Five Easy Steps to a Clean Face | My Night Routine

Taking off your makeup or any face products is as important as the act of makeup application itself. So, it shouldn't be taken for granted. I know that all of us have experienced exhausting days and we just feel like going straight (with our full face of makeup) to bed after a long day. However, we should always set some time and get into the habit of taking off our makeup and giving our skin its much needed time to breathe and recuperate after being masked with all of those makeup products we put during the day. 

In this blog post, I am going to be sharing with you guys my night routine - things I do to clean my face and nourish my skin. You'll also learn some tidbits of beauty tips that I do to prepare my face for an easy makeup application the following day. 

Here are the five easy steps to a clean face:

1. MELT and WIPE: To melt my makeup, I love to use Missha's Time Revolution One-Step Oil Gel Cleanser to basically marinate it on my face for about a minute. While I wait for the oil gel cleanser to do its job in melting my makeup, I take off my mascara and eye makeup using a spoolie brush soaked with eye makeup remover and wiggle the brush on my lashes; you can find the details about this technique on my previous post How To Take Off Falsies and Waterproof Mascara. After getting rid of my eye makeup, I use my wet fingers to massage Missha's oil gel cleanser all over my face. The water turns the oil gel into foam and you can literally see your makeup melting or coming off. Then, I rinse it off with lukewarm water.
2. EXFOLIATE: This step is probably one of the things that most girls take for granted, this is actually very important because it is going to scrub off any other product residue and dead skin cells that are hidden within your pores. If you are suffering from clogged pores, blackheads/whiteheads, and acne scarring, this step will help you improve your skin condition over time. I use the same line from Missha; it is their Time Revolution face scrub for my face and their smoothing care lip scrub for my lips. Tip: You may use the bristles of your tooth brush or brown sugar to exfoliate your lips.
3. TONE: After cleansing my face, I take another extra step to further make sure I bring back the natural pH level of my skin and to get rid of makeup residues that I missed while washing. I use the Face Shop 9-in-1 Skin Solution Toner to do the job for me.
4. TREAT: I perform this fourth step to treat my chapped, dry lips, to spot treat my fresh breakouts and to brighten up my blemishes.I use a lip balm (Maybelline's baby lips) to moisture my lips. For my fresh breakouts (if any), I spot treat it with Garnier Anti-Imperfection Roll On (any salicylic acid products will do). I also use Garnier Dark Spot Corrector with vitamin C to lighten up any dark spots or blemishes I have. 
5. MOISTURIZE: After you wash your face, you lose the natural moisture of your skin so it is critical to bring it back using moisturizing creams, moisturizing mask or oils. I use snail masks twice a week and on regular nights that I don't use mask I apply moisturizing cream.

And of course besides the five steps above, getting a good night sleep and keeping yoruself hydrated by drinking plenty of water are essential to a healthy skin inside and out. 

Keep Dolling Up,

Gelie (Jelai) Xoxo

How I Apply My Face Makeup (Glowy Finish)

Hi loves,

This week's blog post is short and sweet. I just want to show you guys how I apply my face makeup these days. The video tutorial below will walk you through the steps I take and the techniques I use in applying both liquid and powder products on my face. The products I used are also mentioned in the video.

Thank you so much for watching! If you have questions about the products I used and/or the techniques in application please drop me a line below.

See you in my next post!

Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

How To Fill In Your Brows Using A Brow Mascara

Hi dolls,

I'd like to share with you my techniques in filling my brows using a brow mascara. There are a tons of brow mascaras in the market, some great examples are Benefit's Gimme Brows, Nyx Tinted Brow Mascara, and Nature Republic Botanical Eyebrow Mascara (korean brand). My favorite among the bunch I have is the Nature Republic one. It doesn't dry out so fast and the shade matches my hair and skin tone perfectly.

Although the main concept in this post is using "brow mascara", I do like to tell you that I use other products/tools in conjunction with my brow mascara; just so I can get my desirable eyebrow look. The other things I use beside my brow mascara are eyebrow powder (brow shade matte shadow), spoolie brush, brow pencil, and concealer. 

