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

Review + Surprise: Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

Hello Dolls,

Did  you know that today marks the first month since my blog has been published? I am so pumped up about the support I am getting so far from every single one of you and I couldn't be anymore grateful. So, to thank my avid subscribers, I have a surprise for you guys. 

We'll get to that later...

I also wanted to do something a little different than usual. From time to time, I will be posting videos alongside with my blog posts. So, it means, you can also subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

This weeks product review is recorded through this video post. Please check it out and stay until the last part to learn what my awesome surprise is.

Summing up my takeaways of the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara are the pros and cons.

Pros:

• Pretty and practical packaging
• Jet Black formulation that makes your lashes stand out even more
• Incredible brush and bristles design that prevent lashes from clumping
• Lightweight and feels soft when worn
• Doesn't flake out throughout the day
• Very easy to remove

Cons:

• Price 
• Doesn't live up to its claim of not needing curler
• Doesn't curl my lashes by itself
• Not for volumizing, only for lengthening
• Not waterproof

There you go, dolls. Let me know how this new medium (YouTube + blog posts) works out for you.  Remember, if you want to join the makeup giveaway, don't forget to follow the two rules I explained on the video above. 

Thanks for your love...

Keep Dolling Up,

Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

Peachy Coral Spring Inspired Look

Hello Lovelies!

It is the time of year again when you put away your winter coat, set aside your deep colored makeup and pull out those pastels and colorful hues from your makeup  collection. Spring is here and it means that coral, peach and pink tone shades of makeup are back. 

So, I decided to create a very neutral makeup look yet still shouts for "spring". In this look, I played around with the shades of peach and pale coral. I just think that this color is the perfect shade for a neutral look in spring. It reminds me of a soft pastel petal blossoming and the thing about this look is it's very wearable and neutral so it's perfect for daytime.

Here are the products I used to create this peachy coral spring inspired look:

Face

• Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Treatment Makeup Foundation (250  pure beige) mixed with L'oreal True Match Foundation (G3 Golden Beige)
• Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle (light pale)
• CanMake Colorstick (orange salmon)
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit
• Catrice Prime and Fine Highlighting Powder (fairy dust)
• Mac Mineralize Skinfinish (medium plus)
• Essence Blush (80 autumn peach)
• Essence I Love Stage Eyeshadow Base

Eyes

• Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade (dark brown)
• Clio Slim Kill Pen Eyeliner (black)
• Coastal Scents Warm Eyeshadow Palette
• L'oreal Butterfly Waterproof Mascara
• Nyx Jumbo Pencil in my waterline (milk)

Lips

• Missha Lipliner applied all over the lips before lipstick (BE01)
• Too Faced Melted Lipstick (melted nude)

If you have questions about the products I used or if you want me to review any of these products please let me know by leaving a comment down below or by simply sending me a private message on any of my social media accounts (find the links on the upper right corner).

I hope you are enjoying the warm spring weather and if you are somewhere tropical, please head out to the beach and enjoy the water for me. :)

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

Review: Too Faced Melted Kisses Liquified Longwear Lipsticks

This week's product review is my first review on lip products. My first two posts on this category were drugstore products from L'oreal, so, I decided to go for the high end product this time. It's going to be a set of lippie products from Too Faced; they  are the Melted Kisses Liquified Longwear Lipsticks. This line of lipsticks from Too faced comes in 18 different shades. However, I only own this exclusive set that includes four deluxe-sizes oftheir four best-selling shades in Melted Nude, Melted Peony, Melted Fuchsia and Melted Berry. 

I've had this set for over two months now and have worn all of  them in the past couple of weeks. Although, I'd say I've worn one of them more often than the three. Can you guess which one? 

The company claims that these products coat lips in bursts of intense color that lasts for hours. It's innovative, angled velvet tip allows for precise application. 

Did Too Faced live up to its claim? Well, continue reading to see my thoughts.

Packaging

As you can see, these lipsticks come in a tube packaging with an angled velvet/sponge tip applicator. The tube itself is very sleek and eye catching. I especially love the way they colored the tube according to the exact color swatch of the product inside. The colored tube just makes it so easy to distinguish and to fish out especially when you are in a hurry and just need to grab the exact color you want. Thumbs up for this awesome packaging!

Formulation

These lippies are liquid style almost like a lip gloss but more opaque or pigmented and less glossy. In my opinion the finish for most of them is semi-matte, but "melted nude" seems more matte than the others. When you first apply it, it might look a bit glossy but as the product sets into your lips, it turns into a matte velvety finish. Although they're semi-matte, they don't make my lips dry. The color pay off for all of them are really incredible and they all are very opaque. 

Application

As described above, it comes in an angled sponge/velvet applicator promising to make the application easier. I would say that the angled shape of the applicator is pretty smart. It just makes it so easy to carve out the natural lines of your lips especially when shaping your cupid's bow. However, I do feel like the sponge applicator absorbs a lot of the product and it just makes me feel like wasting most of it, but maybe I'm wrong. I do suggest to press the tube carefully so you don't end up dispensing a lot of products. If you end up pressing too much and dispensing a lot, the product could end up bleeding outside the perimeter of your lips.  You only need a pea-size amount to dot it in the middle of your lips and use the sponge applicator to spread the product all over.  The application is pretty easy and the only hard thing about it is having the right control as to how much product to press out. 

Wearability/Longevity

As the company claims, these lippies provide long-lasting wear. Do I agree? YES and NO depending on the shades. Yes, because I found the bolder ones (melted berry and melted fuchsia) to have longer staying power. I think it's because they are brighter and they leave a pigmented bright tint on the lips. However, the more neutral ones (melted nude and melted peony) are not as long-wearing as the other bold ones. They tend to last only for 3 hours in my case, but it could also be because I have a bad habit of licking my lips and unconsciously eating my lipstick in the process. LOL...

Price/Affordability:

My set of four deluxe size (smaller size) is cheaper than the  price of a one full sized melted lipstick.  As I checked it on Too faced website, it costs about $21 for a one full size. I believe the melted kisses set only costs about $24; it's about $6 for each one of them. It was a steal for a high-end lipstick! However, I do think that the melted kisses set is a limited edition and might not be available on their website. You might be able to find them at Amazon or eBay, though. 

My Final Take-aways:

Do I recommend it?

If you have money to splurge on a $21 lipstick then, yeah! go for it. However, I do suggest getting the limited edition set instead of getting a one full-sized. In my opinion, it is more practical that way, so you can test out different colors and see what you want. Then, if you are really in love with one of them, then you can go ahead and splurge on the fuller size. However, for those of you are on the fence about it and don't want to spend that much for a lippie,  I suggest checking on some other drugstore options. Like here in Korea, I saw a pretty similar lippie from a Korean brand name "Code", although I don't own one. So, if you are in Korea, try heading out to  your nearest Olive Young and check out that product. Let me know if you found a drugstore dupe of these products in your country.

Will I buy it again?

As I mentioned above, there is one color that I am obsessed about. It is the "melted nude". I love my nudes. I just feel like it suits my skin tone better than the cooler tone and bolder ones.  So, to answer the question, I'll definitely get another tube of melted nude, once I ran out of the one I have now. I am also interested in trying out their other shades. I will probably wait for their limited edition set and buy the sets instead  of buying them individually.

I hope this review is helpful and insightful enough. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading! If you like my blog and look forward to my next posts, please hit any of my SNS sites on the right sidebar and follow me there. Thanks, hon!

Keep Dolling 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