Daytime Retro Hair and Makeup Demonstration

Final Result

This is my first real attempt at making a hair and makeup video. It's not really a tutorial, but more of a demonstration. I realized that I didn't like the sound of my own voice and it was a bit nerve-wracking to try and talk the whole time, so I just recorded my every day makeup process and a page boy hair style. I took the sound off and sped it up, even though it's still 15 minutes long. If you want to skip the makeup, the hair starts at minute six.

Tip: Make sure your hair is completely dry before removing the hair clips.

Products Used:
Urban Decay Face Primer
Makeup For Ever HD Foundation
Makeup For Ever Concealer Palette
MAC Eyeshadow in Blanc Type
MAC Eyeshadow in Omega
MAC Blush in Buff
Anastasia Brow Wiz eyebrow pencil
Anastasia Eyeliner
Better than sex Mascara
Makeup For Ever Lip Liner
Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lipstick in Bravado
Makeup For Ever HD Loose Powder

Hair:
Layrite Grooming Spray
Sportnet Teasing Brush
Two-prong Hair Clips
Big Sexy Hair spray in Get Layered
Mason Pearson Bristle Brush
Kenra Volume Hair Spray

Tools:
Beauty Blender Sponge
Real Technique Makeup Brushes
MAC Brushes

Lichtenstein Halloween Demo: Two Ways

After my last tutorial, I had some requests for videos. This was my first real attempt at making a tutorial video. And because it was way harder than I imagined, it turned into more of a demonstration. I didn't do a voice over or music and I sped it up so that it wouldn't be 30 minutes long.

Things I learned while making these videos:

• Making videos is hard
• I need a tripod for my phone
• I need to shoot landscape and not portrait
• Videos take up an enormous amount of memory. Yikes!
• I had no idea how to use iMovie. 

I'm not going to give up on more videos in the future, but there is definitely a learning curve. That's enough bitching about the process, let's talk about the actual makeup.

I decided to do this look on myself and my friend Jessica. She was a wonderful and willing model. I wanted to show a similar look on two different skin shades and how it translates. This is a look that I had contemplated on doing for a while and we had a lot of fun taking our photos afterwards. The final result accentuates your expression, so it's really easy to make funny faces. I'll post some of those at the end.

Lichtenstein Demo 1 (on myself)

After I applied my usual foundation and concealer routine to create a clean palette, I started by mapping out my lines with a brown eyebrow pencil. This allowed me the freedom to explore what I wanted to do without making a mess of my face. Once I got it the way I wanted it, I then went over the lines with black. If you do wear this look out for Halloween, keep in mind that this is a look that can get pretty messed up throughout the night. And you should drink out of a straw. Don't hug anyone and don't scratch your face, which is really hard. The reason it's so hard to keep this look clean is because you can't really set it with powder. You could try a makeup setting spray, but I didn't have any of that to test out.




Lichtenstein Demo 2 (Jessica)

In this demonstration, I used the same techniques, but added different colors and tears. You should search the internet for inspiration and pick and choose which elements you want to include. I used a peach concealer for Jessica's dots because I wanted to give it contrast, but white would be too stark and I saw several examples online with red dots, but to me, they just look like zits.



Here is a list of products that I used in both videos:

Brushes:

• MAC 239 (eye shadow)
• Ulta angled fine point liner brush (fine detail)
• Sephora angled liner brush (strong lines)
• Sephora flat brush (clean up)
• Real Techniques detailer brush (lips)
• Real Techniques deluxe crease brush (concealer)
• Real Techniques setting brush (blush)
• Real Techniques fine liner brush (lip highlights)

Makeup:

• Make Up For Ever Flash Palette (bright colors for lips, eyes, face dots in white and black)
• Make Up For Ever HD Foundation
• Make Up For Ever Concealer Palette (face dots on Jessica)
• Make Up For Ever Aqua liner (fine lines)
• MAC Rapidblack Penultimate eye liner (fine lines)
• Sleek Makeup eye shadow palette (i-Divine Ultra Matts) (eyes)
• Anastasia Brow Wiz Pencil (Caramel) (sketching the lines)
• Stila Blush (blush)
• Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara (eyelashes)

Funny Photos

Marilyn Monroe Halloween Tutorial

It has been a really long time since I've posted a tutorial. I hoping that the upcoming Halloween holiday will inspire me to start back up. If you have any ideas for tutorials that you would like to see, email me at ali@redroosterdesign.com.