Here is a step-by-step video tutorial on how I achieve well-groomed, defined brows. You may also read the steps below.

Steps:

1. Brow Mascara: Natural looking brows have subtle gradient effect, which means the inner ends (the ones near your nose) are slightly lighter and gets darker towards the outer end/the tail. That is why, I suggest you  start applying from the outer half of your brows and then take any excess product to the inner section. 
2. Brow Powder: You may also use a matte light brown eyeshadow. After applying your brow mascara you might feel as though it is sticky and leaves a shiny finish on your brows. Applying a brow powder on top of it using a brow brush will not only set the brow mascara, but also gets rid of the shiny effect and holds your brows in place throughout the day.
3. Spoolie Brush: Gently comb/brush your brows outward to make sure you have spread out all the products evenly and set all brow hair in the same direction. 
4. Eyebrow Pencil: I don't use eyebrow pencil to fill my whole brows. I use it to add sharpness or definition on the tail of my brows. Tip: As you can see on the video above. I used my brow pencil to find the end of my brows. Simply align the end of your brow pencil to the end of your nose and the end of your eyes. This will ensure you are not overdrawing your brows. 
   
5. Concealer: This is the star of the show. Even if I skip steps 2,3, and 4, I always make sure I do this last step. Apply a concealer that is one shade lighter than your skin to your brow bone area. It will help clean up the mess or any hair growth and highlight your brow bone. This step makes difference!

I hope you find my tips helpful.

Keep Dolling Up,
Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

Cranberry Shade Inspired Look + How To Apply Pigment Eyeshadow

I was organizing my makeup stash today and rediscovered two eye shadows that I haven't been playing a lot lately. So, I decided to create a look using these two products. I am talking about A'pieu Creamy Butter Shadow in #4 Cranberry Kiss and A'pieu Mini Star Pearl Shadow in #6. They're both Korean cosmetic road brand products and are very affordable. 

The creamy butter shadow has very soft, creamy buttery texture that glides on your skin smoothly. The other one is a pigment shadow which contains micro sparkles. So, the application of this pigment shadow can be a bit daunting but once you learn the proper technique in applying it. Then, it'll just be a walk in the park. 

Here are the tips in applying pigment shadows:

1. Apply it before your face makeup so it is easier for you to clean up any fall outs.
2. Use a cream base eyeshadow or creamy primer to enhance the staying power and hold the pigments even better.
3. For easier/smoother application, spritz tiny amount of makeup fixer/facial mist or even water on your brush before application.
4. Try to look/face down when applying so as to minimize the amount of fall outs on your cheeks.

Now that you have learned some of my tips, here is how my makeup play day turned out:

You may check out the video below to see the rest of the products I have used and how I applied each of them. Thanks for reading and watching!

Keep Dolling Up,

Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

How To Create A Gradient Eyeshadow Look

Hey dolls,

Eyeshadow application could be as easy as applying one simple shade all over your lid or could be as complicated as applying  transition shades or creating a gradient look. This week's tip is about getting that gradient eyeshadow look in the easiest way possible.

It is important to familiarize yourself with the different parts of your eyes before learning the actual application. See the photo with labels below:

Basically, you only need 4 eyeshadow shades to create that gradient look. You need a crease shade,  dark shade, medium shade and light shade. 

Crease shade: anything that looks like a bronzer or something very close to your skin color but a thud darker. This shade is use to apply on your crease to carve out the sockets of your eyes.
Dark shade: any dark eyeshadows like ebony black/sandstone brown; preferably mattes. This shade is use to apply on the outer V and also on the lower lash line.
Medium shade: any medium tone that is one or two shade lighter than your dark shade. This shade is applied on your mid lid area and/or lower lash line.
Light shade: any shade that is lighter than your dark and medium shades like champagne, light gold, light silver; preferably with satin or shimmery finished. This is applied on your inner lid and could also be used as a highlighter for your brow bone and inner corners/tear duct.

Tip: You may also use your blush or any pink/coral shades to create a transition on top of your crease. 

