♣ Step-by-step Lash Sculpting Tutorial

This post will touch upon your relationship with your lashes. Some might have a love and hate relationship with their lashes (most Asians do), but what we are trying to achieve today is to sculpt your lashes so the hate can be eliminated from this relationship :3 My attempt to sound like a therapist: FAIL.

Some of the readers commented on my lashes so I decided to share how I sculpt my lashes. Like everyone who has Asian lashes; my lashes are pin-straight, and lacking in volume.

Here we go~

(A) Shu Uemura lash curler
(B) Sephora heated lash curler
(C) Maybelline Full N' Soft waterproof mascara
(D) Sephora Lash Plumper mascara
(E) Lash comb







Bare:

(wearing GEO Honey Wing circle lenses)

As you can see my lashes are barely visible...

Step 1: Curl Lashes

• Do not just curl your lashes at the base; your lashes will bend at 90 degrees x_x... you are trying to achieve a fan-like-effect. 
• As you move from the base, curl 4 to 5 times until you reach the tips of your lashes. Repeat until desired effect is achieved.
• Now curl only at the base for 5 seconds to hold shape.

Step 2: Apply Base Mascara

• To keep curl you should always use waterproof mascara, they have more wax content compared to non-waterproof. OR look for a mascara with a dryer formula; they will not weight your lashes down and keeps better curl.
• Always zig-zag when applying your mascara (see pic above). When you zig-zag, the brush helps to separate your lashes and coat your lashes evenly.
• Use a lash comb to separate your lashes if they become clumpy; comb while your mascara is wet or you will end up pulling your lashes!!!

 

After 2 coats of waterproof mascara; here I am using Maybelline Full N' Soft waterproof mascara.

Step 2.5: Apply Primer 

I did not use a primer, but if you are using a primer you should apply it after your base/waterproof mascara in order to keep your curl intact. Apply the primer focusing on base to middle section of your lashes. Most primers on the market have poor ability to keep curl but does elongate and create volume. I will recommend some primers at the end of the tutorial~

Step 3: Curl Lashes AGAIN

Using a heated lash curler focus on curling the tips of your lashes (see the arrows in pic) to create that fan-like-effect, this will also clean any spider-leg looking tips. 

Curl your bottom lashes with heated curler.

After curling your lashes, it should look something like this.

Step 4: Create Volume

• When applying your volume mascara, zig-zag and focus on the base to middle section (see pic above) of your lashes, if you apply excessive amount of volume mascara over the entire length of your lashes, it is easy to create spidery lashes and the tips of your lashes will be clumpy :(
• Avoid using a lash comb now... unless you have really clumpy application; at this stage your lashes already have 3 coats of mascara using a lash comb will tug and pull on your lashes.

2 coats of volume mascara should look something like this.

Step 5: Clean/Sculpting

• We are trying to achieve a fan-like-effect therefore the lashes that are too long or have clumpy ends must be cleaned/sculpted to the appropriate length.
• I have a few lashes with spider-leg-ends that are too long (see pic above); I used my finger to pull the excess mascara off the lash tips.

The end result :)

Most days I wear only mascara (for eye makeup)... I think it's enough to define my eyes alone if applied correctly ><.

Side Note:

If you want long lashes I highly recommend using a lash growth serum daily. I have religiously used lash serums every night for the past 2 years and I really believe they have made a difference to my lashes; in terms of length and volume. Currently I am using...

(F) Ardell Brow & Lash Growth Accelerator

*Recommendation: 

High-end Mascara:

• Shu Uemura Mascara Basic (base): HG HG HG, that should explain all. Could be applied over and over again, will never clump.
• MAC Fiber Rich lash (volume): HG for volume and lengthening but could get messy.
• Clinique High Impact mascara (volume): Good overall volume mascara.

Drugstore Mascara:

• Maybelline Full N' Soft waterproof (base): My HG for drugstore base, hold curl and separates.
• Maybelline Volum'Express (volume): I think this is one of the mascara that can do it all, holds curl and gives volume. 

Fool-proof Mascara:

• Anna Sui Long: Fiber mascara, holds curl. You really cannot go wrong.

Primer:

• MAC Prep + Prime lash: Pretty good but can get messy and weight your lashes down if not careful.
• Shiseido The Makeup Mascara Base: recommended by most for Asian lashes.

♪ Mei's FOTD Tutorial: False lashes that look like your own!

