Friday, May 24, 2013

Mastering the basics series - concealer 101

HI guys,
concealer can be one of those tricky makeup tasks! Whether its how to find the right shade, or what texture you need to cover which imperfection it can all seem a little daunting. So i hope this post sheds some light on the subject.

Why do we need concealer and what is its function?
Some of you wont need it, others will swear by it. Basically concealer is a more pigmented version of foundation, which comes in multiple textures for different jobs. If you have pretty good skin minus some under-eye bags or a pimple here or there then concealer will be your best friend in achieving that "no-makeup look". I love to just use a concealer on the "flaws" and blend into the skin for people that have great skin and want to look naturally flawless. NO foundation needed! Set with some translucent powder over the whole face and your good to go. (Maybe add some mascara and lip gloss to finish the look..:) )

Concealer can be used to cover and alter under eye circles (bags, which usually have a blue-purple or green tint.) A salmon colored concealer in a gel or other light weight texture works best in this area to avoid creasing ! Which is NOT a good look. So look for peachy hues in this instance. Check out Eve pearl salmon concealer, or a luminous pen in a peach shade try lancome, clinique, or L'Oreal for some great options.












For spot, scar or birthmark coverage then you may want something a little thicker textured. I love Napoleon Perdis pro-palette for this. As well as L'Oreal true match. These products will be heavy enough to cover and once set with powder wont budge. Be  sure and pick a skin true tone! You dont want anything darker or lighter in this instance.





If you are one of those people who are blessed with NO under eye bags OR blemishes, then you may want to use concealer as a highlight. (As may the rest of us that are simply faking perfect under eyes and blemish free skin!) In this situation you do want to find a concealer that is a few shades lighter than your skin and use it in the triangular shape under your eye area (as demonstrated in the video link) and anywhere else you want to highlight or bring forward the face. I again love L'Oreal true match for this, or any illuminating pen. Top of the line YSL...right through to maybelline! You can all find one that suits your budget.

SO now your even more confused? Well bottom line we can all use one concealer that is skin tone and good to cover pimples or random issues, and we can almost always use something brightening and peachy colored (more orange if you have dark skin) for the under eye area. I use my lancome tient miracle pen as both a corrector and a highlight.

well my friends i hope this has been informative. Be blessed, and know that you are all empowered to give to the world whatever gifts have been bestowed on you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC0Pa0CtX1Q

for more videos please check out my you tube channel.
joanna hawthorn xo

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

beginning of the week blues

HI friends, this has been one hectic start to the week!!
After work Sunday evening i was called to the emergency ward at the children's hospital due to an accident that occurred on a water-slide involving my daughter and her friend. One ambulance ride, several hours and multiple tests later, we are sent on our way with reports of whiplash, concussion and a neck brace.
  Awesome way to start the week. On a plus note my daughter is ok and it could have been far worse.
So Monday i played mummy. I cooked, spring cleaned, made all the necessary phone calls, edited some vids and in general just made sure i was here to keep tabs on my child (who needed plenty of rest.)
Roll around Tuesday and its modelling for MAC day...YAY! So after arranging a carer for my child. I am off to Polaris to visit the MAC store and be a model for my friend and MAC business manager-Habby.
  This was a great day and i learnt some useful techniques and i am sure that Habby learnt a lot too. Such things as: how to fix eyebrows that don't even appear related. What color to use to contour my pasty skin that magically got a few shades darker and is now in between shades! (hahah) Poor Hab's, i know it was challenging. Oh, and covering one of my tattoos too, she did super well on that one!We did have a great time.
 Photo: At the Mac testing area Polaris 
Winding up Tuesday we had a bite to eat at "the pub". i'm sure you can all imagine how excited i got when i saw a place like this in my town!!!
  Then off to collect my baby girl and take her to school for a performance, and boy oh boy was it crazy town at the school?! I thought i had walked into a rave filled with infants on speed!!! It was nuts. Smoke machines, strobe lighting, confetti guns, and music so loud you couldn't hear yourself think. I LOVED IT....:)
watching my little girl (who ironically towers over everyone else) do her "i'm country and i know it" dance...just cracked me up!! let me see if i can post a video or at-least some pics of this day. But for now here is the link to that awesome song if you want to check it out...:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJWCGuOGojQ

  And here we are at the end of Wednesday already! Today has been filled with more of the same mothering and phone calls tomorrow its back to work. And hopefully a half day of school for my big baby. :) She is doing much better, but we are taking things easy.

be blessed,
joanna hawthorn xo

Saturday, May 18, 2013

smokey eyes day to night

HI friends,
lately i have been loving soft smokey grey and champagne colored smokey eyes. I think this look is so versatile and beautiful. In the pictures i show a simple way with lip color to change the look completely from daytime elegance to night time glamorous! Now i will admit ms Kandy Johnson did inspire this look so it is alittle similar to her wedding makeup tutorial (she is the bomb, and you can check her out here :Shttp://www.youtube.com/user/kandeejohnson) now lets get on with how to do the look! all images are posted in instagram so be sure to check them out!

http://instagram.com/p/ZeTnZ1K62Q/

step one:
prime the lids and wash them completely with a flat pale shade (try yoghurt from or brulee from MAC)

Step two:
define the crease using a matte or a satin grey or medium brown shade (try scene or copperplate from MAC)

step three:
use a pale shimmery champagne color to wash the inner corner of the eye (try makeupgeek in shimmer shimmer, or naked lunch by MAC)

step four:
using a dark grey wash the outer third of the eye in the v- sweeping it into the center of the eye to fade out the color. (try typegraphic by MAC)

Step five:
Use a slightly warmer brown, burgundy or taupe with a hint of shimmer to go over the dark grey and warm it up a tad. (try satin taupe by MAC or burlesque by makeupgeek)

step six:
line the upper lash line with a black liquid liner ( i love elf's liner and its only $1!!!!!)

step seven:
go over the line with a matte black shadow (my fav is by makeupgeek in corrupt)

step eight:
wash the inner eye area to the outter v in the champagne color again to soften the effect, and rimm the lower and upper waterlines with black gel liner. (my pick is by essence, its cheap, gelish and it last so well!) I let it dry then re-coat for added staying power, and set with the black eyeshadow over top.

step nine:
line the lower eye with a blend of the dark grey and the crease blending color you used in the beginning., this gives a soft defused liner effect.

step ten: prime and mascara the lashes upper and lower. Two coats. (try lancome cils booster xl and hypnose drama, for daring lashes)

for the lips during the day i choose a pale nude mouth. My all time favorite nude is by lancome and ironically its called "pale lip" in the color design range.

to spice things up for the evening try a bold redlip i love love love "ruby woo" from MAC with "cherry" lip liner.

I hope you all have fun re-creating this look, and here are the links to the products mentioned.

Be blessed,
joanna xo

http://www.lancome-usa.com
http://www.maccosmetics.com
http://www.makeupgeek.com/

YOUTUBE

Wow, so yeah....i guess it has been FOREVER since i wrote on my blog. Forgive me, and lets move forward with some consistent content shall we?
In brief i got married and moved countries...so maybe you understand my little hiatus?!


I have become just "a little" obsessed with YouTube lately and all its visual glory. I think there is a flame in my heart that just cannot be contained. A burning desire to impart every aspect of my passion for makeup into the hearts and minds of anyone willing to watch and listen.
Whether this is new to you, or you are a seasoned professional i hope my channel brings you light and joy, and maybe a tip or two as well! ;)
i think in all honesty i am going to utilize this space for photos and product info on looks that i don't get around to filming.
be sure and check out my youtube channel if you haven't and if you enjoy subscribing and thumbs up-ing is the way to show me your love! ;)
www.youtube.com/user/joannamarie77

Be super blessed, knowing you are loved, unique, and welcomed into my world.


warm regards,
joanna hawthorn xo