Now, let's see how these four basic shades are use to create that gradient eye makeup look.

1. Apply your eyeshadow primer/base. I prefer to use a primer that looks like a concealer so it can double as a color corrector and the same time prevents my eye makeup from creasing. You may use a liquid concealer as a primer. Tip: If you have oily lids, I suggest setting your primer with a beige matte shadow/ powder before moving to step 2.
2. Apply your crease shade on the crease area. Just swipe your eyeshadow in a sideways motion.
3. Apply your dark shade on your outer v. Making sure you pack most of the dark shade on the outermost part.Don't forget to blend any harsh edges.
4. Apply your medium shade on the mid section of your lid.
5. Apply the lightest shade on the inner lid section. 
6. If your lighter shade is perfect for highlighting, use it to highlight the inner corner/tear duct and your brow bone. 

You may also watch my video to see how I apply my go to eye make-up look and learn more application tips. Enjoy!

Thank you for visiting my blog. Don't forget to subscribe to any of my social media accounts to get more tips and makeup look in the future.

Keep Dolling Up,

Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

How To Choose The Correct Foundation Shade

Hello dolls,

There are many things to consider when buying a foundation. Do you want a pressed powder foundation? loose powder? stick type? or a liquid one? For this tip, I will be focusing on the liquid type and not specifically on the formulation but rather  on choosing the right shade. Choosing the perfect foundation shade could be very daunting, as there are so many different shades and undertone of foundation out in the market. So, I will be sharing with you the tips I learned over the years.

1.) Find your right undertone. 
This is the first tip on my list because this is the critical part. It is almost impossible to find the right shade of foundation without knowing your undertone. If you check out different kinds of foundation shade, you might discover that there are foundation that gravitates  toward pinkish tone and yellowish tone. Your undertone plays a big role in choosing between the two. 

There are three main types of undertone: warm, neutral or cool. One way to find your undertone is by checking your veins on your wrist - green veins (warm), blueish (cool), mixed (neutral) . Also the color of jewelry that compliments your skin, helps identify your undertone- gold (warm), silver (cool), both (neutral). You may also take this quiz to find out exactly what your undertone is   http://www.popsugar.com/beauty/Warm-Cool-Undertones-Quiz-1843402 . If you are on the warmer side choose a yellowish foundation. Otherwise, choose the pinkish tone. 

2.)  Do not judge the shade of the foundation merely on the color of the bottle.
This is probably the most common mistake that most of us do. I have been in this situation when I bought a foundation that looked exactly like my skin in the bottle, but when I got home I found out that it was way too muddy on my face and it made my skin  look older. Never ever decide just by looking at it because foundation can oxidize and actually change color a few seconds/minutes right after you apply it on your skin. 

3.) Swatch foundation on your chin area/neck.
Buying a foundation is pretty much similar to buying a dress- you have to try it on before you buy it. So, I advise always trying out the tester and try to get swatches of the colors you think fits you. The key to it is swatching it on the right place of your body. The common mistake though is swatching it on your arm or wrist. It is helpful, however, I wouldn't suggest it because most of the times, the  shade of our arm could be darker or lighter than the shade of our neck. When getting a foundation, match the shade to the color of your neck. You don't want a lighter face and darker neck, or vice versa. So, I suggest swatching your foundation on your chin area. In my case, I normally have makeup on my face while shopping so I don't normally follow this rule. However, I do swatch it on my neck. 

So, once you have swatched it/them on your neck/chin, your challenge is to find the one that is perfect for you. So how? Simply select the one that melts or literally disappears in your skin. Look at my swatches below. Which one do you think is my match? 

I am not sure if the picture does justice. The 3rd one is my perfect match! Once blended it disappears in my skin and is almost undetectable. At first glance you might think the 2nd one matches me because it has a yellowish undertone, however it is too dark and leaves and orangey tint on my skin. 

Tip: If you still can not find your match, get the one that is a thud lighter than your natural skin because you can still get away with it if you bronze and/or contour your face.However, if you get the darker one it could be a challenge. BUT, your darker shade foundation can be  used to contour/shade so do not dish it out.

