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Christmas Sparkle
Thursday, December 8, 2011
So, I have a NEW favourite product!! – And just in time for Christmas!!
I have fallen in love with e.l.f’s new product: Make Up Lock & Seal. When I perform in Burlesque shows, I love to wear glitter and to sparkle, and up to now, I’ve never found the perfect product with which to apply my glitter. Most products intended for this purpose are too dry, too oily, or come in containers which become contaminated with the colour you choose the first time you use them, But this new make up sealer by e.l.f has the jump on all of these issues.
Make Up Lock & Seal arrives in a little box containing a bottle of the product, a brush, and a small mixing dish. The idea is to decant a few drops of the product into the mixing dish, dampen the brush in the liquid, and then dip the brush into the product of your choice.
You can use the liquid with any make up, but my absolute, tip-top favourite way is with glitter is on my lips. It looks so pretty under stage or party lights, it’s perfect for Christmas celebrations and gatherings, and I promise you’ll never receive so many compliments on your lipstick!! Here are my steps to achieve perfect sparkle party lips!
You Will Need:
*Lip Liner
*Lipstick
*Make Up Lock & Seal
*Cosmetic Glitter in a colour to match your lipstick. I use bright red!
(Please note: It’s important to only use glitter specifically designed for cosmetic use)
1. Line & fill in lips with lip liner (I like “Bitter” lipliner, or Lip Stain in "Red Carpet")
2. Using a lip brush, fill in lips with lipstick (try “Posh”)
3. Decant 3 or 4 drops of Make Up Lock & Seal into the mixing dish
4. Dampen your brush in the liquid. Be careful not to wet the brush too much
5. Dip the damp brush into a pot of cosmetic glitter
6. Using the brush, use a gentle patting technique to carefully apply the glitter over your lipstick, re-dipping into the glitter when necessary
7. Re-moisten the brush and apply a further “coat” of Make Up Lock & Seal over the glitter.
The beauty of this product & technique is that your sparkly lips are now sealed – transfer onto drinking glasses (and your beau!) will be minimal!
Anna x
www.annafurlaxis.com
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Specs Appeal
Friday, November 25, 2011
I love my specs. I’ve collected them over the years, friends have given me pairs they know I’d adore, and I’ve picked them up in far-flung places while travelling. I see specs as an accessory and an investment – after all, they’re on your face all day!
I think the reason I like to have so many spectacle options is how far specs fashions have come, from the 1970s & 80s. If you did love those NHS specs though, you can still find them! Check out Dead Mens Specs!!
I do wear contact lenses for performances and evenings out, but generally you’ll find me wearing my specs with pride. My favorites are genuine vintage (you’ll need to find a friendly local Optician to put your prescription lenses in though, many modern chains won’t touch them) but there are also lots of fabulous modern styles in gorgeous colours, as well as vintage reproductions.
Wearing glasses does mean giving some extra thought to eye make up – specs draw attention to the eyes, and depending on your prescription, can make them seem smaller or larger. Here are my top make up tips for specs wearers:
Groomed Brows
This is my top tip, and can make a big difference to everyone’s make up (and even affect the way your face-shape appears!) but it’s especially important for specs-wearers, as your eyes are such a focus for attention. The e.l.f. eyebrow powder kit is fabulous, and if you’re having trouble with plucking and defining your eyebrow shape, try the e.l.f eyebrow stencil kit – choose a shape, fill in with eyebrow powder, then pluck stray hairs!
Mascara
Eyelashes can be a nuisance for specs-wearers – bumping against your lenses, & leaving little mascara streaks, and it’s almost impossible to fit a set of stage-worthy false lashes under a pair of specs! I always curl my lashes with an e.l.f. eyelash curler to help fight against smudges, and I use mascara only on my top lashes which helps to minimise shadow being cast onto the under-eye area. For daytime wear (especially as I’m dark-haired) I can get away with one coat.
Concealer
Specs can draw attention to any dark areas under the eye, and even cast shadows, so choose a light-textured concealer very close to your skin tone. Apply sparingly and dust with powder - too much and your specs may slide away!
Colour & Blending
Because I like dramatic frames, I prefer to keep eye makeup simple and stick to fairly neutral shades, usually just one dark and one light shade. Careful blending is extra-important for specs wearers as glasses can magnify mistakes. If you find that powder shadows cause fallout onto your lenses, cream colours are a great alternative.
