How to Use an Eyeshadow Trio

Hi Tory,

There are so many pretty, affordable eyeshadow trios on the market that I thought I'd show you a quick, on trend way to use them. :) The one I'm using in the video comes from the Makeup Academy Professional range, and they have a lovely selection of colours. the one I've gone for has more of a shot silk look about it.

Products Used

• MUA Professional Trio Eyeshadow Palette in Innocence
try some of the different colour palettes out there for some quick and easy toned looks
• MUA Mascara in Shade 5
• MUA Intense Colour Eyeliner in Rich Brown
• MUA Lipgloss in Shade 1

Try some of the different colour palettes out for some quick and easy toned looks!

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

A Glittering Burlesque Christmas

Hi Tory,

I thought I'd go a little bit Dita for a sparkling, glittering Christmas look that has lots of glitz and those glossy red lips. Don't forget the kitten flick eyeliner!

And, best of all, the total cost of everything I used is £10 - so you can be beautiful on a budget!

Products Used

• MUA Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 1
don't forget the kitten flick eyeliner!
• MUA Matt Eyeshadow in Shade 17
• MUA Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 27
• MUA Matt Eyeshadow in Shade 19
• MUA Glitter Eyeliner in Shade 2
• MUA Mascara in Shade 5
• MUA Liquid Eyeliner in Shade 5
• MUA Lipstick in Shade 13
• MUA Lipgloss in Shade 2
• MUA Nail Polish in Shade 6

Add some fire engine red nails and you'll be a Christmas angel with a touch of siren :)

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Keep Those Brushes Clean!

Hi Tory,

Here's the way I keep my brushes nice and clean and free from bacteria and other nasty things.

What You'll Need

• Olive Oil - as pure as you can afford
that's all there is to it!
• Any generic non perfumed or baby shampoo
• Warm water
• Cotton pads
• A clean dry flannel or cloth

I'd do the full clean once a week, with a daily quick clean in shampoo every day, leaving the brushes to dry overnight. And that's all there is to it!

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

From Go To Look to Look At Me!

Hi Tory,

So... it's the end of the working day and now it's time to party! But - you've only got another ten minutes to get out of the office and on to a tube or a bus to go and meet your friends, so how do you go from daytime work makeup to nighttime glitz?

Products Used (on top of your work makeup essentials)

• MUA Matte Eyeshadow in Shade 20
how do you go from daytime work makeup to nighttime glitz?
• MUA Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 30
• MUA Intense Colour Eyeliner Pencil in Jet Black
• MUA Lipgloss Tube in Shade #3

That's all there is to it - darken and dramatize the smokey shadow in the outer corners, sparkle up the sheen area, put on some more mascara, and gloss up your lip. You're good to go with an extra two shadows, an eyeliner pencil and a gloss!

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Not Well Today

Hi Tory,

Feeling really poorly today... so no proper video updates :( Staying on the couch today!

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

The Go To Look

Hi Tory,

You know those mornings when you missed the alarm, you burnt your toast, you've run out of milk and the bus leaves for work in ten minutes? This is where the Go To Look comes in to play.

I can get this on my face in five or so minutes flat and be out the door looking polished

The Go To Look is the quick and easy makeup routine that uses a minimum amount of products but gives maximum impact every time. It's also the one that you can do in your sleep (perfect for those mornings when you miss the alarm!) I know that I can get this on my face in five or so minutes flat and be out the door looking polished and ready to face the day with two shadows, one brush, one mascara, one pencil and a lipstick... you don't even need the pencil.

Products Used

• MUA Eyeshadow in Shade 19
• Boots 17 Palette in All About Nude
• MUA Intense Colour Eye Pencil in Rich Brown
• Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara in Waterproof Black
• 2True Glossywear Lipstick in 10

Neutrals are best for a work appropriate look so load your bag with those essentials - you could even do this on the bus on the way to work! In the next video I'll show you how to extend the Go To Look into the evening when you need to go straight from work to drinks or dinner :)

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Calendar Frazzle!

Hi Tory,

Due to the clocks going back and various cold and 'flu issues I thought today was Tuesday rather than Wednesday... so video and blog post tomorrow instead. And a brain transplant for me :)

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

The Biba Look

Hi Tory,

Here we go with the Biba tutorial - lots of hazy greens to mimic that 70s meets 30s Hollywood glamour style by way of Kensington High Street.

It's all about keeping the colour above the crease and up to the brow, LOTS of lashes and a dark, plummy mouth.