3.) Ask for a sample.
This third tip is especially helpful if you still can not decide after swatching. If you are planning to get a higher end foundation, I strongly suggest asking for a sample that you can try at home before splurging. If you buy your foundation at a department store, clerks normally can give you a small sample if you ask for it. Explain to the clerk that you have heard a lot of good things about this foundation and would like to try it out at home before you purchase it. This usually works for  me. 

4.) Do not buy right away. 
In most cases, you are almost immediately tempted to get the foundation for two main reasons - it looks like it is your match and/or you are too embarrassed to tell the staff that you haven't actually made up your mind. For the first reason, I understand that you must be excited to see that this foundation shade could be the one for you. However, store lighting, especially the ones in department store, could be very deceiving at times. I suggest you take your time and get out of the store and check you makeup under a natural lighting (if possible). For the second reason, do not be intimidated/embarrassed to admit to the staff that you are still not sure about getting it. It is their job to help you swatch and choose the makeup for you so don't feel sorry that you are wasting their time. They are paid to do that!


I hope my tips are useful  and always remember that choosing the right shade for your skin is trial and error. Do not worry if you are wrong this time, there are still ways to make the most of the wrong foundation shades you have chosen. Try to mix them all up and create the exact shade that you think suits you. Also, consider the seasons. You can use your lighter foundation in the winter/cooler months and the darker ones in the summer/right after you get a nice tan from a trip to the beach. 

Keep Dolling Up,
Gelie (Jelai)  xoxo

How To Create A Slimmer Face With Contouring and Highlighting

Hi loves!

So, you have just applied your foundation and set your face makeup. Have you noticed something? Your face looks flat and you lose the natural definition of your facial features. Well, worry no more. I will help you bring it back and make it look even better.

This week's makeup tip is something a little more complex yet once mastered will create a big difference in your looks. I am going to be sharing with you my tips on how to contour and highlight your facial features to create a slimmer face and to bring out your facial assets. 

So, what is contouring? Contouring is literally like shading or creating a shadow on your face to recede a certain part of your face. With that being said, when choosing a contour shade it is best to choose a cool tone bronzer or just even a press powder that is two to three shades darker than your natural skin color. Never use a bronzer that is warm-tone or orangey because when contouring you are mimicking a shadow and shadows don't look orangey at all. In the photo below the first color on the left is a perfect contour shade, cool-toned with greyish undertone,  compared to the other two.  

What about highlighting? Highlighting is use side-by-side with contouring in  order to create a seamless look. It's purpose is to bring forward some of your facial features. When choosing a highlighter, consider your undertone. I suggest a highlighter with hints of pink if you are cool tone, whereas if you are warm tone, a highlight with golden finish will suit you better. If you are not sure about your undertone, a champagne highlighter is the safest choice. Also, make sure you don't use highlighter with big flakes of shimmer because you want to make it more natural and flakey shimmers will make you look like a  disco ball instead. ^^ Banana powder (yellow powder) will also work well for highlighting if you have a medium/tan skin.  

Ok let's begin... Below is an infographic I created on  basic contouring, highlighting and blushing. 

Contour the following parts of your face:

• Outer perimeter of your face- your hairline and along your chin
• Forehead (outer sections)
• Along the sides of your nose (parallel sides)
• Hollows of your cheeks - draw an imaginary line from the top of your ears to the tail of your brows. Tip: Do not take it all the way down near your mouth or else you will look like you have a beard. lol
• Below your lower lips - Tip: This will create a fuller lower lip.
• Crease of your eyes 
• Along your neck (draw parallel lines)
• Above and below your collar bones - Tip: This will instantly give you a model-like shoulders.

Highlight the following parts of your face:

• Bridge of your nose to the center of your forehead
• Above your cheekbone - Draw a C- shape from your cheekbone to the top of your eyebrow. Tip: This will give an illusion that you have a nice round cheekbones.
• Under your eyes - Draw a triangle following the tip of your nose to the edge of your eyes.
• Brow bone
• Cupid Bows (the arch on your upper lips) - Tip: This will create a fuller upper lip.
• Below the hollows of your cheek (only do this if you are using a banana powder not the shimmery highlighter) - This will clean up your cheek contour and make it more define.
• On top of your collar bone - This goes well if you contour below and above it.

Finally, I love to use two different kinds of blushes (totally optional). The first blush is what I consider a transition blush. I use a brownish blush (somewhat similar to my skin color) as a transition color between my contour shade and my ordinary blush. This helps create a gradient look. Then, I use my ordinary blush on the apples of my cheeks. Tips: There are different ways to place your blush depending on your face shape. Refer to the photo below:

Still fuzzy about the whole thing? You can also watch me in action.

If you are afraid on trying out this tip, all I can suggest is to practice doing it before you wash off your makeup at night so you don't have to worry going out with crazy face (if it doesn't turn out well). The key to it is having the right tools, practicing, blending and practicing again... Don't be scared to experiment!

I hope this helps. Let me know what you think. 

Keep  Dolling Up,

Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

How To Store Your Single Pan Eyeshadows (Low to No Cost)

Hello dolls!

I hope you all are having a great time. I was out of touch for a couple of days because I had to take a comprehensive exam for my graduate school. Well, I'm glad I got that over with and get back to you guys.

This week's tip is not purely makeup application tip, but rather a "storage" tip.

I do love using my eyeshadow palettes from Urban Decay, Stila and Coastal Scents. However, there are single pan eyeshadows in my collection that are invaluable. The problem is, since they are small and in individual container, I tend  to always misplace and lose them. So, last week, I decided to get creative and find an innovative and viable storage solution.

So here you go...

All you need is an old DVD case, sticky tape/glue, and of course your single pan eyeshadows.

In my case, I took off the plastic/title cover of the case just to give it a nicer, neater look and feel. Then, I began pushing out the eyeshadows from their original case. Most eyeshadows have a tiny hole at the bottom of the case so you can just poke it with sharp object (like needle) and easily dispense it from its case. However, some don't have a hole so it's rather challenging, so, a word of advise, don't force it coz you might break your eyeshadows. Like in my case, I have two circular eyeshadows from Essence and I've had trouble pulling them out. What I did was I just leave them on their original case rather than pushing them too hard.

Then, use your double sided tape or glue to stick them inside the DVD case. In my case, I did not use a glue. I explained the specific reason why I opted for the tape in my YouTube video below. 

That's pretty much it, dolls. That's how you transform a junk to something more useful for your makeup. Let me know if you have brilliant makeup storage tip that you'd like to share with us.

Hope this helps!

P.S.: I will post the winner for my makeup giveaway challenge early tomorrow. So, stay tune and good luck!

Keep Dolling Up,

Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

How To Create A Perfect Winged Liner

A week ago, I was asked by a new acquaintance about how I precisely applied my eyeliner. I promised her I'm going to walk her through my tips on my next post. Well, I finally got the chance to do it. 

I have a couple of tricks on applying my eyeliner, but I will only be sharing one this time. This trick is especially useful when you want to create a cat eye or winged out look without being careful. This is actually the first makeup trick I learned over the years and it has never failed me. 

You will have to dig in your stationery drawer and pull out a roll of tape (any kind of tape but duct tape lol). Yeah! That's right! You'll need some tape and of course your favorite eyeliner.

See the picture and the detailed instructions right below it.