Highlighter
A creamy pale highlighter dotted onto the inner corners of the eyes and under the arch of the eyebrow will really brighten and open up your eyes.
Anna x
www.annafurlaxis.com
Products Used in Photograph:
Eyelash Curlers
Mineral infused Face Primer
Flawless Finish Foundation in Porcelain
High Definition Powder
Mineral Eye shadow Primer
Cream Eye shadow in Candlelight
Mascara
Eyebrow Powder Kit
Beauty-On-The-Go Palette blush & Eye Colours
Cream Eyeliner - Black
Lip Stain in Red Carpet
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Back To School
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Around this time of year, with the “Back to School” promotions in the shops and the change of season imminent, I miss the excitement of preparing for a new term at school or college; yep, I was one of “those” kids!
It’s absolutely never too late to start learning new things though, and the abundance of information online makes it pretty easy to pick up new information.
In my job, I’m constantly looking for new ways to push myself, gain inspiration, and add new, quirky interest to my burlesque routines. In the past few years, this has included learning how to throw knives, picking up some magic tricks, and some fun dance classes.
Since I left Beauty School, I’ve been keen to continue learning about skin care & make up application, especially as fashions change, and the current thinking about such things as product ingredients shifts. Fabulous new products have come on to the market since I left Beauty School, like mineral make up!
I absolutely love books and can’t get enough of them, and if you’re interested in retro hair and make up styles, there are some lovely books out there. The most recent additions to my bookshelf are Lauren Rennells’ Hair & Make Up books: “Vintage Hairstyling: Retro Styles with Step-by-Step Technique” and ‘Retro Make Up: Techniques for applying the Vintage Look”. Both are lovely books with lots of information & hints & tips. There are also DVDs, zillions of YouTube tutorials, and even classes and workshops in your area that you can attend. I run workshops in vintage-inspired hair and make up and I know there are lots of people running vintage & retro workshops worldwide - it’s a great way to meet new people and pick up some tricks.
I love that the price-point and breathtaking range of colours and products at e.l.f. means that you can try a new colour or style without breaking the bank, and with make up, it doesn’t matter how wild (or wrong!) things get – it comes off! So grab your computer, place an order for some colours you’ve never tried before find a tutorial that sparks your interest, and learn something new!
Anna x
www.annafurlaxis.com
Make Up Used in Photo:
Mineral Infused Face Primer
Eye shadow Primer
Flawless Finish Foundation: Porcelain
High Definition Powder
Eyebrow Kit: Dark
Brightening Eye Colour: Teal Dream
Studio Mascara: Black
Cream Eyeliner: Black
Studio Blush: Berry Merry
Lip Liner: Bitter
Conditioning Lip Balm: Blissful Berry
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Travelling Light!
Monday, July 25, 2011
In the last couple of months I’ve had shows in Sweden, Paris, Rome and Las Vegas, as well as across the UK. I’m very lucky to travel so much with my job, but all this touring has meant that I’ve had to pick up some shortcuts and tips for moving around on my own with heavy luggage, and since it’s holiday season, I thought this would be as good a time as any to gather my thoughts.
But let’s start at the beginning: For an early flight, should one wear full make up to the Airport?! Often, for European shows, I have to leave my home at 4 or 5am to check in for an 8 or 9am flight. Is it worth applying make up at that crazy hour? If I’ve had a show the night before, I might not have made it to bed before 2 or 3am! – But from personal experience, I find it’s always worth taking the time to apply a little e.l.f. Mineral Foundation, Mascara and Red Carpet Lipstain. It takes 2 minutes and I know I’ll regret it at the check-in desk if I don’t.