Products Used

• Beauty UK Metallic Sparks Jumbo Pencil in Green 4
70s meets 30s Hollywood glamour style by way of Kensington High Styreet
• Beauty UK Eyeshadow Palette in No. 4 - Earth Child
• MUA Eyeshadow in Shade 7
• MUA Intense Colour Eye Pencil in Rich Brown
• Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara in Waterproof Black
• MUA Blusher in Shade 2
• 2True Glossywear Lipstick in 10

Have fun with the Biba palette!

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Biba, Biba, BIBA!

Hi Tory,

Anyone who knows us will know that we are both OBSESSED with Biba - the brand launched as a mail order company by Barbara Hulanicki in the mid-60s, which went on to be the world's first lifestyle brand in the early 70s.

Biba introduced the world to black lipstick and green eyeshadow and purple nails

Biba introduced the makeup world to black lipstick and green eyeshadow and purple nails, with a highly pigmented palette encompassing all the colours of the rainbow. Barbara was a Polish-born fashion student, whose passion for the glamour and smoky style of Hollywood in the 30s, coupled with her desire to provide affordable High Street fashion, made her a much-loved icon. Her influence can still be seen today in everything from catwalk shows to interior design to street style.

Biba eventually went bankrupt in 1975 following a downturn in the British economy, and Barbara moved to Miami to become an influential interior designer. Her muted, sludgy palette of aubergines, berries, chocolates and mustards is still a huge hit, and this will be my take on the classic Biba look.

For more about Biba with some pictures and links, here's an article I wrote a couple of years ago:
Places and Spaces: Big Biba

Tutorial coming next week!

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Think Pink!

Hi Tory,

The drawback with pink eyeshadow is that it can make you look like you've been punched, have an infection, or are suffering from a human form of Myxomatosis... which is not a good look. I've vamped it up a bit here by blending it with a base of chocolate brown to give a lovely plummy/burgundy colour, and then lined the eyes with a warm brown to offset the pink even further.

Products Used

• Beauty UK Eyeshadow Palette in No. 6 - Day and Night
go pink with pride!
• MUA Intense Colour Eye Pencil in Rich Brown
• Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara in Waterproof Black
• Boots 17 Endless Shine Lip Gloss in Oriental Star

Go pink with pride!

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Forties Glam!

Hi Tory,

As requested, here's a polished and glamorous look for you to try out for when you go off to your day job at the Imperial War Museum! (The eyebrows look a bit Angry Birds on camera - sorry about that!)

There really aren't a lot of products involved as it's more about polish and presentation than out and out colour, and because of the scarcity of cosmetics during the war they tended to keep things simple.

Products Used

• Urban Decay Primer Potion (Makeup Academy also do one)
there really aren't a lot of products involved as it's more about polish and presentation
• Makeup Academy Intense Colour Pencil in Rich Brown
• Makeup Academy Matt Eyeshadow in Shade 17
• Makeup Academy Intense Colour Pencil in Black
• (Recommended) Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Black
• Makeup Academy Blusher in Shade 2
• MAC Viva Glam in Cyndi Lauper

Stock up on chocolate and stockings! :)

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Colours for Fall/Autumn

Hi Tory,

I had a message on YouTube today from kasimariee - excitement!! - who asked me for my thoughts and recommendations on Autumn makeup colours... which made me think that this would be a good next topic for you :) Cold days and warm colours!

Products Used

• Urban Decay Naked Palette
• Beauty UK Eyeshadow Palette #4
• Makeup Academy Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 27
• Makeup Academy Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 11
cold days and warm colours
• Makeup Academy Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 30
• Makeup Academy Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 28
• Makeup Academy Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 7
• Makeup Academy Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 12

Have fun with rusty chocolate pumpkin berries! ;)

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Peacock Eye

Hi Tory,

Okay - here's what I like to call my Peacock Eye, and what James refers to as The Bluebottle Eye... it's a three-colour technique which is all about the blending, and you can use any three colours that you like.

Products Used

• Body Shop Quickshadow in Instant Indigo: discontinued, so any dusky navy would do :)
• Makeup Academy Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 5
a three-colour technique which is all about the blending
• Makeup Academy Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 8
• Makeup Academy Intense Colour Eyeliner in Jet Black: can't find a direct link, but it's in the £1 range :)
• Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara in Waterproof Black

This'd look really good with three neutrals for daytime, or maybe go wild with purples! Have fun :)

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

One or Two Points...

Hi Tory,

A quick one with some points that CJ raised! :)

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Blue Smoky Eye

Hi Tory,

I thought it was about time I did an actual makeup tutorial with some actual makeup in it ;) This is a nice and easy smoky eye that doesn't take much time, but gives maximum impact with a tiny number of products.