So to start, here is a Marilyn Monroe tutorial because she is one of my favorite vintage inspirations and I've actually never been her for Halloween.

I started with a black and white photo of Marilyn, but I wanted to make this look more severe to really emphasize all of her famous features and because it's for Halloween. It's a bit of a mix between a regular Marilyn makeup and and a pop art Marylin with muted colors.

Marilyn photo used for reference.

I used my Make Up For Ever Flash Palettes. They are creams so they blend easily and they are very pigmented.

Make Up For Ever Flash Palettes

I started by adding the highlights. I just roughly applied them using a flat brush.

Highlights

Then I added the shadows using browns. I used the photograph as a reference as to where to put the shadows and highlights. Marilyn was known for her bedroom eyes and that's achieved with the defined shadows and highlights.

Shadows

I then added the signature arched eyebrows. They are pointy and thicker at the points.

Eyebrows

I then blended the face with a blending sponge by patting the areas lightly.

Blending Sponge

Results of blending the face

Then I used a smaller brush to blend around the eyes.

Real Techniques brush

Next, I went over the brown areas with a brown eye shadow from my naked palette to set it.

Naked Palette

I also went over the highlights with a white eye shadow to set it and even it out.

Sleek palette

Then it was time for the signature Marilyn lips. Her lips have a big bow and are red. I used the same brown cream that I used on my face to outline the lips. Marilyn actually used many shades of red to create her dramatic dimensional lip. After I blended the lips I added different shades of red and pink to the center and finished it off with a dramatic white highlight on the bottom center lip.

Lined Lips

Blended Lips

Lips with Red in the middle

Lip Highlight

Finally, I added eyeliner. You don't have to be super precise. If you look at photos of Marilyn, you can see that her eyeliner has a bit of an angle down on the ends and she usually had liner on the outside bottom of her eye to create that droopy shadow.

Eyeliner

 The look wouldn't be complete without her signature beauty mark and her blonde hair.

Final makeup and a wig cap

Here is the final look. If I were really wearing this out, I would have also applied makeup to my neck to make it match my face.

Final Look

Final Look

Final Look

Final Look

Morticia Addams Tutorial: Happy Halloween

My favorite holiday is upon us. It's a little late, but in case you are looking for some inspiration or help, here is a tutorial on how to transform yourself into Morticia Addams.

I started by using my airbrush machine and the color Arctica to create the deathly white complexion that Morticia is famous for. You don't have to use an air brush. You can use a very light foundation or even mix a white face paint in with your regular foundation.

Arctica and Airbrush

You can see the before and after here. I thought I was white already, but I was wrong. I also noticed that the whiter my skin got the pinker my eyeballs got.

Before and after airbrushing

Next I did some contouring, light and dark. For the light I mixed white cream from my Makeup Forever Flash palette and my concealer.

Here is where I put the lights and the darks. The contoured cheek bones are are very important for this look.

After blending the contouring I started on the eyes. Morticia's eyes have a signature smokey look. I started by using a brown to sketch out the shape. I created a v-shape on the outer corners and pulled it all the way up to the inside of the brow. Then I used the gray and the black from this palette and went over the outer v-shape blending as I went. Do it in small increments and blend. I also used the white on my brow bone and the inner corner of my eyes.

You can see here that I kept darkening the shadow in the outer corner.

I also added a shimmery white to the inner corners. If you black gets to smudgy you can also use a brush with concealer to clean it up.

I then added black eyeliner to the top lid. I used a basic cat eye shape and used a cream liner lightly under the eye. I don't like the way my eyes look with black on the water line so I put it under the lashes and filled the water line with white eyeliner.

Next I drew on the eyebrows. Morticia's eyebrows are black and rounded.