1. Cut a pair of about an inch and a half of tape (just about enough to cover the outer corner of your eyes). Then, stick them at the back of your hands, pulling and sticking them back and forth to get rid of the tackiness. Tips: Make sure all that sticky texture is gone before proceeding. If not, you'll end up removing your foundation or face makeup.
2. After getting rid of the extra tackiness, place the tape on the outer corner of your eyes. You can adjust the angle of the tape depending on your preference. In my case, I like to put the other end of the tape right at the tail of my brows. Make sure you are securely sticking the edge of the tape on the corner of your eyes so the products wont end up smearing under the tape and defeating the purpose.
3. Apply your eyeshadow. You can even sloppily do it because the tape will still keep the edge clean. Tips: Using this trick is the perfect time for you to play with darker shades on the outer V of your eyes or even go smokey. It will give it more dimension. 
4. Start drawing your eyeliner. I like to draw my wings first before drawing the inner corner. This is a personal preference. Tips: It's more flattering if your eyeliner starts thin at the inner corner and gradually grows thicker at the end. 
5. Complete and perfect any broken lines.
6. Carefully and slowly take off the tape.
7. If you have any eyeshadow fall-outs below your eyes or on your cheeks, you can use the tape to get rid of them. Gently tap the tape on the affected area. 
8. If you think the edge of your eyes are too overly drawn or obviously taped, dab the area with your ring finger to blend it out a little and to give it a more natural finish.

Here's my full face of makeup following the steps above. 

It's a no brainer! Right? Let me know what you think. Have you tried this technique before?  What other eyeliner tricks do you know?

P.S.: If you haven't done yet, make sure you subscribe or follow me on any of my social media accounts  and comment on any of my blog posts. So, you will have an entry to participate in my makeup giveaway which ends on Sunday (April 19th).

Click the icon below to follow me: 

Thanks!

Keep Dolling Up,

Gelie ( Jelai ) xoxo

How To Maximize The Use Of Your Cream Concealer

Ever wonder how makeup artists get those perfectly defined brows, perfectly shaped lips and flawlessly applied eye makeup? Are you really getting the most benefit and use of your cream concealer?

Today's makeup tip and trick will answer all of those questions. I will  be sharing with you three awesome ways to maximize the use of your cream concealer. If you have been using your cream concealer just to spot treat your blemishes and skin discoloration, then, you probably  are missing out on some amazing tricks that your concealer can do for you. This trick will change the way you apply your concealer and change your look in the most subtle way.

Let's begin. In this makeup tutorial, you will only need a cream concealer  (the closest color to your skin) and a small brush  with defined edges. In my case, I am using the Mac Studio Finish Concealer in NC30 and a detailer brush from Real Techniques, which comes from their face brush set. 

Perfectly Shaped Lips/Cupid Bows

If you find yourself sloppily putting on your lipsticks- which by the way I am guilty of, then your cream concealer is your friend. A bleeding lipstick (lipstick that goes out of your natural lip line) is not so flattering. It will make you look like you do not know how to use your makeup or that you are a novice teenager, who have just discovered makeup. Either ways it's not good. This trick is especially useful when you are wearing bold vivid lip colors.

1. So, to give you those perfectly shaped cupid bows (see the circled part on the pic above), reach for your brush and cream concealer. Dab your brush to your concealer making sure you cover the tip of the bristles
2. Carefully draw the natural shape of your lips and give more detailed attention on shaping the curves of your cupid bows (the arch  on your upper lips). 
3. Finally, slightly press the concealer with your fingers so that the warmth from your hands melt or blends the concealer to your skin further. 

Perfectly Applied Eye Shadow or Winged Liner

This technique is especially helpful if you want to get a well-defined cat eye look (which I have two ways of doing, I'll share the other one next time). Or if you simply want to clean up the edges of your eye makeup, then this is also a good trick.

1. You might not see anything wrong on picture 1, but if you look closely, the darker shadow goes beyond the line where I drew my winged liner. You can go out with this look it is perfectly normal. However, if you want to put more emphasis on your winged liner, then grab your concealer and brush.
2. Draw a line where you want to get that crisp winged look and blend your brush further down to make sure you erase any smudges from your eyeshadow.
3. Finally, use your finger to blend your concealer to your skin. Tips: Remember to use your ring finger as explained on my previous post on concealing undereye circles.

Perfectly Defined Eyebrows

As I have mentioned on my post on how to define your brows, your brows are the most important part of your makeup. So, never disregard them because they are the ones that can pull off any looks you go for. Did I mention that concealer does not only create those clean and crisp lines below and above your brows, but also help cover up the tiny hair growth you have? In days when I am so lazy to shave or pluck  any regrowth under my brows, this technique comes in  handy.