Products Used

• Body Shop Quickshadow in Instant Indigo: discontinued, so any dusky navy would do :)
• Makeup Academy Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 8
maximum impact with a tiny number of products
• Makeup Academy Intense Colour Eyeliner in Jet Black: can't find a direct link, but it's in the £1 range :)
• Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara in Waterproof Black
• Urban Decay Lipstick in Rush

So, there you go - a smoky eye to practice :)

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Bones and Things

Hi Tory,

Lots of quick info on where your browbone is, how to find your cheek contours and what a waterline actually is ;)

Off to find some decent lighting so I can do some proper makeup!

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Texture, Texture, Read All About It

Hi Tory,

Apart from anything else, this video is proof that makeup can transform you from a fat bag lady into a human being ;) Still working on lighting and what have you...

No specific links! Just giving you an idea of textures and how to stop your eyeshadow/lipstick combo from clashing - unless you're doing an 80s retro thing, in which case, go for it :)

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

A Short One - Like Me!

Hi Tory,

A very quick one - fighting the appalling lighting - is there a particular look that you wanted me to show you? :)

Primers and Foundations

• Smashbox Photo Finish Light Primer - oil free, silicon free, happiness ensured :) It's a bit pricey, but like I say in the video, a little goes a very very long way.
is there a particular look that you wanted me to show you?
• Smashbox High Definition Healthy FX Foundation - I HATE foundation. I've tried so many, even the mineral powder ones and I really hate the way they feel on my skin... until I found this one, which feels GREAT and I can't tell I've got it on. It's also one of the ones with minerals in :) Again, not cheap, but a little goes a long way with this too.

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

Colours and Brands!

Hi Tory!

After a good rummage through my makeup, quite a lot of it isn't massively expensive (although the massively expensive ones *are* lovely), so here's a few picks of cheaper brands that are still nice to work with and experiment with:

Good Cheap Brands

• The Beauty UK palettes are £3.99 for ten lovely shades per palette (I wouldn't bother with the little foam brush it comes with tho... it's not that great. These are from Superdrug.
cheaper brands that are still nice to work with and experiment with
• The Makeup Academy range - again from Superdrug - are just ridiculously brilliant and £1 each, and they also do a slightly more expensive range from £2.00.
• The Sleek palettes are pretty fab too. They're a bit more expensive (£6.49), but I've seen loads of tutorials that feature the colours and they are gorgeous.

I also mention the Urban Decay Primer Potion which you used to be able to get in Boots, but is available now at Debenhams, although try not to drool on the counter too much when you see all the palettes and colours. ; You can get the Primer Potion in different colours, but mine is the generic one. :)

Onwards to Part 3 soon!

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

The Tools for the Job!

Hi Tory,

Buying the right tools makes putting makeup on a lot easier, and you don't need to have a battalion of them to get the job done! The three that I'd say to get to cover most eventualities are:

Essential Brushes

• Small Angled Brush - in the video I have a Ruby & Millie one which has since been discontinued... the MAC 266/263 is the posh version but the Maybelline gel liner comes with one... take a look at the Boots and Superdrug cheaper brands like 17 and so on :)
Buying the right tools makes putting makeup on a lot easier
• Small Flat Eyeshadow Brush - mine is the Urban Decay one, but there are cheaper alternatives in most of the chemist ranges, like this Boots 17 one.
• Small Domed Brush - again the MAC 217 is the posh version (my Ruby & Millie one is discontinued grrr): look for something called a domed brush or a domed blending brush. Boots 7 do one - here.

Next On The List Brushes

• Brow Brush
• Blusher Brush
• Foundation Brush

Later Date Brushes/Possibles

• Large Flat Brush
• Angled Shadow Brush
• Powder Brush

The rest of the brushes that I mentioned (like the concealer brush and the weird scratchy flat one) are just ones that I happen to have but don't really add much overall.

Hugs and kisses,
xxx

A Tale of Two Sisters

My sister Victoria came into the world in January 1987, 23 years after me, and about a year or so after I'd left home. Mum's first marriage - me. Mum's second marriage - Victoria. Just her and me. And we are absolutely without a shadow of a doubt sisters (we talk about boys and fight in front of our mum!), we've just never grown up together or had that extended period of girlie time. In many ways, it's like we're both only children - but sisters. ;)

Thanks to the Internet, I get to do all the Big Sister Advice Stuff that I never had a chance to do before - and this is how Makeup Tips for My Sister came about... she never got to steal my eyeliner, or experiment with my lipstick, or borrow my favourite eyeshadow, but now I get to help her along with the stuff that I've learned along the way. Just like a Big Sister should. :)

So, for my own special, number 1, original Victoria and all the other Victorias out there - here's how to play with makeup xx :)