Today's look is super easy; still using false lashes, but today I will only use top lash; and since it's a natural look for daytime, the main point is to make the falsies look real :D

The false lashes I'm using today is Ardell 108; do they look kind of short to you? The perfect natural false lashes is about 2~3mm longer than your natural lashes; don't worry about it being not long enough. Because false lashes have a much better and even distribution and nicer curve, once they are applied, they still add lots length and volume to my real lashes, without looking overdone. They are perfect for daytime; I always use these when I don't have time for sculpting (lol, I'm not kidding) my lashes with mascara but still want to look good, AND natural :D

Steps for eyes:

• a basic earthy shadow with shimmer for upper lid
• highlight inner corner
• line upper lashline very closely, point: don't go past your eyeline for a more natural look :)
• curl lashes
• apply false lashes; be sure to trim them ahead of time so they are juuuust about 2~3mm longer than your actual eyeline.
• apply mascara to combine the real and the fake :P
• starting from the end of top lash line, line 1/2 of the bottom eyeline. Make sure to rim them out a bit so the corner part connect visually. But we don't need to do the little triangle here, which is introduced in a previous post. http://aimeidaily.blogspot.com/2010/01/testing.html Basically the rule for bottom liner for a natural day look is no falsies= do triangle, falsies= no triangle. LOL I feel like I'm talking codes here! Please refer to this post, the part for bottom liner.

Please excuse me for my blood shot eyeball... I use these eye drops, which helps reduce redness; however I have to say I find it too blurry... Does anyone have same experience with eye drops? That when they are reeeeally moisturising, you have blurry vision for a while and it just feels weird...

Lycee eye drop from Rohto

View when eyes are closed; if you look closely, it's actually coming off a little in the middle lol! I didn't notice at all until I took this pic! Of course I fixed it after hoho~

Lips:

Any natural colour moisturising lipstick or lip gloss would do in this look; I'm using Cover FX Lip FX lipstick in Rose blush; it comes with lip balm on the other end; it's a very moisturising lipstick but I think the price is a little high...

Products I used for base makeup:

• Covermark Bright Up concealer stick in Y-1
• Mary Kay mineral foundation in Ivory 1
• Avon mineral blush in Radiance

A little closer up, can you tell I'm wearing fake lashes? :D

I hope you found this tutorial useful :D

Have fun~ <3

♣ Ai's FOTD: DAY 5 (Lipstick-A-Day)

Yes... its day 5 of the lipstick-a-day... TT_TT I just didn't upload the previous days, which I will do soon (I hope...)

Went out to dinner with friends, so I decided to look decent for once :P
This look is pretty simple; volumous lashes with a bright lip. Enjoy~

EYES
 
(A) MAC: Typographic matte2 shadow
(B) Mark: Get Bright Highligher
(C) Ardell: Invisible Demi-Wispies, black
(D) Shu Uemura Eyeliner: black
(E) MAC: 266 Liner brush
(F) Ardell: Adhesive lash glue
(G) Maybelline: Full N' Soft waterproof mascara, black
      Avon: Wash-off waterproof mascara, black













1) Use (B) to highlight under eye and corner
2) Curl lashes and apply mascara, (G)
- I like to apply my mascara before my liner to avoid smudging my liner
3) Apply (A) shadow with liner brush (E) as eyeliner
- I wet the brush first to use the eyeshadow as a liner, but any type of liner will work just fine
4) Tight-line your upper lash line with (D)
5) Cut (C) into 3 pieces for left and right false lashes, apply lash glue (F) to the cut false lashes, then stick it closest to your lash line
- I actually applied the falsies below my lash line, but you can apply the falsies above your lash line it will still be fine. Its just I found that it looks more natural when falsies are applied below you lash line (maybe I should do another tutorial on how this is done???)
(6) Retouch your tight-line and eyeliner if necessary

The end result should look something like this :D
I am wearing Geo Honey Wings.

LIP + CHEEK

    

(H) Revlon: Super Lustrous Lipstick, 750 Kiss Me Coral (creme)

(I) Avon: Smooth Minerals, Blushed Rose

(J) Vaseline

7) Apply (I) blush

8) Moisturize your lips with lip balm or vaseline (J)

9) Apply a bold lipstick (H)

Easy and classic look. Good for casual outings because you don't look overdone :)

I will update soon with other lipstick-a-day looks soon ><...

♣ Ai's Avon & Trade Secrets Haul

Warning: Pic heavy!!!

I ordered some skincare and make-up from Avon with my mum :) Their shipping was super fast and prices for items are reasonable.

SKINCARE

Avon: Eye Makeup Remover Lotion

Similar to my HG Nivea cream eye makeup remover I use; gentler, just as effective, but it was on sale for $2.