The false eyelashes, mascara and red lips are the final touch. Set it with powder and put on your wig.

Here is the final look.

Pink Bow City

Greyline Creative and I are featured in the August issue of Pink Bow City. The magazines are in the mail and I was able to get a screenshot of our page. I can't wait to see it in person.

1960's Tutorial in Pink Bow City

Cat Eye Eyeliner

The cat eye is an essential part of the pin up look. If you aren't familiar with this term, it's when your eyeliner extends past your eye and gets thicker with a pointy flick on the end. It's called this because it makes your eyes look more feline, like a cat. There isn't one way to do this or one type of eyeliner. In fact, I'm still searching for the perfect eyeliner for this look. There are pros and cons to the many different types. Here are some of the types:

• Liquid: Good for this look because it goes on smooth, even with clean edges.
• Felt Tip: Easier to use, but can sometimes bleed or not be dark enough.
• Hard Tip: Can be harder to use because there is no give, but tends to be darker. Especially if waterproof. But it can get stuck in your eyelashes and cause clumping when trying to apply mascara. But stays on well.
• Pencil: Not very good for a cat eye as you can't get the small flick on the end very well. It is easier to apply because it's not as messy. Better for a smokey eye because it can be smudged and blended.
• Cream: This is what I use because I prefer to use a small brush. It gives me more control and goes on even and dark. Can transfer to the lid if you have oily eyelids.
• Small brush
• Angled brush

Update: I have since found an eyeliner that I absolutely love and had to share. The brand is Jessie's Girl. It's cheap and it's wonderful. Goes on smooth, doesn't bleed, doesn't transfer to the lids, doesn't dry out or crack. Is a very dark color and is easy to apply. (added August 18th)

You can see the different shades and staying power of the eyeliners above. The bottom photo is after wiping my hand with a towel. The one that stayed is the waterproof liquid with the hard tip. I still prefer the cream because, while the liquid one stays, it gets stuck in my eyelashes.

Here are the eyeliner brushes that I have. The first one is my preferred brush. It's very small and allows for more control. The angles brush is good for the flick on the end.

Here is a video of how I apply my eyeliner with cream liner and a small brush.

If you need a little extra help there is a trick you can use to make the flick even and straight, scotch tape. Place a small piece of tape as shown in the photo.

Here is a demo of how you apply the flick with scotch tape. Pull the tape off slowly to protect your skin.


And to get both sides even, just flip your tape over and use the eyeliner residue from the last application as a guide for where to stop.

Here is the final result. It doesn't have to be perfect and it takes some practice. Don't be afraid to just wipe it off and start again. It's just makeup and it's supposed to be fun. Get crazy with it too. Play with how far you can take the wing and how thick you can make it. There is no wrong way to do it.

Spring Concept Shoot

This is the last of a series of four based on the seasons, Spring! Our lovely model Michelle Tate made this look effortless with her flaming red hair and porcelain skin. Casey of Greyline Photography used some new techniques that she learned at the After Dark conference. Here you can see the series together:

Top left: Winter, Top right: Spring, Bottom left: Fall, Bottom right: Summer

I started by airbrushing Michelle's skin with my Belletto airbrush system. I then defined her brows with Anastasia Brow Wiz pencil. I used several different shades of green eyeshadow to get this look. I used a couple from my Sleek Palettes until I got the right look. I added Makeup Forever diamond powder on top for shimmer. In order to make her eyes look bigger, I added lashes on top and bottom. But the bottom lashes I placed lower than her actual eye and filled the gap with white cream from my Makeup Forever Flash palette and set it with white eyeshadow. I used Illamasque cream blush and the lip was achieved by using the coral color from the flash palette.

Michelle's fresh face on the left, a close up of the shadow and lashes on the right.

Sleek makeup palettes

Work in progress

Here a close up of the final result:

A close up of the final result of Spring

And the full shot:

As you might be able to tell, this was inspired by Shakespeare's Ophelia

Some other things to note, the flower hair piece was made by Jules Designs event florals. The dress is by BonnerBell, a local designer. Support your local artists!

Here is a shot from the same shoot with different hair, dress and a darker lip: