores your natural skin barrier and skin comforters you have naturally and quietly reactivates this. On my eyes I use Dior's Hydra-protective Eyecream SPF 20 to restore the moisture and give it an SPF. Because my skin is sooo sensitive right now I try to not use anything else on it if I stay indoors. If I want to go out I use Clinique's Super City-Block Oil Free Daily Face Protector with SPF 25.
I used my Bliss, Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask for a little extra radiance.

Face
On my face I used the Smashbox, Photo Finish Primer Light tester I'm LOVING!!! Over this I used the Smashbox, High Definition Healthy FX Foundation in Light L3.I still love this foundation and even though I'm tempted to by the Make Up For Ever HD Foundation, I'm not buying it untill I'm convinced, I love this Smashbox foundation soo much. I used two colours concealers though, I've been switching my makeup a lot today and I want to hide the fact that placing makeup, removing it, placing again, removing again and now placing again, is taking it's toll. As concealers I'm using Smashbox, Camera Ready Full Coverage Concealer in no. 2 (a little more pink) and no. 3, the pinkier one I'm using on my dark circles, and the yellow tinted one for my blemishes. Smashbox has a new High Definition Liquid Concealer out now, I haven't seen or used it yet, but I'm curious.

Eye base
On my eyes I use my favourite Urban Decay, Eyeshadow Primer Potion for a base. On my browbone I'm still loving the Benefit, Bigh Brow and as a solid colour to hide any redness that's appeared on my eyes I use Smashbox, Eyeshadow in Vanilla, this is a matte colour that you can even use as a concealer if you're only hiding a little discolouration. I placed the Vanilla with the Smashbox, no. 10 Crease brush which is great for washes of colour.

Eyes
For the shimmery eyelid colour I'm using another go-to colour of mine the warm tinted silvery colour from the Smashbox, Wicked Lovely Eye Shadow Duo in Sexy/Demure. This is an amazing duo, the brown in this duo is super in it's application and you can use it lightly for a hint of colour or build it up to a much stronger colour. It's the same with the other Duo (Sinful/Pure) only that is a more pinkish silver and a darker grey. On my waterline I'm using Smashbox, JetSet Waterproof Eyeliner in Bronze. Under the eyes I'm placing a thick line of brown, for this I'm using a Smashbox Shadow & Liner Trio called Girls Night Out that came in their Glambox Vol. 3 - Beauty on the go kit which is now on sale at their website. I'm using the cream liner from this using my no. 15 Definer brush (a travel size comes in this kit) and I'm going over this with the golden brown shadow from the same trio. The cream eyeliner gives it staying power and an extra kick of colour and the shadow gives it a golden glow. I used my Douglas liner brush to apply a medium sized line on my top lash line. As an eyeliner I used a Stila, Smudge Pot in Black. This is amazing because it stays soft longer then the JetSet, giving you more time to create an amazing line (I like building up my line slowly to the thickness I want).

Lashes
To curl my lashes I love using the Shu Uemura lashcurler I have, it creates the best curl in my lashes (and I've tried many!!). I built up my lashes starting with Diorshow, Iconic in 090 Black and then the second coat is Make Up For Ever, Smokey Eyes in Black. I want my lashes to look a little clumpy.

My sister's eyes

CCee — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:06:16 -0800

Hi ladies,

My sister was sweet enough to let me put make up on her eyes even though she doesn't usually wear makeup and isn't a makeup-skinfreak like me. The inspiration was Penelope Cruz's smokey brown eyes, but without any liner on the waterline.

As you can see in this final eye, we have practically the same eyecolour, but she's blonder then me and has very different eyebrows.

Skincare:
On her face she used Clinique Superdefence SPF 25 moisturizer.

Face:
As a primer I used Smashbox - Hybrid 2 in 1 Primer, which illuminates and gives the rest of the makeup something to adhere to. Also this makes the skin feel very soft.
What was left in the Clinique Superfit Makeup tester in 05 neutral (MF-N) (dry combination to oily skin (skin types 2,3,4)) that I used on my skin in the Challenge 15 Victoria Beckham - Elle US January 2008 Tutorial was mixed with Lancaster - Infinite Bronze Face Bronzer (15 SPF) to create a slightly bronzed skintone.

For a concealer I used the same colour that fits my skintone (we're sisters, so much is the same ;) ) Smashbox - Camera Ready Concealer in 3.0 which I applied with the Smashbox - Concealer brush no.4. I set the makeup with Make Up For Ever - HD powder placing it with my favourite Sephora, no. 45 Mineral Powder Brush.

To add a little extra healthy glow I added some Givenchy - Prismissime Mat & Glow Limited Edition in 72 Sunny with the Smashbox - Fan Brush no. 22. As a contour I used Smashbox, Pressed powder / Bronze Lights Duo in Fair/Light because it's light enough so create a real shadow. Over this I used the bronzer from Smashbox, Blush / Bronzer Duo in Cosmopolitan nearest to her ears (there where the most shade naturally is). I did all my contouring with Smashbox, Angled Blush Brush.

Eyes:
As an eyeshadow primer, I used Urban Decay, Eye shadow Primer Potion, this works great on me and also on my sister. As a base colour I chose Smashbox, Vanilla Eyeshadow which I applied with the Smashbox, no. 26 Shadow Brush.

I used the medium brown colour from the Smashbox, Eye Shadow Quad Socialite, placing it with the no. 26 shadow brush again. I brought this up to and a little over the crease.

Penelope has a darker colour under her eyes then on top so I chose the Urban Decay, 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero to use in the lower lashline. I smudged this line out to a softer line with a Smashbox, Smudger brush no. 20. I thought this was still pretty harsh, also because my sister doesn't like colour on the waterline so I deceided to soften and smudge the Zero even more using Smashbox, Cream Eyeliner in Putty with the Smashbox, no. 15 definer brush.

Looking back I probably wouldn't have put any liner on her waterline anyway because that makes the eyes look smaller and that's not what I wanted on her.

As an eyeliner I used the Smashbox, Cream Eye Liner Pencil in Midnight brown which I smudged out a little to add more depth to the lashline. To give the appearance of thicker lashes I also added Smashbox, Cream eyeliner midnight brown to her lashline with the Smashbox, arched liner brush no. 21.

I mixed Smashbox, Brow tech Blonde and Brunette to darken the start of the brows a little bit.

As a mascara I used Smashbox, Bionic Mascara in Black.

Lips:
On her lips I used Smashbox, Lip Enhancing Lip Gloss - True colour in Bare which is a slightly shimmering neutral gloss.