Liiv Botanicals: Night Moisturizer

I decided to test out the Liiv botanicals line by Avon because if its ingredients. All products are dye-free, preservative-free, fragrance-free, and suitable for sensitive skin. This cream is not heavy and easily absorbed by your skin. The frost/shimmers does not bother me, since it does not show up on my skin. If you are sensitive to herbal/green fragrance maybe this will not be a line for you... All their products have a light distinct green scent. 

Liiv Botanicals: Revitalizing Face Pearls

From the product description this sounds like a multi-purpose miracle oil?? "Awaken dull skin, evens skin tone, minimize pores, improves skin, firmer skin, softens looks of lines/wrinkles." The oil is dispensed through a roller and you just roll this product where you want improvements in your skin. I am currently only use this on lines under my eyes. If it does perform miracles I will be sure to update/review.


Liiv Botanicals: Eye Cream, SPF 15

Like I have previously mentioned I love products with spf, and eye cream is not an exception. The consistency of the product is quite thick when squeezed out of the tube (probably because of the spf content??), but when applied it does not feel thick and quickly absorbed.The eye cream does not ball up when makeup is applied on top and did not irritate my eyes. So far so good.


Avon: Solutions Plus Maximum Moisture Eye Cream

I wanted a better and more hydrating eye cream for night time this is great for sensitive eyes; hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, dermatological-tested, ophthalmologist-tested - all this just means its suitable for sensitive eyes... -_-... Consistency is like a night cream (on the thicker side), but again absorption is good.

Mark: Light Bright Eye Gel

This is... sort of disappointing in size. Contains VERY little product, even though it is effective. When squeezed out of the tube the gel is a thick consistency, upon application you can feel it depuffying your eyes! Regardless, too little product!!!

Mark: Go-With-The-Grain Exfoliating Beads

I find this product ultra conventional. You don't have to purchase a separate scrub, you just add the exfoliating beads to your normal face wash and TADA you have scrub. I even tried this with Vaseline as a lip scrub - this worked great too.There is not that much product but you really don't need too much. The beads are actually made of rice bran (natural ingredients :D).

MAKEUP

Mark: Get Bright Highlighter
   

This is a tiny portable highlighter. Works well for the under eye area, the only problem I found is that the product dries too quickly then blending becomes impossible and ugly. To make this work you must immediately drop everything in your hands and BLEND!!! (lol... ok so its not that exaggerating). I do think this is workable and easy to use once you get the hang of it.
 

a) Avon: Smooth Minerals Blush

I purchased this in 2 shades; radiance and blushed rose. Some how blushed rose is a little dark for my skin tone. Colour pigment is good, smooth and easy to apply, similar to most mineral blush out there.

b) Avon: Smooth Minerals Concealer 

Purchased in fair. This is actually the only product I don't know what to do with... =_=;;;;; coverage is ok, but powder makes my skin look dry... I knew that, so now I should ask myself why I made this purchased.

   
   

c) Avon: Wash-off Waterproof Mascara

It was a free gift with the order. I am pleased with this mascara, does not clump, no flaking, and separates my lashes. I wanted more volume and this gave me length, but really... free mascara that works. I am not complaining~

d) Ardell: Brow and Lash Growth Accelerator

You can purchase this at some Trade secrets location. I grabbed the last one in my location though :P Highly raved about on MUA, so I decided to see if it will make my lashes longer~ The solution have a plastic-y smell, but does not make your lashes sticky and does not sting your eyes (unlike Mavala). Will review for later.

   

e) Avon: Precision Glimmer Eyeshadow

Colour in Dune, a light beige with gold sheen. Fast and easy. No complaints.

   

f) Avon: Blushing Raisins Eyeshadow Quad

Colour 1 is basically skin tone for me, its useless? Colour 2 is a matte light pink, Colour 3 is a lilac shimmer, and Colour 4 is dark purple-brown shimmer. My swatches are hard to see... :( I wish there was more pigmentation for the matte colours, because they don't show up well.

   

f) Avon: Island Breeze Eyeshadow Quad

I personally find this more useful than Blushing Raisins, and pigmentation is ok (all 4 are shimmer). Colour 1 is a pale pink shimmer, Colour 2 is a baby blue frost, Colour 3 is a pink khaki shimmer, and Colour 4 is an ocean blue shimmer.

g) Ardell: Invisible Demi-Wispies Black & Adhesive for False Lashes

Back in the lash game~ I thought for night outings it would be nice to add false half lashes :) I cut the full strip of lashes in half or 1/3. Upcoming tutorial~

We will be adding lipstick hauls soon. Mei and I are obsessed with lipsticks currently.