1. After filling in your brows with brow pencil/powder/pomade, grab your brush and dab it to your cream concealer.
2. Following the natural shape and arch of your brows, draw a line on your top and lower brow line. If you overdraw the part where your brows start, use the excess concealer from your brush to lighten that part out. Tips: For covering hair re-growth, dab more concealer and build up the coverage as you desire.
3. Using your ring finger, blend the concealer to your skin making sure there are no harsh edges or weird patches. 

The picture below, shows a comparison of my defined and undefined look. Can you tell the subtle differences on the eyes and lips?

There you go, dolls. I hope I was clear enough. If you have questions, comments and suggestions for a next tutorial, please comment below.

You can also follow me on any of my SNS profile. See the sidebar on the right for the link.

P.S.: I am writing for ideafortoday.com. You can also see some amazing blog posts of any random topics from different bloggers out there.

Always remember! Everyday is a day to doll up,

Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

How To Have Long Lasting Curled Lashes

Hello dolls!

I know that not everyone (including me) is gifted with long, curly lashes. I envy those of you, who have naturally pretty lashes. Well, as for me, I have to take extra steps and tricks on my makeup routine to achieve my desired lashes- lengthy, curly and full.

This weeks makeup tip and tricks that I will be sharing with you is the simplest trick I know and use almost regularly. It is simple because you only need two things to achieve this look, well, technically three if I count the mascara in. It is an extra step you take before applying your mascara and the beauty about it is it only takes 30 seconds to do, but the effect will last you all throughout the day.

Ok! Let's start. 

1. All you need is a blow dryer and "metal" eyelash curler. If you do not have a blow dryer on hand, then your warm fingers are good enough to use. 
2. Place your metal curler in front of your blow dryer nuzzle to warm it up. Let the warm air from your blow dryer warm the curler up for about 10 seconds. Caution: Only use this technique with a metal eyelash curler. You don't want to melt the plastic one. Tips: As mentioned above, you can simply warm your curler by wrapping it with your warm fingers. Although, this doesn't work on me because I always have cold hands due to poor circulation
3. Then, wait about 3-5 seconds before curling your lashes.  Once the curler is not scorching hot, curl the root of your lashes by pulling the curler downward to your cheeks (see photo above on step 3). I'd like to hold the curler for 10 seconds.
4. Release the curler and curl the same lashes again. But, this time, start from the mid section of your lashes instead of the roots. Curl for about 10 seconds and pull the curler upward before releasing. Then, repeat step 3 and 4 for your other lashes. 
5. Apply your favorite mascara to further emphasize and enhance your curls. In picture 5 above, you can see the difference between my right and left eyes. The right one is the finished look but the left one is untouched. Tips: Waterproof mascaras will help your lashes hold the curl longer compared to regular ones.
6. Voila! You are ready to rock those gorgeous pair of lashes.

Curling your lashes with just your curler and just simply applying a coat of your mascara might give you that desired curled out look. However, taking this extra step assures you that the curl will hold throughout the day. I have proven and tested this and I hope this technique also works for you.

Good luck! Please let me know if it helped you. 

Keep Dolling Up,

Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

Concealing Undereye Discoloration/Circles

Hello dolls,

Waking up with an ugly discoloration under your eyes from a late night partying or working hard is a normal scenario that could happen to anyone of us. I really didn't know a lot about undereye circles until I began applying makeup and became more aware of my skin and what not. At first, I thought foundation will just suffice in concealing them but obviously it doesn't.

Don't  worry though, I have found an effective way of covering them and I am so excited to share it with you. All you  need are three things.  You need a color stick in salmon peach/orange. Well, you might think orange color corrector/concealer might look strange on your skin (I thought exactly the same thing at first), but actually you'll  be surprised as to how effective it is in covering any cool-toned discolorations in your skin. You will also need a concealer. You can choose to use a concealer that is the same shade as your foundation or if you want a more lifted and highlighted effect on your face, then a concealer that is two shades lighter than your skin is perfect.  Finally, the last optional thing you need is a dampened sponge. Or if you don't have one, don't sweat it out, your fingers are just as effective. Although, blending it with your finger might take a bit longer than blending it with a sponge. Finally, a translucent powder is also needed to set everything in place. 

