"Make Up talk" for Beginners!

Hi there munchkins! Assalamualaikum <3
To start off, I don’t encourage preteens or teens to wear makeup on a daily basis for example, going too school, the park etc. Once you start doing so, your face loses its young appearance, and you will need makeup to look more awake. If your skin is problem-free, why create a problem, know what im sayin’? Anyways, this post is in no way professional, it’s just my “routine” when I go out to a special event once in a while/ night out with my girlfriends.

                           

First on the list: ALL THE PRODUCTS I USE:

Im going to go over my skincare products first, because its crucial to have a clean base, before you apply any makeup.

•  “Garnier Light Night Cream”- I use a night cream because I want my skin to be heavily moisturized so if I put any face makeup later on, it wont look cakey. Wait 10 minutes before applying makeup. Or apply two layers of any moisturizer of your choice.

•  “Boots Cucumber Whitening Eye Gel”- This is to ensure my under eyes are moisturized, because it’s the most delicate part of your face.

• “Vaseline”- Good ‘ol Vaseline. This multifunctional product can be useful for almost everything needed on our face today. I use the Aloe Vera.

Now for Makeup: Ladies! All you need are 3 KEY PRODUCTS, which are..

•  Concealer - (MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer in the shade“NW35”) It’s a heavy-duty concealer, which is on the expensive side, but  I recommend splurging on a good concealer because it will last you literally years. Alternatives are the “Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer, at Sephora”.

•   Dark Brown/Dark Taupe Eyeshadow (depending on your skin tone) – (MAC single eyeshadow in the shade “Charcoal Brown”/”Omega” for lighter skin. You do not have to use the same brand. Any brown/taupe eyshadow from the drugstore, clothing shops etc. is totally fine.

                                 

•   Baby Powder: If its delicate enough for a baby’s bottom, it can sit on my face any day. It smells nice, makes you appear a lil bit more awake as well. I use Johnson’s Baby Powder.

And some extra lil’ tools such as:

•  Cosmetic Sponges- (found in Daiso), To apply your makeup. Its inexpensive and  cheaper than a brush. You can use your fingers, but keep in mind, that doing so, applies more amount of makeup on a certain area on your face, resulting in a cakey look, which we’re trying to avoid.

                     

• Angled brush: For filling in your eyebrows, and doing your eyeliner.

• Blush brush: For contouring the hollows of your cheeks. (I found an inexpensive set of brushes in Forever 21 which includes, the angled and blush brushes. And might I just add they are the cutest ever)

                                   

    
Second on the list: My HOW TO: EYE PRIMER!

All you’ll need, is a

contact lens case/ any small container,

a toothpick/cottonbud, some Vaseline, cornstarch and body butter. Don’t use lotion, as it can become quite harsh on the delicate eye area.

Now.. mix them all together depending on your preference in consistency. I personally like mine, with more concealer, but if you have dry eyelids, add a little more body butter.

                                           

The purpose of an eye-primer is to make anything sitting on your eyes, stay put the whole night wihout smudging or dusting away. This is really important while putting makeup, and should not be skipped.

Third on the list: MY “SO CALLED PRO” TIPS ;)

•  Apply concealer on your blemishes with fingers, and , ALWAYS USE A DAMP SPONGE for concealing under eye circles. It looks more natural, and doesn’t give you a cakey look.

• Damp your angled brush, and apply brown eyeshadow on the sparse areas on your eyebrows, for a more defined look. Keep in mind, to use a light hand. You don’t want to have that “drawn-on” brow look. Keep it natural. 

• Apply your homemade primer on the area closest to your lashline, with a damp angled brush, concentrate the brown eyeshadow, on this area. Voila, it acts as a liner, yet still looking very natural. 

• Apply Vaseline on your lips, eyelashes and eye brows, to keep them in place. 

• Use the blush brush, to apply a lil bit of baby powder to set the whole face, and make a fishy face to help suck your cheekbones in, and by using the blush brush, apply a lil bit of brown eyeshadow on the hollows of your cheeks.

And, BAMMMM, youre all done. Most of these products you might even have at home, or in your mom’s makeup bag.  Makeup is supposed to enhance your best features, not create a new face. So,  keep it minimal, experiment, and enjoy your time out. And if you have any questions about the prices on any of the products listed above, do leave a comment below, and I’ll make

sure to give you all the details.

Until next week, xo Neel..

Keep smiling until you freak people out! 

My winter/fall essentials

Hi there, Its Neel here <3

It’s that topic where besides the obvious semi-warm clothing (I live in Dubai, and its not really considered “cold”), there are a few little things that we always walk past by in a shop/grocery store..

And I thought I’d give them more justice by sharing them with you. ❤

Lets start off with, my fashion items..

Checkered Scarves!

If you’re a girl like me, and only own the bare basics of clothing, this is the most perfect accessory for the cold season. It pulls an outfit together without even trying, whilst adding that “christmasey” touch. And can also double-up as a blanket if youre travelling as well, which is always a plus.

FLANNELS.
                      

Selecting the perfect flannel for you, can be a struggle as there’s so much of variety and it becomes really hard to make a decision. So my advice would be:

• If you’re slightly warm-toned like me, choose a flannel with deeper colours such as deep purples, brown, navy’s etc. If you’re cool-toned, then opt for a brighter, more festive option such as bright red/green.
• The checkered blocks, should preferably be large and spaced-out.
• Whatever colour it may be, I like it to look washed out and worn..doing so, gives a more casual and laidback feel.

Combat/Cozy Boots..

Nothing can make an outfit scream WINTER, like boots do. It adds this rugged, rusty touch to an outfit and you can dress it up or dress it down. It can be worn with pretty much anything, but my absolute fave, is pairing it with maxi skirts/dresses.

Thick B/W Thermal Vests:

As boring as it sounds, you never know when there’ll come a day where the cold air will stab your chest resulting in a 4-day long cold, YES, it did happen.

A really good staple for transitioning summer outifts to winter, provides the warmth and acts like a charm against the chills. My favourites are the ones from M&S. They’re definitely worth the price.

                              

Fragrance:

Smelling yummy is crucial every part of the year, but the winter season is meant for heavy/rich tones as opposed to light tones in perfume. My favourite so far has been:

“White Musk Fantasy” by The Body Fantasies

Smells just like it sounds, rich white musk, with a hint of talc. Lasts 8 hours on my skin, which is pretty darn good for a mist. Really inexpensive, available at Spinneys or any grocery store near you.

An alternative would be..

The “White Musk Perfume Oil” by The Body Shop

                          

Perfume oils are much more soothing for the skin as It contains no alcohol. It last 12 hours on my skin, has the same smell as the mist, but double the price.

And last but not least, Lip Balms!

I cannot emphasize how important it is, this time of the year, because my actual lips don’t get chapped, it’s the area around it which does. So, thick, rich, moisturizing lipbalm is definitely a staple in my purse/schoolbag. For daytime wear, I recommend the Cocoa Butter Formula.

                             

For nightime, I go for something more heavy like the Nivea Lip Butter in “Vanilla and Macadamia”

Okay, those are my absolute essentials for winter, aside from many more, but if you want to see them, leave a comment below and I’ll make sure to do them soon. Until next week then xo, Neel

Keep smiling till you freak people out!