But what about luggage?! And all the rules and regulations for in-flight bags and their contents?! It might look like Burlesque Performers wear next to nothing on stage and could fit their costumes into a clutch bag, but I promise you – our bags are rammed full & are heavy. It takes a lot more luggage than you’d think! So, how to maximize your baggage allowance? First things first; check out your Airline’s website before you go for their own baggage limits – individual airlines have a mind-boggling variety of maximum weights for hold bags, from a teeny 15kg to a whopping 96kg. And bear in mind that your suitcase will probably weigh around 4-5 kg before you’ve even packed a thing! With hand baggage it gets even more complicated – but if you’re savvy, you can play the figures. Many (but not all!) Airlines allow one item of hand baggage (check the sizes allowed – they can be strict!) up to around 8-12kg PLUS a handbag or laptop. So I have the world’s-largest-handbag. I can fit my laptop in there, as well as an assortment of other bits and bobs which probably weigh another 10kg. Of course, on approaching the check-in desk, I act as if it’s lighter than air. ;)
So what’s inside the bags I won’t let leave my side during travel? Let me preface what I’m about to say by telling you that about 50% of the flights I take have “issues”, which can be anything from a 10 minute delay, up to spending a weekend stranded in a country in which I neither began, or intended to end my journey in, followed by a week of not knowing if I was going to get my suitcase back. So I always carry anything valuable in my hand luggage. Which includes my giant pink fluffy boa. You’ll also need a few bits and bobs just in case. So that’s spare underwear, phone & laptop chargers, universal power adapter, any medicines you might need (tip: don’t ask for codeine-based painkillers over-the-counter in a USA Pharmacy unless you like to be looked at as if you’ve just asked to shoot up in the middle of the store) and some toiletries. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be wanting your make up kit, that’s for sure. Before I say any more, it’s important to check current regulations to be sure that you have the up-to-date information on things like liquids and gels (currently you may fly with containers no larger than 100ml – excluding essential medicines – which must fit in a single transparent, resealable, 1-litre bag). It’s worth separating your powder make up in to a separate bag before you go – my Lipstain, Lipsticks, Cream Eyeliner and mascara all have to go into the little plastic bag. Powders can go into my little bag of brushes I told you about last time.
Phew. That’s a lot to pack!
Of course you COULD go down the route suggested by my lovely colleague Lada Redstar and buy a Rufus Roo Jacket (www.rufusroo.com) which is either the most genius, or the most unglamorous garment I’ve ever seen – possibly both!
Anna xx
Products used in Photo:
High Definition Powder
Mineral Eye Primer
Studio Eye shadow in Raspberry
Cream Eyeliner in Black
Red Carpet Lip Stain
Studio Blush in Tickled Pink
Eyebrow Kit in Dark
Lengthening & Volumising Mascara
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Anna's favourite brushes
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Wherever I go, whatever I’m doing, it’s not enough to have my favourite makeup products with me if I can’t apply them easily, and in a way which gives a professional looking finish. I have collected lots of brushes over time, but there are six that I couldn’t live without, which I keep in a little zip-up case, and which travel with me everywhere. I like that these e.l.f. brushes are both cruelty-free and anti-bacterial, and they have become my makeup bag staples:
- Studio Stipple Brush - I adore this brush for applying foundation. The large body and different lengths of bristles let me “buff” base into my skin so it looks smooth and almost airbrushed.
- Kabuki Face Brush - This large, soft brush is perfect for swirling just the right amount of powder over foundation.
- Bamboo Blending Eye Brush - Once I’ve applied my eye makeup, this brush has the perfect shape, size and flexibility for blending.
- The brush which comes free with Studio Cream Eyeliner- This is probably my favourite brush of all. I’ve tried many, many eyeliner brushes, and there are only very few that I routinely use. The shape of this brush makes sharp, precise, cat-eye eyeliner a breeze.
- Studio Complexion Brush - I LOVE blusher!! And I prefer to use a slightly larger brush to apply it. With this brush, I smile into the mirror and circle the blush into my cheeks for a rosy glow.
- Lip Defining Brush - Red lipstick is an essential part of my daily makeup and when I’m not wearing e.l.f. Lip Stain in Red Carpet (which I’m addicted to for daytime wear!) I prefer to apply lipstick with a brush rather than from the bullet, for a more defined, precise line. This brush is just the right stiffness to create a neat line.
Brush Care
Once you have chosen your brushes, it’s important to look after them. Brushes quickly become loaded not only with makeup products, but also with skin cells and oils and, left this way in your makeup bag, become home to bacteria which can not only damage your brushes, but cause skin infections and breakouts. It’s therefore important not to share brushes, and to clean them after each use to help to reduce product build-up (either using a makeup wipe, or brush cleanser spray with a tissue). Also, make sure you wash them thoroughly every few days with brush shampoo and warm water, reshape the bristles and leave air dry thoroughly on a paper towel before re-using. Then you can look forward to years of service from your loyal brushes!
Anna x
e.l.f. products used in this photograph:
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