Please find the step-by-step picture tutorial and the detailed instructions below.

1. Get ready with your orange color corrector, concealer, sponge (optional) and translucent powder. 
2. Start with a bare face (before applying your face makeup). Applying it before your foundation, works better because you don't want to mix your color corrector on top of  your foundation. You would want to use it to correct the exact shade of the discoloration.
3. Apply the orange corrector to areas with redness and blueish color.
4.  Use your "ring finger" to gently press and even out the product.  Tips: You would not want to be tagging or pressing too hard on the skin around your eyes since it is the softest skin on your face. That's why using your "ring finger" is important because it gives the lightest force among all your fingers. Always remember to use your ring finger when ever you are pressing product around your eyes including eye creams and eye primer.
5. Then, layer up with the concealer that's 2 shades lighter than your skin. Create a triangular shape along the corner of your nose. This will highlight the area and bring it forward.
6.  Repeat step 4.
7. To make sure everything is blended, take a dampened sponge and use a tapping motion to blend everything out. Make sure to blend it outward towards your temple.
8.  See the difference! You can then, apply the rest of your face makeup then set your undereye with a translucent powder. The translucent powder will not add anymore color to your skin it'll just set your concealer so it doesn't move throughout the day. 

There you go, dolls. I hope my tips are useful and that it helps you create a healthier well rested look. 

Let me know how it works for you.

Thanks for reading!

Keep dolling up,

Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

How To Take Off Falsies And Waterproof Mascara

When I was fairly new to the colorful  world of makeup, I wanted to wear false lashes (falsies). However,  my fear of removing them kept me from wearing a pair. I was so scared of the thought of accidentally removing all my real lashes in the process. After doing some research and just trying things out,  I have found the easiest and safest technique to take them off.

The same technique can also be used in removing pesky waterproof mascara that never seems to come off no matter what you do.

Just follow the nine simple steps shown in the picture below and see the detailed instructions thereafter.

9 Steps To Remove False Lashes or Pesky Waterproof Mascara (100% effective)

1. You need some eye makeup remover, spoolie brush and face tissue. Pour some makeup remover to your spoolie brush.
2. Start by coating off the bottom part of your lashes as if you're applying your mascara.
3. Coat the upper part. 
4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 until your false lashes start to get loose.
5. Voila! Check for your falsies on your spoolie.
6. To take off any excess mascara on your lashes, repeat step 2.
7. Repeat step 3.
8. Brush any excess to your brows and eyeliner.
9. Finally, gently rub off the smeared oil and makeup with a facial tissue. Then, rinse off.

Let me know if this technique works for you and share any techniques you might happen to know.

Thanks for reading! And remember,  everyday is a day to doll up. 

Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

How To Define Your Eyebrows

Did you know that your brows are one of the most important part of your makeup? Most of the time, your brows are the first thing that people will notice when they look at your face. They help shape and frame your face and bring out your facial features, or if not done right, they'll do the opposite effect. So, a well-defined set of brows would really help pull off your entire look.

Follow this step by step tutorial with pictures to define your brows.

1. Brush your brows with a spoolie ( brow comb )
2. Outline the outer edges of your brows with a brow pencil. Tip: Just follow the natural curve and shape of your brows.
3. Fill in the rest of your brows using your brow pencil or brow pomade. Tip: For a more natural look, make the tail darker and gradually light handedly fill in the inner section. Instead of shading, use light hairy strokes to fill in.
4. Clean up the outer parts by using a cream concealer right along the line of your lower and upper brows. This will make your brows stand out and create a look of a more precise line. Tip: Make sure you blend the concealer out to your skin so it doesn't look too obvious. 

I hope it helps. Let me know if you have some questions by writing me a comment below.

Keep Dolling Up,

Gelie (Jelai) xoxo